Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) is celebrating a triple success after two BA (Hons) Fashion students and a prominent BA (Hons) Fashion Communication alumnus were selected to lead the Graduate Fashion Foundation (GFF) "Talent of Tomorrow" national showcase.
The high-profile initiative, which champions the UK’s most promising emerging creatives, culminated in an exclusive collaborative photoshoot with Cold Magazine to offer a sneak peek of what's in store for Graduate Fashion Week (GFW) 2026.
Representing AUB’s exceptional design talent in front of the lens are BA (Hons) Fashion final-year students Jeffi Rebello and Molly Jacob, whose graduate collections were selected for the 30-look national campaign.
Bringing AUB’s signature creative vision to life behind the scenes was professional industry stylist and AUB Fashion Communication alumnus Brandon Bolland (Class of 2024), who was brought on to lead the entire shoot from an industry perspective. BA (Hons) Fashion Communication students were selected to fulfil pivotal roles on the shoot, with Jonny Langridge as Production Assistant and Chloe Wright as Social Media Assistant.
For Jeffi Rebello, the selection represents a major milestone in her design journey. She says, "Being selected for the Talent of Tomorrow photoshoot feels like the first real step towards my career as a fashion designer.”
Jeffi’s final collection, titled Embracing the Now, is a deeply personal exploration of identity, culture, and migration. Born and raised in Goa, India, before moving to London, Jeffi admits that navigating her dual identity wasn't always easy.
“I often felt embarrassed to talk about my culture,” she explains. “By remembering and accepting my past roots, I am embracing where I come from and where I am now.”
The collection draws inspiration from the Goan film Nachom-ia Kumpasar (Let's dance to the rhythm). Set in 1960s Goa following the end of Portuguese colonialism, the film prompted Jeffi to dive into the textures, shapes, and cultural shifts of 1960s fashion across both Goa and London.
The result is a vibrant, moving collection designed to evoke joy and freedom.
“I want my collection to feel like a warm hug of bright colours, joyful liberation, and a fun rhythm where the silhouette allows for natural movement,” says Jeffi. “I want my wearers to feel bold, celebrated, confident, proud of their heritage, and unapologetically themselves.”
Meanwhile, Molly Jacob, a self-described ‘working-class fashion design student’ with a deep appreciation for tailoring and big dreams of becoming a professional pattern maker, presents a brave, deeply personal exploration of psychology and individuality.
“Throughout my life, people have referred to me as ‘weird’ due to my personality," she explains, "so I researched personality theory and psychology to examine my characteristics."
“My collection is a message that, despite being labelled, and its potentially negative intended meaning, we shouldn’t change who we are to please others or to fit in, but rather embrace and celebrate who we are. Being weird is wonderful.”
To translate her personal traits of deep and strategic thinking into garments, Molly looked to a classic board game.
“I used the game of chess as my visual concept to represent these characteristics, focusing on the knight piece, which influenced the main experimental details that run throughout the collection,” she shares.
Known for his striking visual narratives and meticulous attention to detail, Fashion Communication graduate Brandon Bolland was brought on board by GFF to lead the styling for the highly anticipated Cold Magazine shoot.
For Brandon, navigating the fast-paced nature of high-profile London shoots is all part of the job, and collaborating on a project that champions the next generation of design talent brings his own creative journey full circle. His involvement highlights the strength of the AUB network, demonstrating how the University’s alumni continue to shape the industry and lift up the emerging talent coming right behind them.
This major collective milestone comes at an exciting time for AUB, as anticipation builds for Graduate Fashion Week 2026, running from 15–18 June, with the AUB Catwalk Show scheduled to take place on the opening day.
El Crehan, Course Leader for BA (Hons) Fashion at AUB, says, “This opportunity provides our students with invaluable, real-world industry experience. It serves as an exceptional platform to showcase their creative talent and graduate work on a national stage ahead of GFW '26.”
