If you haven’t been consistently stalking me then you might not know that I’m back in London after only a measly three months in Melbourne. Weather wise this is great; it’s summer time and while it’s not exactly picnics in the park it’s a welcome change from the cold stab currently pinching Melbourne’s normally mild demeanor. Fashion wise it’s also great; there always seems to be come kind of celebratory ‘week’ or ‘opening’ and the city is constantly abuzz with fashionistas dressed to the nines for my viewing pleasure.
Last week the UK’s brightest talent descended on London for Graduate Fashion Week, a showcase of the most promising young graduates from around the country. Imagine, a whole week dedicated to the reckless creative abandon and the sheer innovative talent of final year students! Although I wasn’t fortunate to attend the event myself, the anticipation in the lead up, during and after the events is palpable; the air is thick with a thousand mouths agape, tongues wagging with eager questions: who will be the next Christopher Kane? The emerging Hussein Chalayan? The new generation’s Mary Katranzou?
Some of my favourites included the regal Albertine Tucknott of Westminster, whose Autumnal palette was a textural treat.
From De Montford, Daisy Partridge served up garden party monochrome ensembles in pastel shades that were romantic yet modern and when de-contextualised, highly wearable.
Gemma Clements of Salford University flirted with avant garde, excess and Liberty print and couldn’t decide so at the end of the night she took them all home for a proverbial gang bang.
The floral theme continued at UWE Bristol with Hannah Mayhew who used colour and volume to turn her models into blossoming summer buds.
Ravensbourne’s Kasia Bishop used volume to create more architectural shapes with the added impact of bold, block colouring.
Despite a soft palette, Marte Brauter from Bournemouth created strong silhouettes with edgy innovation- even using human hair as a seam on one of her asymmetrical dresses.
Northumbria’s Rio Maddison took biker chic to the next level with ensembles that transformed models into dangerous flails.