Location, collaboration and graduate success: five reasons to study at the Royal College of Art

The RCA’s diverse student body and emphasis on collaboration are among the many reasons it remains the world’s top institution for art and design Photograph: PR IMAGE

Here’s a challenge for you, what do these three things have in common: a cornflower blue hat worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales, sun drenched swimming pools in California and the most celebrated unmade bed on the planet?

All are manifestations of the creative minds of some of the RCA’s most venerated alumni. From Tracey Emin’s crumpled mattress to David Hockney’s alluring American skylines to Philip Treacy’s regal headwear, these are the seismic impacts that just three of the RCA’s former students have had on the worlds of art and design.