We are pleased to announce that the winner of the inaugural British Council International Residency Award at Graduate Fashion Week is Holly Jayne Smith, graduate of Birmingham City University.

Holly will travel to Casablanca from 26th October - 23rd November 2014, where she will be hosted by the Moroccan Association of Fashion Designers and the Casa Moda Academy. She will spend time working with the winners of the New Moroccan Talent Award as well as producing a small capsule collection in response to her experiences in the country. 

 About the International Residency Award: 

This annual award, changing host countries every year, will include flights, accommodation, necessary travel documents, subsistence and a tailor-made programme for up to a month. The winner will be judged on the quality of their work, the relevance of their practice to the residency and their awareness of the importance of cultural heritage and relations in fashion. Judges include the Graduate Fashion Week Executive Board, Joseph Ouechen of the Moroccan Association of Fashion Designers and the British Council's Architecture, Design and Fashion team.

Morocco is the host country for the inaugural award. The winner will be immersed in the rich visual and craft heritage of Morocco, which has already proven an inspiration to internationally renowned designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Michael Kors and Peter Som. The winner will be hosted by Joseph Ouechen, Director of the Moroccan Association of Fashion designers, with a studio space provided by the Casa Moda Academy. They will be asked to record their journey and upon completion of the residency present a concept for a collection or project in response to their residency with the opportunity to produce and showcase it in Morocco and the UK.