Student's design award

A STUDENT from Heathfield has won a nationally acclaimed award for his shoe design.

Nicholas Seymour is celebrating after scooping first prize in the attachment award category in the RSA Student Design Awards 2001/2002.

Nicholas, 23, is a final year product design student at the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff. He was previously at Heathfield Comm-unity College.

His successful entry in the footwear category brings him a 5,000 award and a paid work placement with Reebok in the USA. His brief was to design two styles of contemporary leather shoe with shape and styling for a busy 18 to 26-year-old male or female.

Nicholas said: 'I am very pleased to have won this prestigious award and am looking forward to spending time working for Reebok. This is an excellent opportunity for me as it has long been a dream of mine to design footwear for a living.'

He underwent a rigorous competition process, which included submitting his entries for the awards along with almost 2,500 other students, before being shortlisted and then interviewed on his entry and portfolio.