Eden Travel International Design Award SUMMER 2026
The Eden Travel International Design Award 2026 will provide one undergraduate student award winner with a two-week internship with Sophie Darling at Darling Studies in Brighton, England.
THE INTERNSHIP
The Eden Travel International Design Internship Award is a unique platform designed to nurture and empower the next generation of fashion leaders who are dedicated to making a meaningful impact on the environment and society.
This internship will provide hands-on experience and exposure to every facet of sustainable fashion – from conceptualization and design to production and marketing.
This year, the internship presents an incredible opportunity for an aspiring fashion enthusiast to delve into the world of sustainable fashion, learn from pioneers in the industry and contribute to a more environmentally conscious future.
THE HOST
Sophie Darling, a trailblazer in the realm of sustainable fashion, has consistently championed ethical and eco-friendly practices within the fashion industry. Her commitment to driving positive change through Sophie Darling Studio, her award-winning regenerative textiles company focused on transforming waste into worth, has earned her international recognition and admiration.
Sophie is a renowned advocate for sustainable fashion. With a career spanning over a decade, she has consistently pushed boundaries to promote ethical and environmentally conscious practices within the fashion industry.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Mentorship by Sophie Darling: Interns will have the unprecedented opportunity to work closely with Sophie herself, gaining insights and guidance from her extensive experience in sustainable fashion.
Comprehensive Learning: The internship program covers a wide range of topics, including training in linocut, screenprinting, and devoré fabric printing (the skills behind Sophie’s iconic collections), sustainable materials, ethical production methods, circular fashion practices and the business of sustainable fashion.
Real-World Projects: Interns will actively contribute to sustainable fashion initiatives, working on projects that promote eco-conscious design and production.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
An internship with Sophie Darling over summer 2026 (length and dates are flexible - minimum 2 weeks)
A daily stipend for travel and other expenses - £10 per day
Fights to and from Europe/US* **
*For anyone who is already in Europe on an Eden Travel International Study Abroad Programme, the flight budget will be reallocated towards accommodation.
**For anyone traveling from a destination outside of Europe/US, a stipend will be paid towards your flights.
WHATS NOT INCLUDED?
We do not provide visas or insurance. Students will be expected to have their own travel insurance and make their own visa arrangements.
TO APPLY
Applications for the Eden Travel International Design Internship Award are open to individuals passionate about driving change within the fashion industry.
Please read and complete the internship award brief HERE.
Submit your application to info@edentravelint.com. Prospective interns can submit their applications via our email to info@edentravelint.com.
All applications much include :
Applicant Name
School
Contact Email
Course of Study
Faculty who recommended the internship
Submission to the following assessment
The submission deadline is January 31st 2026.
PREVIOUS DESIGN AWARDS
2025 - INTERNSHIP WITH CASSIE QUINN in London, England.
2024 - INTERNSHIP WITH CASSIE QUINN in London, England.
2022 - INTERNSHIP WITH ZANDRA RHODES DESIGN FIRM in London, England.
“My time in London, England with Zandra Rhodes was a life changing event! My two weeks there were my first abroad experience and I really learned a lot. Working at Zandra Rhodes allowed me to learn about print design and screen printing as well as exercise my organizational skills thanks to Eden Travel! ”
AWARD OVERVIEW
The award provides for the following expenses:
Airfare (round-trip from USA to London)
Accommodations (apartment space is usually available if student commits early; but not guaranteed).
Award information/criteria is as follows:
Undergraduate students applying for the Eden Travel International Design Award must be enrolled in a fashion design or product development program, which has a current ITAA member on the faculty.
Recipients must use their award within one year of notification.
Each school/university may sponsor only one applicant per year.
The student must have completed a minimum of two years of a fashion design or product development program before applying.
The student applicant must have at least one term to complete at the sponsoring school/university after participating in the two-week internship at Zandra Rhodes Design Firm in London, England.
The award recipient will be notified before the Fall term of each year.
“Working with Eden Travel is a seamless and enjoyable process. They provide us with high quality work-abroad students who contribute and develop their skills greatly in the company and become one of the team in their short stay’s with us.”
Global Design Internships (ET DIP)
Internship programmes designed in conjunction with Massey University and Auckland University of Technology.
Our 4 - 5 week Global Design Programmes are designed to provide students the opportunity to spend time exploring the global design industry and to build connections that will last a lifetime.
Each year we run programmes in different countries around the world. Check back here or contact us to receive updates on upcoming programmes.
Prime Ministers Scholarship for Asia
The Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia (PMSA) is a programme funded by the New Zealand government and administered by Education New Zealand.
The scholarship aims to:
strengthen New Zealand’s ability to engage with key Asian trading partners
improve the international skills of the New Zealand workforce
improve the internationalisation of New Zealand tertiary institutions
increase international understanding of the strength and quality of New Zealand's education system
establish connections between New Zealand and other countries through participants building lifelong friendships and networks
strengthen New Zealanders' understanding of other cultures
“Auckland University of Technology (AUT) partnered with Eden Travel in June 2018 to offer unique academic, cultural, and practical experiences in Asia for New Zealand students. Along with Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand, we were successful in receiving a New Zealand Government grant to send students for a month-long programme in early 2019. The feedback from the students were extraordinary, and as a result we are submitting additional proposals for late 2019 / early 2020.
Eden Travel are an absolute pleasure to work with, and we will continue to work closely with them to develop wonderful experiences in Asia for our students.”
In addition, some of the companies that we work with offer students additional scholarship opportunities.
An example of this is Redress, who organise the largest sustainable design award globally.