Ruby Gambien wins Royal Opera House Design Challenge prize

We are proud to celebrate the success of our Media Make-Up student Ruby Gambien, who has been awarded a prestigious prize in the Royal Opera House Design Challenge.

Ruby impressed judges in the highly competitive national competition, securing first place in the Wigs, Hair and Makeup category. The challenge, run by the Royal Ballet and Opera, invites students from across the UK to respond to a professional creative brief inspired by a major opera or ballet production.

Entrants are asked to develop original design responses across specialist areas including set design, costume, marketing, and wigs, hair and makeup. Submissions are assessed by industry professionals on creativity, technical skill, research, and the quality of the design development process.

Ruby stood out for her creativity, strong conceptual thinking, and detailed portfolio work, demonstrating the high level of skill and dedication developed through Oaklands College’s creative courses.

As part of her achievement, Ruby has been invited to attend the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, where she will gain valuable insight into professional theatre practice and the work of leading industry practitioners.

Staff at the college have praised Ruby’s success as a fantastic reflection of the talent and industry-ready skills being developed by learners across our creative departments.

The Royal Opera House Design Challenge attracts thousands of entries each year and is widely regarded as one of the UK’s most exciting opportunities for aspiring designers in the performing arts.

We congratulate Ruby on this outstanding achievement and look forward to seeing her continued success in the creative industries!