Nadya wins Emerging Upholsterer of the Year Award 2025

Bristol upholsterer Nadya Webster has won the 2025 Emerging Upholsterer of the Year Award, supported by House of Sonnaz, including a £1,000 prize awarded at a special presentation at Wentworth Woodhouse on Monday 17 November 2025.

The award, now in its third year, celebrates a young upholsterer who has made an outstanding start to their craft career. The winner is highly skilled amongst their peers, whilst raising the perceived value of their craft through sharing and awareness raising. They have given themselves a fantastic chance of achieving long-term success, perhaps overcoming disadvantage or setbacks along the way.

Nadya Webster worked in journalism and communications for 25 years before embarking on an upholstery diploma, specialising in traditionally restoring challenging antique chairs. She is already a powerful educator, using public demonstrations and social media to promote the art of traditional upholstery, and is actively developing her skills in other heritage crafts like chair caning.

The two other finalists for the award were Lara Birley, who initially taught herself the craft during lockdown before honing her skills through apprenticeships and jobs, and, with over 600k Instagram followers, is an outstanding advocate for her craft, and Ellie Lang, who trained at Shoreditch Design Rooms and uses her background in fashion to champions upholstery through collaborative projects and creative social media storytelling.

House of Sonnaz is a sustainability-led luxury lifestyle and homeware brand from Sonnaz Nooranvary (BBC The Repair Shop). Its furniture range features innovative ways of designing, making and supplying, with a mission to create incredible furniture and furnishings, bringing fabulousness and craftsmanship into every space it possibly can.

Photo: Nadya Webster, winner of the 2025 Emerging Upholsterer of the Year Award, and Sonnaz Nooranvary, Founder of House of Sonnaz. Photo by Robert Wade.