Brighton MET student work impresses in exhibition at prestigious art institution 

Two Brighton MET students recently impressed the judges as they were selected by UAL Awarding Body to exhibit their work at Origins Creatives 2025.  

Polly Parsons and Romily Beadell, who study Art & Design and Fashion (respectively), at the college, have had their works featured in the exhibition in London.

Both students’ work beat out more than 600 submissions, which were exhibited at the Mall Galleries earlier in July.

Origins Creatives is a free exhibition presented by the UAL Awarding Body, offering an exciting opportunity for visitors to discover fresh, original talent. The exhibit helps celebrate the dedication and hard work of young creatives from across the UK and internationally.

Polly’s ceramic piece centred around the theme of Reality. She expanded on this, saying:

“The reason I chose this theme is because I find it really interesting how people are stepping away from reality in day-to-day life. For example, content influences don’t show their real life, and it’s all for the Internet. In my ceramics piece, I wanted to show the aftermath of ‘a good time’, celebrating the beauty and the reality of the mess.

“I want my audience to respond to my work through emotion, to make them think of their own story: what mess means to them, whether it’s a good emotion or a bad emotion of seeing a mess.”

Romily’s work, titled ‘The Dolls Revolt’, looked at the tension between artificial perfection and female autonomy through fashion, she said:

“My work investigates themes of control, fragility, and resistance. I used a range of processes, including cyanotype printing, ceramic embellishments, and deconstructed garments, to create looks that blur the line between delicate and defiant.

“My collection questions societal beauty standards and celebrates flawed femininity. Each piece acts as both costume and armour – an expression of identity reclaiming power. My aim is to create fashion that feels theatrical, emotional, and deeply personal.”

The exhibition showcases outstanding student work from across our centres, highlighting talent in UAL subjects such as Art and Design, Fashion, Media, Music, and Performing Arts – from Entry Level to Professional Diplomas.

Georgina Hooper, Head of Learning for Creative Industries and Hair & Beauty, added:
“We are so proud of Polly and Romily for their superb achievements! Their innovation, creative risk taking alongside the incredible craftsmanship of ceramics, fashion design and concepts is a real shining example of the forward-thinking mindset of our Art & Design and Fashion & Business students.”