The fasion industry is obsessed with new talent and budding designers. It’s almost a race to find the next “big thing”. And the prize? Recognition as a fashion forecaster and talent scout, of course.
As this season brings emerging designers into the limelight, the industry has been keeping their eyes on the creations coming forth from Central Saint Martin’s BA graduates and Royal College of Art’s MA, as well as numerous design prodigies from the Universities showing at Graduate Fashion Week.
But now, amidst the flurry of searching for new designers, the prestigious London College of Fashion has also produced their BA fashion students’ work to be scrutinized by the fashion crowd. Whereas the boundary-pushing creative from Central Saint Martin’s brought out more avant garde and conceptual ideas, the London College of Fashion students combined wearability with artistic flair.
Sharp, rich and vividly coloured collections were presented on the catwalk before a crowd of the fashion elite, including William Tempest, Daisy de Villeneuve, Erin O’Connor, Jasmine Guinness and Jade Parfitt.
“I’m always interested to see something that stands out from the crowd, unusual and unique, different from the others,” illustrator Daisy de Villeneuve said of the collections, which were particularly strong when it came to women’s wear.
Anna Hobbs’ Morocco-inspired loose fitting dresses were sweet but bold with a striking colour palette. The voluminous puff sleeves and gathered shoulder detailing can work for most summer wardrobes, with distinct style and interesting detailing.
Kim Hughson captured a layered look, as sheer cropped shirts were teamed with deconstructed denim pieces. Anna Legay opted for bold silhouettes and strong colours with butterfly wing shapes on the shoulder smothered in vivid prints in white, cerulean and green.
As for the awards, Alicija Aputyte, Alex Rosenwald and Hoi Lam Wong won accolades for Fashion Textile, Design Technology, and Collection of the Year, respectively, signifying who we should be looking out for in terms of new fashion talent.
“There were some very strong, original and beautifully executed collections in the show. I think what sets LCF apart is its ability to give students a strong technical education, which really helps after graduation,” said LCF graduate and one of fashion’s most treasured rising stars, William Tempest.
The show rounded off in true sophistication with Bahar Alipour’s designs, providing us with a sleek and elegant Sardinian-inspired collection, impeccably styled.
