FEAL'S TOP 5 FASHION GRADUATE COLLECTIONS 2012

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

The LCF show this Thursday night is still to go, but I've put time and effort into seeing as many student graduate collections as possible this summer because these guys are the future of fashion, right? What struck me with this year's crop was that most womenswear fashion design graduates seemed to be playing it safe with their skills and especially their creativity; they want, nay need, to get a job, and jobs are more likely to be found in the mass retail sector than they are in high fashion due to sheer economies of scale. I lost count of the number of times I wrote "Wants to work for Whistles/Monsoon/Adidas/Jigsaw/TopShop/Topman, (*delete as appropriate), which is no bad thing, but I guess I was looking for that elusive jolt of excitement you get when a new talent emerges. The textile design, print design and knit graduates were on another level with their experimentation, however, which kinda made up for the rest.  They say a recession breeds creativity, and it does if you look hard enough. Here is what I loved... (LCF I'll get to you tomorrow!)

1. ERIN HAWKES - CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS

Erin Hawkes from Central Saint Martins was the highlight of the CSM BA fashion show for me. Her collection showed that she has a hugely sophisticated eye for proportion, colour, fabric and style, as well as having brilliantly quirky references from nuns to 90s street style and experimental Japanese design. Erin's collection earned her the night's big prize – the ‘L’Oréal Professionnel Award.

2. TOM CRISP - ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART

Tom Crisp from the Royal College of Art MA course made me want to be a 21 year old man, just so I could wear his collection with a sense of authenticity. Though I would happily wear most of his collection as myself, now. His clothes were alive with technique, and radiated the fact that Mr Crisp is a highly creative force. I expect he has already been snapped up by a luxury fashion house. If not, why not? Or better still, start his own brand. Is it me, or does Tom Crisp sound like a brand name already? 

3. SERENA GILI - CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS

Serena Gili, a knitwear graduate from Central Saint Martins, chose to showcase her extraordinarily beautiful and intricate tops with resin egg-shaped skirts, thus putting them on the pedestal they deserve. My appreciation of her work was heightened when I saw the above close-up on Serena's Tumblr. I would love to see more - and even buy a piece from this designer whose influences covered everything from Queen Elizabeth I to Faberge. 

4.  CHLOE JONES - BATH SPA UNIVERSITY 

With this collection Chloe Jones from Bath Spa University earned herself the two top prizes at Graduate Fashion Week, namely the Gold Award, judged by Suzy Menkes and Daphne Guinness, which saw her pocket £20K to pay for either a year of fun, or to pay for two years of an MA. I'm sure she will be plumping for the latter.  She also took home the award from best womenswear collection. The way she mixed nomadic silhouettes with sporty references and a kinda Game of Thrones  vibe struck me as fresh looking and modern minded.  

5. XIAOPING (FIONA) HUANG - UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE (UCLAN) 

I missed seeing Xiaoping's turn on the Graduate Fashion Week UCLAN runway because I was judging the Media Award, but when I bumped into Mary Katrantzou backstage, she told me to check her out and I wasn't disappointed. This is what I was talking about earlier when I said some of the textile students had gone all out to express the limits of their creativity.  If I was creative director at a bold-face luxury fashion brand I would want someone like this on my team. Xiaoping, or Fiona as she prefers to be known so impressed Mary Katrantzou and Liberty of London's Managing Director Ed Burstell that she was awarded the Zandra Rhodes Textile Award. 

All catwalk photographs by Chris Moorte/Catwalking.com. 

Serena Gili backstage image: - idonline.com

Serene Gili close-up from: http://ohwelloneirataxia.tumblr.com/

GRADUATE TALENT: FEAL'S PICK OF RCA'S CLASS OF 2012

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

The week before last, the FashEd went along to the Royal College of Art's fashion show where she saw the work of this year's crop of graduates. Like any keen-eyed fashion editor, Melanie had her favourites and we wanted to share some of their work with you today. This week is Graduate Fashion Week so the blog is going to be very 'graduate' orientated as we scout out our favourite graduates from the UK's best design courses and see what they actually get from the four-day event at Earl's Court. We can't wait to get out there and see what's on offer. In the meantime, the RCA grads have come up trumps with some gorgeous imagery and notes, explaining what inspires them and how they have come to their final pieces.

CLAIRE ZENG

'The main colour inspiration came from my photography, which I used as print in my collection. My shapes follow the casualness of oversized shirts, and the cut is also influenced by traditional Chinese flat garments. I’m interested in using unusual materials and finding new ways of garment making. I’m drawn to traditional Chinese ink painting, with the ink and water penetrates through the paper. That has given me the idea of using silicone to penetrate fabric to join fabrics instead of sewing. The application of silicone became a main feature of my design which allowed minimalist designs.'

 ALEXANDER JAMES

Devil-may-care (the name of my collection) was inspired by the juxtaposition between innocence and the unspoken assumptions and persuasions of everyday life. The collection finds parallels in the ritualisms that surround quintessential English horror, with particular reference to the stereotypical virgin sacrifice and the motif work of Irish crochet. Parallels mirrored in the melancholia and strictness of Victoriana through an imposing and imperial pagoda shoulder juxtaposed against a corseted, willowy, lissome and sensual waist. An awkward wide and flaring leg, emphasising an elongated silhouette and ghostly, ethereal/otherworldly quality captured through delicate layering of fine guage devore knits and silks (discharge and devore printed) and fluid cashmere, silk, and traditional wool suiting. Colours are drawn from the the overcast grey-lavender of a forest mist shrouding that which cannot be seen, the black-purple of the night and the reddened umber of the sodden earth. The green hues of moss and fern to the slate greys and damp purple of the heathland heather with subtle/pale and washed out highlights. Reference to eveningwear worn in a nonchalant way emphasising the louche brooding and deeply dark/sexy of a rock star sensibility and the fetishisms of the night.

I studied (BA) Fashion at Kingston University graduating in 2009. After Graduate Fashion Week I pursued my own label after interest from various stockists, including Digitaria, later to become Machine-A, on Berwick St. At this point, I applied to the Royal College of Art (MA) Fashion Menswear course. During my time at the College I was awarded the prestigious Brioni Award.

TOM CRISP

The Tom Crisp man celebrates a raw and powerful youth aesthetic. Inspired by the graffiti artist Delta, Jose Perla and Gus Van Sant body of work, the 2012 menswear collection includes modern tailoring through to a distressed and deconstructed casual look. A make do attitude resonates throughout the collection; especially in pieces that are deconstructed from the original garment and remade into modern silhouettes. This appropriation method surfaces with denim tees from denim jackets, a remade nylon parka and an Airforce jacket made into trousers. A layered silhouette evokes a 90s grunge attitude while the slim cuts of the suits add a rock edge. Throughout the collection angular planes of fabric disintegrate into distressed surfaces. Raw edges create a dishevelled look helped by texture play with ripped leather and denim hand painted to look like a wall of graffiti. The cotton and denim base is enhanced by silk, linen and mohair jacquard weaves in suits and a luxe parka. Industrial shine is provided by cropped nylon parkas and knitted nylon jumpers. Colours are murky, taking their cues from rusty metal. Ranging from deep purples, inky blues and military green through to rusty oranges and bright turquoise provided by glossed, verdigris copper powder. Rusted iron is used on a deconstructed suit to continue a raw feel and to add a new texture dimension.

DANIEL POLLITT

I was born and raised in Manchester where I studied Fashion Design at the Manchester Metropolitan University. Whist studying in Manchester, I completed an internship with Roland Mouret. After graduating, I moved to London to pursue a career in outerwear design working for a high street supply company, which taught me much about the business side of fashion. I then went on to study my Masters in Womenswear Fashion Design at the Royal College of Art in 2010. Whist studying at the Royal College I also got the opportunity to help out in Richard Nicoll's studio. I enjoy bringing out the dark side of women, my designs are lead by an obsession with the female form and architecture.

  COLETTE VERMEULEN