Art students launch crafty Xmas in city centre

Illustrator Oliver Ninnis has created large cartoon panoramas across four vacant shop fronts. The artist has captured scenes from the mall and transformed them into vivid, brightly coloured murals.

Third year textile students at ECA have been given a shop for one weekend. The 11 students were set a budget of £120 and tasked with creating a pop-up shop of bespoke gifts for Christmas.

The students have imaginatively recycled materials to create feathers made from plastic milk bottles, gift tags from fragments of art works, and cushions with one-off designs on Indian cloth.

The shop, Pass The Parcel, will also sell frosted candle-holders, wrapping paper, paper stars, Christmas cards, and wine and pint glasses, all with specially commissioned motifs.

Students have designed jute bags to raise money for three charities: The Sick Kids Friends Foundation, The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and The Poppy Appeal. The bags are donated by Jutexpo, the UK’s leading manufacturer of re-useable bags.

Other profits from the shop will help students present their graduate collections at New Designers exhibition in London next year.

New Designers is the focal point for the UK’s top design courses, and an invaluable opportunity for young, fresh talent to make connections with industry, buyers, and media.

The ECA textiles students have done a brilliant job in transforming an empty unit into a classy vintage Christmas shop. Their one off gifts and wrappings, all handmade by young designers using upcycled materials, offer a great alternative to the mass produced offerings of the high street.

Lindy Richardson

We are delighted to provide an opportunity for these up-and-coming designers to showcase their talents. This collaboration is a fun and vibrant start to the Christmas festivities at Princes Mall.

Jo Power

I would like to congratulate all of the students for their creative designs, they look fantastic.

As a business committed to supporting enterprise and innovation amongst young people, we were delighted to work and support the students on the course design project. Not only are the bags a vehicle to showcase the high-level of design work of students, they are also helping to raise vital funds for three very worthy Scottish charities.

The level of creativity and enterprise demonstrated by the students has been inspiring and I have no doubt the pop-up shop will be a great success.

Sam Turner