The future of fashion took centre-stage in London yesterday on the opening day of Graduate Fashion Week, 2012, which is celebrating its 21st anniversary as the world's largest platform for the design talent of tomorrow.
Working on the theory that image is all, 'Face Look' was a key theme on the student catwalks, with images of former Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill, along with stylised model and rock star impressions, and winking eyes, printed on several collections.
The University of Central Lancashire stole the show with a standout collection from 17 graduates which included Claire Acton's rainbow-parade of fringing and faces; Emma Guilfoyle's twisted take on heritage in which images of the Iron Lady and Churchill were mixed with patchwork tweed; and Xiaoping Huang's concertina-pleated extravaganza in a mix of music-sheet print and bold colour.
Just as strong, but worked in monochrome, was Helen Butcher's black-and-white, multi-print, multi-layered collection, in the University of East London show, which featured tailcoat tailoring and flowing maxi-dresses.
Elsewhere on the graduate catwalks, inspirations included everything from model aeroplanes and cartoons, to bondage, Lady Gaga and the Cultural Revolution. The influence of hot London Fashion Week stars such as Mary Katrantzou, Christopher Kane, and Holly Fulton, was evident in the renewed focus on digital print inspired by outer space, undersea, and Art Deco.
A record crowd of more than 5,000 crowded into Earls Court 2 to view the final year collections of more than 1,000 students from 39 fashion colleges and universities, around the UK, as well as guest exhibitors from Antwerp and Berlin.
Christopher Bailey, the creative supremo of Burberry, will be among the star presenters at the Graduate Fashion Week Gala Awards on Wednesday night, when he presents the Gold Award, sponsored by George, and worth £20,000. It is fitting, because this year marks the 20th anniversary of Bailey winning the first-ever Gold Award back in 1992 when he was a graduating student from Westminster.
Daphne Guinness and Suzy Menkes are among the judges for the Gold Award.
Graduate Fashion Week continues today with graduate catwalk showings by De Montfort University, Bournemouth University, Northbrook College, UCA Rochester, and Nottingham Trent University.
Via: Graduate Fashion Week 2012: GFW opens in London - and it's in your face
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