I love to discover the next generation of talented designers & so I was thrilled to attend the London College of Fashion MA graduate designer catwalk show this morning. I can just imagine late nights, tears and tantrums that must have gone into creating these incredible collections- the craftsmanship alone testament to the labour of love. Pre finals drama aside, these selected designers had made it to the in the tranquil setting of the Royal Opera house. The spectacular venue was the perfect back for introducing the industry to the brightest stars to fall onto the fashion scene...I am telling you, catch these names and put them in your pocket... They aren't fading any time soon.
To see the show for yourself click here
Shooting Star number 1.
Na Di
My pet favourite from this mornings show comes in the form of menswear designer Na Di. Born in Beijing, Na Di's collection was inspired by the art of Shan Wen Kai of the ancient Tang dynasty- well I say, it doesn't get more 'retro revived' than this.
The inspiration may be a throw back, but the collection couldn't be more relevant to the trends within urban hip hop culture, which has always been a sucker for bold prints and strong busts of colour. In keeping with another hip- hop tradition, Na Di collaborates with an artistic friend to create the illustrations used to for her original fabric.
Beautifully achieving the objective to examine the product of the intermingling of Ancient Asian traditions with Western fashion, the LCF grad has managed to create a truly unique collection. She ultimately wants to set up her own line - the day she succeeds I'm warning you, despite it being menswear, I will be first in line to rock one of those stunning jackets, now thats what I call a conversation starter piece.
Na Di, Menswear, MA London College of Fashion AW13 Collection
Shooting star number two :
Maddalena Mangialavori ( mouthful but worth it)
Well well, I love the seductive feel of this collection, in which the fabric did the talking, and that is not without intent. Italian born Maddalena was inspired by the rich heritage of glamour from her homeland and intrigued ever present power struggle of the sexes. The London College of Fashion MA Grad collection was rooted in the concept of women being property, and the fabric chosen represents the women as furniture objects in the home. Genious.
Studying the correlations between fashion and anthropology is not new to this boffin, who believes that society and history are integral to the study of fashion. Well I certainly love the turn out of this theological debate.
Keep an eye out for Maddalena Mangialavori (and learn how to say her name- as I promise this wont be the last time you see her).
Maddalena Mangialavori London College of Fashion MA grad AW13 Collection.
Shooting Star No 3
Yan Yu 'Octo' Cheung
It was the futuristic steam punk glasses that first caught my attention. Next was the unique and delicate knitwear. The love kept on flowing, as each look within this innovative collection offered a new element of intrigue. Enrapturing the onlooker down a rabbit hole of discovery, which was the intent of Octo Yan Yu. The collection's inspiration was routed in the alchemy , an ancient practise and study, within lies the famous philosophers stone (rumoured to have the power to transform common metals into precious gold & silver - no wonder Yan Yu was intrigued). All that aside, I just want to get my hands on the beautiful knitwear.
Shooting star number 4.
Yi Xie
Blazing hot and taking no prisoners is our final shooting star, Yi Xie. perhaps my favourite of the day , this vibrant collection was a kaleidoscope of colour, contrasting and contouring. The texture is thoughtfully threaded resulting in visual illusions of depth. All in all, this collection is what I imagine it would feel like to dive into a Miami beach house pool, filled with swirling colours of paint, to end up swimming into outer-space, to have Heidi Klum offer you a lemonade. Yes honey, for me it is all that and more. But enough about my strange fantasies, and more about this brilliant designer... Yi Xie is from Beijing and studied her MA at London College of Fashion. This collection is a compilation of prior research involving the study of Hans Bellmer's graphic work to create these visually stunning, engaging pieces. Using contemporary techniques such as digital print and 3D technology, she creates innovative textiles that flatter the female form. Her plans after her MA is to expand upon this collection. I can definitely see her line taking the music industry by storm. You heard it here first!
for a behind the scenes look into the creative process of creating these looks, click here
I am not sure I have ever been happier to be a part of University of the Arts London ( UAL) family. Keep an eye out for these talented bright designers and spread the word!
What a brilliant start to fashion week :)
Keep posted for more designer profiles in my coverage of the best of LFW
