Each quarter, we introduce you to the makers and awardees who have taken up studios spaces over the last few months in our NEW FACES Journal series. 9 new makers have joined the Cockpit community since this summer – here are the NEW FACES you need to know about as you plan your visit to Winter Open Studios.
Be sure to check out their maker profiles, subscribe to their mailing lists, and follow them on social media.
Alex Marshall Clark joined Cockpit on the 2026 Clothworkers’ Award. She is a weaver and textile artist from Glasgow whose work draws on youth culture, political critique, and her own heritage to confront ideas of identity and belonging. Putting Scottish tradition into a sharp and contemporary focus, she creates textiles that clash in colour, pattern, and meaning; blending meticulous craft with bold, often irreverent commentary.
Visit Alex in Studio 213 in Deptford.
Emily Gubbay joined Cockpit on the 2026 Dyers’ Company Award. As a dyer, screen-printer, researcher, and founder of Infinity Blue, an award-winning colour innovation, Emily focuses on creating low-impact colour solutions to drive positive change within the design industry. Through a collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach, she rethinks how colour is sourced, made, and applied for a more sustainable design future.
Visit Emily in Studio E2M in Bloomsbury.
Erica Collins joined Cockpit on the 2026 Haberdashers’ Award. She is a knitwear designer from Ireland, deeply inspired by her heritage and her country’s rich connection to wool and knitwear. Her work draws on Irish mythology and storytelling, exploring traditions in Ireland through craftsmanship and textiles. Using predominately deadstock and second-hand yarn, her work reimagines traditional knitwear in a unique and standout way.
Visit Erica in Studio 206 in Deptford.
Helena Powell joined Cockpit on the 2026 Clothworkers’ Award. She is a textile designer and handweaver specialising in handwoven silk textiles that combine mathematics, chemistry, and design. Inspired by landscapes, cityscapes, and personal stories, her work blends traditional weaving techniques with contemporary colour exploration to create distinctive scarves and woven artworks.
Visit Helena in Studio 214 in Deptford.
João Cardoso joined Cockpit on the 2026 Leathersellers’ Award. He is a leatherworker and designer whose practice explores the relationship between traditional leather craftsmanship and contemporary design. With many years of experience working with leather, including bespoke interiors and luxury projects, he combines technical knowledge with a hands-on, experimental approach to making. His independent practice, ELEGY, is a developing collection of distinctive leather accessories that brings together bold forms, refined construction, and a strong attention to material, hardware, and detail.
Kristina Zemanova joined Cockpit on the 2026 Leathersellers’ Award. Kristina works in leather production for a small heritage brand while maintaining her own independent practice. Her designs are rooted in traditional hand stitching, braiding, and lacing, resulting in simple silhouettes often paired with other materials such as wool, fabric, and ceramics.
Visit Kristina in Studio 301 in Deptford.
Merina Pelander joined Cockpit on the 2026 Haberdashers’ Award. She is a knitwear designer and owner of Lykky Studio, a knitwear brand rooted in her Finnish heritage, traditional craftsmanship, and Scandinavian design. Combining work on a vintage knitting machine with hand knitting and crochet techniques, she uses dead stock yarns and sustainably sourced materials to create contemporary clothing and accessories.
Visit Merina in Studio 308 in Deptford.
Naomi Ison joined Cockpit on the 2026 Clothworkers’ Award. She is a woven textile designer and educator from Nottingham whose practice is grounded in a simple aesthetic and guided by a design ethos centred on quality craftsmanship and slow making. Working with natural fibres, she has a particular interest in stripes and twill variations, using weave structures to create subtle optical effects.
Visit Naomi in Studio 213 in Deptford.
Rosina Payan Pecorelli joined Cockpit on the 2026 Newby Trust Award. Rosina is an award-winning jeweller and metal artist creating statement wearable pieces using a wide range of materials. Inspired by the urban landscape and the geometry of brutalist and modernist architecture, her sculptural pieces often move, change, and connect — reflecting the beauty of transformation.
Visit Rosina in Studio E2F in Bloomsbury.
Read our NEW FACES Journal series here, and explore the complete directory of Cockpit makers here.
Meet over 180 makers in their studios during Winter Open Studios — book tickets.
