University of Westminster Fashion BA Honours graduates Alex Lyons, Nikyla Natividad and Thomas Fee have been shortlisted for the Global Creative Graduate Showcase 2026, the world’s largest showcase for emerging creative talent.
The Showcase, now in its seventh edition, is supported by Arts Thread Vault, a platform for emerging creators, which helps students preserve the origins of their work, document its development and maintain a trusted creative record beyond graduation.
Their work is now being seen by the Showcase's international panel of industry judges, which includes leading creatives from companies such as Amazon, Google and Gucci, as well as audiences around the world through a public vote.
Collectively, their work has already received support from five countries, including the United States, the UK, India, Singapore and Taiwan, with interest continuing to grow internationally.
Titled Modern Ritual, Alex Lyon's creative menswear reflects an imagined journey of a samurai travelling through time. The collection reinterprets traditional menswear silhouettes through innovative pleating techniques and repeated forms, with each look representing a different stage in the evolution of its central character. Exploring themes of discipline, progress and transformation, Alex balances dramatic volumes with more restrained silhouettes that reflect control and precision. His work is influenced by a range of cultural references, including the postmodern artworks of artist Willie Cole and the visual legacy of Ray Petri and Jamie Morgan, pioneers of the influential Buffalo Movement, an influential 1980s fashion movement known for blending streetwear, sportswear and high fashion.
Sustainability is a key consideration throughout the collection, with many garments created using donated and unused fabrics. Combining technical craftsmanship with experimental design, Modern Ritual presents a contemporary and imaginative vision of menswear.
Nikyla Natividad's collection reflects her childhood memories amongst the flora of the Philippines, celebrating her cultural heritage through colour, craftsmanship and contemporary design. Inspired by both historical and modern Filipino attire, the collection combines contrasting silhouettes to create relaxed yet distinctive garments.
Using photographs of rural landscapes, Nikyla translates memories of the Philippines into vibrant designs characterised by rich colours and patterns. Reflecting the resourcefulness that is deeply embedded in Filipino culture, she created much of the collection using donated and excess fabrics.
Traditional Filipino craftsmanship also plays a central role. Nikyla incorporates piña fabric, a textile made from pineapple fibres, and reimagines the classic Bayong bag as a colourful contemporary tote. Hand-drawn prints inspired by the work of National Artist Benedicto Cabrera, alongside richly textured handcrafted details, add further depth to the collection.
Thomas Fee's menswear collection, Order: Permits Freedom, explores the relationship between structure, routine and self-expression through a series of six looks inspired by a symbolic journey through the night. The collection traces a progression from concealment to openness, with garments evolving from rigid, protective forms to lighter, more transparent silhouettes.
Moving from darkness to light, a restrained palette of black, blue and white is contrasted with carefully placed reflective details. Inspired by the work and philosophy of artist Agnes Martin, as well as the repetitive rhythms of techno music, Thomas examines how order, regulation and routine can shape personal identity and self-presentation.
Through the collection, he considers how discipline and control can create space for freedom, while themes of masking and protection gradually give way to visibility, acceptance and release. Combining conceptual storytelling with contemporary menswear design, Order: Permits Freedom offers a thoughtful exploration of transformation and self-discovery.
Public voting closes on 21 October 2026.
About the shortlist, Caroline Curtis, Assistant Head of the School of Arts and Senior Lecturer in Fashion at the University of Westminster, said: "We are incredibly proud to have three Westminster graduates making the shortlist of the Global Creative Graduate Showcase. This recognition not only shows the highest level of achievement of the Westminster graduates of the Fashion Design BA Honours course, but also acknowledges the hard work and dedication of the teaching team in developing our students.”
The students' work and practices learnt at the University directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about Fashion courses at the University of Westminster.
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