GFF News

One of the fashion industry greats, British Designer Vivienne was a passionate supporter of young emerging graduate talent and regularly attended Graduate Fashion Week in her role as Patron, alongside the team from her eponymous label.

Meet Natalie Vest-Jones, a Fashion Styling and Creative Direction graduate from Solent University. Lets see where she is now, two years on from her first interview with us!

The Coats X GFF Sustainability Competition challenged GFF member graduates to create an upcycled garment where the stitching is a key feature. After much deliberation, industry judges for the Coats X GFF Sustainability Competition reached a decision on the UK and International winners! We’re pleased to share them with you today.

The GFW21 Catwalk Schedule is here! This year, we’re doing things a little differently, having three dedicated days of catwalk shows during our inaugural event at Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross, London.

We’re super excited to announce that we’ll be partnering with Tu for the sixth year running, this year as Headline Partner for Graduate Fashion Week 2021.

We’re really excited to share GFF Alumni Mariah Esa’s second collection with iconic fashion retailer Browns! she’s part of an incubator called Browns Focus, which just relaunched with a roster of emerging men’s and womenswear designers who are shaking up the industry.

Graduate Fashion Week couldn’t happen without the help of our amazing partners. Alongside returning Headline Partner Tu, this year sees the return of size?, L’Oréal Professionnel, YKK, TikTok and ASOS to the partnership roster, as well as Gymshark, Illamasqua, Cass Art, Delicate Rebéllion & Visualist.

To celebrate our 30th anniversary year, we set GFF graduates a challenge: to get creative and come up with ways to celebrate this huge milestone. From photography to branding, graduates submitted their innovative ideas that communicated who we are and what we do. We’re excited to share the four winners from the competition and a bit more about their work!

A unique experience for three aspiring menswear designers. MR PORTER FUTURES is a global designer mentorship programme for undiscovered talent. The MR PORTER FUTURES programme will guide three selected applicants through the process of designing, manufacturing and delivering their very own responsibly sourced and produced collections, which will then debut exclusively on MR PORTER

It’s Fashion Revolution Week, and we’re celebrating this important week of action by bringing you the information you need to know about the world of sustainability. Our resident sustainable fashion journalist, Megan Doyle has created her ultimate go-to list of resources to learn and develop your knowledge about sustainability. From interesting Instagram accounts, books you can buy to newsletters, apps and podcasts, there are so many ways to get into the world of sustainability.

If you’ve ever dipped your toe into the world of sustainable fashion, you’ve probably come across Orsola De Castro’s words of wisdom before. Orsola is a leading voice for a more fair and slow fashion industry. She co-founded Fashion Revolution, now a global movement, that was launched in response to the Rana Plaza factory disaster in 2013. To celebrate Fashion Revolution Week, we sat down with Orsola to learn more about this year’s Fashion Revolution Week, greenwashing, practical solutions to change the way we wear and mend our clothing, and more.

The Graduate Fashion Foundation are delighted to announce that they are evolving their support of FACE, Fashion Academics Creating Equality, to include a new prize that will make visible, the spectrum of Black excellence within a framework of diverse Black and Brown creativity.

We’re delighted to announce the launch of our debut innovative digital platform, featuring graduate portfolio profiles, fashion university pages and bespoke live streaming of the annual GFW event. You can find it at www.graduatefashionweek.com.

Graduate Fashion Foundation announces the continuation of the successful Graduate Fashion Mentoring Programme, this year supporting the Class of 2020 who graduated in June whose studies were greatly affected by the pandemic. The mentoring programme is aimed to provide support as they enter into the fashion industry and as they transition into the next step of their career by pairing them with a long-term experienced industry mentor.

How exciting is this? GFF Alumni, Sarah Louise Koessler from the University of Brighton, has had one of her designs chosen for Swarovski’s new campaign “Wonderlab”. As part of the Swarovski rebrand, Louise’s design worn by British model Adwoa Aboah in a film campaign directed by Giovanna Engelbert.

Check out the GFF Designer Profile with content created in partnership with Visualist App, the new productivity suite for fashion creatives, over at LondonFashionWeek.com. Six exciting emerging designers were selected to be featured on the platform that is for both trade and consumer audiences, enabling the Graduate Fashion Foundation to spotlight these incredible talents as they seek to establish themselves in the fashion industry and build their brands.

Graduate Fashion Foundation is excited to announce it will be returning for the fourth season this February to London Fashion Week, working in collaboration with Visualist, the new productivity suite for fashion creatives, to further elevate some of the exciting talent that was discovered at Graduate Fashion Week 2020 to a global audience.

We are excited to announce Graduate Fashion Week the world’s largest showcase of BA Fashion talent, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year in 2021 and will take place from Saturday 12th – Friday 18th June 2021. During this anniversary year, Graduate Fashion Week will move its event to a new home at Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, London.

The International Range Plan Award has been created to celebrate and showcase the creative practice of a range plan illustration and recognises the value it holds. We are keen to support International graduates communicating their planned final collection vision of garments and outfits through a line up or a range plan image. Meet the nominees below!

The GFF 2020 jury will identify three winners each to receive awards in the following areas of innovation: fashion product design, concept and materials & embellishment. Meet the nominees below!

The winner of the 2020 International Digital Fashion Portfolio Award will be given to the graduate who presents a well-executed, contemporary and professional digital fashion portfolio that demonstrates an individual and creative identity, whilst communicating a thinking process from the concept ideas, through their development to the final presentation and layout. Meet the nominees below!

Technical flat lay digital drawings play a huge part within design and manufacturing roles in the fashion industry. Graduate Fashion Foundation is proud to support the important skill and recognise the value it holds. Ensuring a Technical Drawing is correct, to scale and featuring all components is incredibly important to ensure another team member, or factory can manufacture the garment correctly. Meet the award nominees below!

Performance, and non-performance sportswear or ‘athleisure’ have grown extensively in recent years. Combined, ‘athletics’ and ‘leisure’ is clothing that was developed for sport activities but is worn in everyday life, or free time, or sportswear for non-athletic activities that have become increasingly seen in streetwear and on the catwalks. This award is open to all sportswear and leisurewear categories i.e. performance and non-performance sportswear, athleisure and leisurewear. Meet the nominees below!

Fashion digital media is a dynamic and flourishing part of the fashion industry with new media constantly evolving alongside traditional formats. GFF wants to find and celebrate the voice of a new generation. Project submissions are sought across the board of fashion new media that are innovative and resonate with the industry including websites / app development / blogs / online channels / social media strategy and campaigns. This can be a collaborative project by more than one student. Meet the award nominees below!

Project submissions are sought from students producing inspiring and innovative digital fashion publications that resonate with the Industry and intended audience. Students should demonstrate quality of writing, imagery, layout design and a professional standard of production. Meet the nominees below!

Fashion photography plays a huge part within all aspects of the fashion industry. Graduate Fashion Foundation is proud to support the creative practice of fashion photography and recognises the value it holds within the fashion industry. We are keen to support the ever increasing number of graduates communicating their concepts through fashion photography and celebrate the presence of the ‘image’ in the contemporary fashion industry. Meet the award nominees below!

Entrants into the Fashion Marketing Award have submitted a digital report format which creatively demonstrates their knowledge of the stages and promotional methods required in launching a campaign for a new product / service. Meet the nominees below!

Entrants into the Fashion Communication Digital Portfolio award have been tasked with submitting a well-executed, stylish, and professionally presented digital fashion portfolio that demonstrates individual creative identity, whilst communicating thinking process and development from the concept to final ideas. Meet the nominees below!

The David Band Textiles Award will be presented to one student who creates a distinctive and thought-provoking exploration of the creative textile process, which aims to challenge the established boundaries of technical excellence. Meet the nominees below!

The nominees for the GFF Childrenswear award have been set the task of designing a childrenswear collection of twelve pieces or six outfits for babies or children up to the age of 8. Meet the nominees below!

The Accessories Award sponsored by YKK, challenges applicants to bring a modern and directional approach to the accessories arena. Eligible categories include Millinery, Shoes, Bags, Belts and Jewellery. Meet the nominees below!

The winner of the Footwear Award, Sponsored by Size? will be the design concept for a unique and innovative footwear proposition that expands the boundaries of shoe-making to create the best possible environment for feet. Often the most beautiful and distinctive details are driven by a totally new approach to delivering functionality. Be creative, innovative and push boundaries.

Last week within out webinar series we heard from graduate fashion foundation ambassador and associate editor at hearst studio, isabella silvers.

During the webinar, isabella shared top tips and advice on becoming a freelance journalist and writer, how to price your work and how to approach publishers to get your work noticed. She was extremely kind to share links and resources for starting out in the industry.

We’re excited to share that our first Koi Footwear Design Competition winner, Rosie Coggin-Levy, has just had her mini footwear collection retailed on vegan brand Koi’s website!

The Future of Fashion : Caryn Franklin MBE talks to Sharon Lloyd Co-Founder of FACE

Graduate Fashion Foundation is delighted to announce 10 new Global Ambassadors are joining the charity this October 2020. From iconic designers, International buyers and Sustainability Activists to VIP Stylists, Editors and Marketing Experts, GFF are thrilled to welcome the new line-up as the latest supporters of the internationally acclaimed charity.

Andrew Ibi, co-founder of FACE and course leader at Liverpool John Mores University talks to Caryn Franklin, visiting professor of diverse selfhood at Kingston School of Art.

Andrew Ibi, co-founder of FACE and course leader at Liverpool John Mores University talks to Caryn Franklin, visiting professor of diverse selfhood at Kingston School of Art.

Today, we’re excited to share a case study which has been published this week by Northumbria University and Unique Magazines, a platform that stocks over 3000 niche magazines , including 134 fashion titles — many of which you may not have heard of, like Sorbet, Hunter Fashion, Lampoon and Cactus.

Featuring 90 unique, fresh looks by 53 Class of 2020 graduates from universities across the UK, the Class of 2020 Catwalk Show was live-streamed online on Tuesday, September 22nd. Check out a few of the incredible looks here!

We’re thrilled to share the winners for the Class of 2020 Awards, who were recently announced in a webinar awards ceremony. We introduced 5 new awards this year following the news that GFW20 wouldn’t be able to go ahead. In June, a group of industry experts joined us to whittle down the finalists from 10 to 3 graduates for each award, picking only one winner from an incredibly talented selection this year.

We’re getting ready for a big night here at Samsung KX in Coal Drops Yard, where our teams are preparing for a catwalk show and awards presentation this evening. We’re live streaming the catwalk from 6pm this evening, which you can watch HERE! Straight after, there’s the Class of 2020 Awards Presentation at 6.45pm. Watch it HERE. Below, check out the behind the scenes photos taken by our photographer, Deborah Smith.

We’ve had a huge day here at the Class of 2020 Showcase, where industry have been dropping by for the private exhibition viewing of graduates work. We’ve been visited by teams from US Vogue, Joseph, size?, YKK, River Island, Browns Fashion and more. It’s an opportunity to showcase the incredible talent of the Class of 2020 in the flesh.

It’s been a fantastic day here at the Class of 2020 Showcase, where industry have been discovering the work of hundred of graduates in our Showroom here at Coal Drops Yard.

On Sunday night, in another after-hours talk in the Samsung KX store at Coal Drops Yard, Henry Holland interviewed designer Daniel Fletcher in a special podcast recording for What Were You Thinking?

On Saturday night, we were treated to an after hours talk in the Samsung KX store in Coal Drops Yards, hosted by Graduate Fashion Foundation Brand Partnerships Director Joy Campbell who spoke with special guests Josephine Gowans-Eglinton Head of Creative Marketing Europe at Urban Outfitters and Kristina Karassoulis, Brand Partnerships, Luxury (EMEA) Global Business Solutions at TikTok.

On Friday night, illustrator Elyse Blackshaw hosted an interactive Fashion Illustration Workshop, inviting guests to put their own skills into practice with the Samsung Galaxy S7+ tablet. The guests joined in, creating their own illustrations and learning from Elyse’s experience, having illustrated live events during London Fashion Week and Graduate Fashion Week for the last few years.

We’ve been enjoying the after-hours events at Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross during the Class of 2020 Showcase. On Thursday, GFF President Hilary Alexander OBE spoke with founder of Duck Productions Lindsay Lowe, who shared her expertise on the importance of moving image within the fashion industry, immersing guests in an array of award-winning content displayed on The Sero QLED 4K TV.

The public view for the Class of 2020 is open from now until Sunday the 20th of September. Come to the amazing Samsung KX store in Kings Cross at Coal Drops Yard. We’re featuring over 37 designs from our member university graduates, displayed in the 20,000 sq ft store that floats above Coal Drops Yard.

Check out the Class of 2020 Campaign, shot by photographer Rory James in King Cross. We were thrilled to welcome 6 Southampton Solent graduates who did the hair and makeup of our amazing models as they wore 57 garments selected by our member universities. A huge thanks to Rory, the team of grads from Solent, all the models and the production team involved. Check out the full campaign below!

GFW Presents: the Class of 2020 at Coal Drops Yard starts today! To celebrate, we’re unveiling a the campaign film shot on location in King Cross by DUCK Productions, featuring the designs of 57 graduates from around the country. The selection includes oversized tailoring, handcrafted knitwear, technical outerwear, sculptural silhouettes and more.

The Class of 2020 Showcase is finally here! We’ve set up shop at Coal Drops Yard in King Cross with a showroom that offers a unique experience to explore the best and brightest new talent from our UK and International member universities. On show will be 300 diverse looks from over 150 of the brightest design graduates, alongside their portfolios.

We’re so excited to share that GFW19 Shein People’s Choice Award winner Mariah Esa has just launched a capsule collection with Browns! The De Montfort University graduate’s collection that won over the public was made from repurposed labels thrown away in the fast fashion industry. Esa sourced labels that were either over produced or classed as rejects in the fast fashion industry and transformed them into a base fabric by attaching them together.

We’re proud to support the launch of FACE, Fashion Academics Creating Equality, a new group which challenges Higher Education, Further Education and the Fashion Industry to be more inclusive, unified and equal. The group specifically working with issues concerning race, colour and ethnicity, amplifying voices, challenging the status quo and embracing change. Read on to learn more about FACE.

We can’t wait to take over Coal Drops Yard this week, thanks to our partners Samsung KX, we’re presenting a series of talks each night that are open to graduates for FREE! Whether you’re a budding fashion illustrator or fancied finding out how a podcast comes together, there’s something for you. Below, check out the four exciting events to catch during The Class of 2020 event starting Thursday the 17th of September!

Graduate Fashion Foundation are delighted to announce that the Class of 2020 from UK and International Universities will be showcased throughout a series of exciting activities at Coal Drops Yard, London this September. Setting up home for six days in Coal Drops Yard during London Fashion Week, GFF is delivering four unique innovative activities, central to which will be a spectacular exhibition at Samsung KX, London’s hub of Innovation.

We’re excited to be announcing the top three finalists for the two International GFF 2020 Awards; The International Range Plan Award and the International Digital Portfolio Award. On Friday afternoon GFF Special Projects & Communications Director Nicola Hitchens was joined by our amazing International 2020 Award Panel; Samuel Schler, Creative Talent at GAP INC, Kim Giangiuli Ex Senior Director of Talent Acquisition and Creative Talent at Ralph Lauren and Jane Rapley OBE, Professor Emerita Ex Head of College at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design.

During Copenhagen Fashion Week, Small Talks Big Conversations has been discussing the big issues of the industry. Today, we’re sharing some learnings from Sarah Sozzani Maino from Vogue Talents, Ida Petersson, Buying Director of Browns Fashion and Mariasole Pastori, Talent Acquisition Expert for Bottega Veneta about support that institution are and could be providing emerging design talent. They shared some great advice on portfolios, how to stand out, what brands are looking for and more!

We’re so excited to share with you the launch of the womenswear collection by Josephine Roberts, the GFF Tu Clothing Womenswear Scholarship winner for 2019. Josephine has been working hard for a year with the team at Tu Clothing, our headline sponsor for GFF, in Coventry to translate her graduate collection into a 16 piece collection that includes swimwear, knitwear, accessories and more!

Graduate Fashion Foundation is honoured to announce it will be supported by Samsung KX for the 2020 Fashion Innovation Award. Our awards have always been an important part of who we are as a foundation, allowing us to highlight the very best in graduating talent and award excellence.

That’s a wrap of the GFF xTikTok Residency which has taken over Fashion Enter in London for the last two weeks! We had a new group of graduates from around the country here this week to create merchandise for TikTok, taking inspiration from their final major projects, the TikTok ethos and vibe of the platform. We even had GFF President, Hilary Alexander OBE and GFF Ambassador Henry Holland drop by to check out their final products and hear about their time on the residency.

Last week was the first in our two week residency with TikTok, where graduates from every GFF university around the country travelled to London to experience the process of designing and making merchandise for TikTok. On Friday we were lucky enough to have one of our GFF ambassadors Henry Holland visit the factory to meet the graduates, hear about their time on the residency and see their creations.

We’re excited to share that our second Tu Scholarship winner, Michaella Knight, has just had her childrenswear collection go live exclusively with Tu Clothing online! Michaella is the first ever Tu Scholarship childrenswear winner.

We’re excited to be announcing the top three finalists for each of the GFF 2020 Awards, after our judges deliberated last week at Second Home in Shoreditch. Our awards have always been an important part of who we are as a Foundation. It allows us to highlight the very best in graduating talent and award excellence. The awards are crucial for attracting industry as it provides a filter to the talent ensuring that they are seeing the very best work.

It’s been a fantastic week one of our residency with Tik Tok, a partnership with GFF that gives final year students the opportunity for final year fashion students from our member universities to showcase their talent as they embark on their careers in fashion. As the official merchandise partner of Tik Tok, 70 students from our member universities have spent the week designing and creating merchandise inspired by their final collections.

We’ve wrapped on another amazing day of awards judging here at Second Home in Shoreditch! Today, 10 awards were judged by our panels of esteems industry experts from across the spectrum of skills — from fashion photography to creative direction and styling.

It’s been a busy day of judging here at Second Home in Shoreditch, where 20 judges from across the fashion industry have been busy deliberating over the work of graduates from our member universities. From Fashion Range Planning to Fashion Illustration, the awards have been an opportunity for GFF to support and celebrate the incredible work of the Class of 2020.

There are 10 paid graduate vacancies across all categories in our Studio. Each vacancy runs for 12 months from October 2020 to September 2021. As a graduate in our Design team the students will have the opportunity to be an integral part of our creative process. They will help bring to life modern collections with a strong fashion direction.Students graduating no earlier than 2020 can apply with a CV and Portfolio for only one of the postings by the 30th June 2020.

TikTok and Graduate Fashion Foundation are today announcing a new partnership that will provide a platform to final year fashion students to showcase their talent as they embark on their careers in fashion. The partnership will task fashion students with designing TikTok’s first-ever range of merchandise that is fashionable, ethical and distinctly TikTok, with all entries set to be judged by an expert panel of judges including Graduate Fashion Foundation Ambassador Henry Holland, Director of Fashion Enter Caroline Ash and TikTok’s Cassandra Russell, Fashion and Retail Brand Partnerships for EU.

In the last few weeks, we have been listening to our student, graduate and university community to hear how you’d like us to better support and champion BAME emerging fashion talent. It is important that we acknowledge, learn from our past, recognise and do more to celebrate incredible young BAME talents, showcasing the future of the fashion industry and the diverse talent that our member universities have to offer!

We have teamed up with The Dots to showcase the work and profiles of our brilliantly talented Class of 2020 students from our UK member universities. The Dots is a professional network of 500,000 members and over 10,000 brands across the creative industries with over 70% being under 34. The tech platform includes a large live job portal containing roles from the leading fashion industry.

We will be showcasing your work throughout the Summer promoting your talent to creative leaders, collaborators and recruiters across the creative industries.

Don’t forget, nominations for the GFW 2020 awards close tomorrow, 29th of May. Judging will commence of the 1st through to the 5th of June, and shortlists for awards will be announced on the 10th of June! You can expect the winners to be revealed in September, at an event to celebrate all the work of the class of 2020 — stay tuned for more information to come.

We’re thrilled to announce that vegan brand Koi Footwear was so impressed with the quality of work that they’ve chosen not one but TWO winners from over 100 entries into the Koi X Graduate Fashion Foundation competition.

Graduate Fashion Week exists to give you the visibility you need to the industry you want to work in. We are more determined than ever to make this visibility happen for you, somehow, somewhere. We are here, so join the digital conversation, share your work, stay at home, stay safe and we will be in touch very soon. 

Katherine-Jayne Watts was the winner of the Sportswear and Leisurewear award sponsored by Tessuti at GFW19. Her menswear collection, inspired by the old nautical charts of the Blackwater Estuary her grandad used to navigate the network of salt marshes and mudflats. Katherine shares her experience of GFW19, her advice for final year students and what she’s up to now.

In the UK alone, 11,000 bales of textiles end up in landfill every week, so developing ways to reduce this waste is a lucrative skill. GFW travelled up to Yorkshire with 20 final year graduates to visit Oxfam WasteSaver to learn about reducing, reusing and recycling clothing and textiles.

While so many things are out of your control, it’s more important than ever to apply what you know about protecting your mental health and emotional wellbeing to your day to day life while we navigate the unknown together. We’ve pulled together stories from the GFW archive which are full of useful and practical advice for students to help you stay healthy, busy, calm and positive for the next few weeks.

Now working as a product merchandiser at Burberry, Jainelly Portocarrero Torres graduated from Ravensbourne University and went on to win the Considered Design Award powered by Farfetch, as GFW19. We caught up with Jainelly to learn about her final project RE-UP, what she leant during her time at university and her advice for final year students.

Meet former Savannah College of Art and Design student, Ivy Lam, who won the International Fashion Show Award at GFW19. Ivy tells us about her collection, what it was like to be at GFW, her top 5 pieces of advice for final year students and her plans for the future.

Graduate Fashion Foundation - An update on Covid-19 and the event

Graduate Fashion Foundation is pleased to share an exciting role as VM Guideline specialist role for Kontoor Brands Inc, based in Belgium.

Graduate Fashion Foundation is excited to announce it will be returning this February to London Fashion Week in the British Fashion Council’s Positive Fashion Exhibition with a second season of the ‘GFW Presents’ stand from Friday 14th – Sunday 16th February 2020. GFW Presents will showcase the work of four talented Graduate Fashion Week 2019 alumni, who’s collections were part of the Best of GFW Top 28 Collection show.

Having been the former Fashion Director of the Daily Telegraph, named Journalist of the Year twice at the British Fashion Awards, been awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to fashion journalism and most recently been appointed President of Graduate Fashion Week/Graduate Fashion Foundation, Hilary Alexander has cemented herself within the fashion history books. She sits down with Jordan Wake to discuss a life in fashion, what she hopes to achieve in her new role, fashion journalism in the digital age and her plans for the future….

We’re thrilled to share some images from the latest issue of LOVE Magazine, where four graduates from the Class of 2020 have had their work featured. Shot by Tim Walker and styled by fashion editor Ib Kamara, the shoot was dedicated to the young designers who weren’t able to show their collections this year.

Behind the Scenes on the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s Dream Big GREAT Britain Campaign, featuring 16 graduates and students from GFF member UK universities.

Meet the award winning class of 2019: Rosie Baird from Edinburgh College of Art scooped the Catwalk To Store Award sponsored by George.

At the beginning of November, leading changemakers and creative minds in the fashion industry gathered together under one roof at the Royal Academy of Arts for the Frieze Academy's Art & Fashion Summit. The event not only explored some of the most pressing issues our world is facing and the constantly evolving landscape of the industry, but also those who are shaping it.

Graduate Fashion Foundation is proud to announce our collaboration with the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s GREAT Britain Campaign on a fun video featuring 16 graduates and students from GFF member UK universities.

Meet the award winning class of 2019: Ryan Hyde winner of the Publication Award!

The Graduate Fashion Foundationcharity is delighted to announce that from 4th– 8th November 2019 we will be running a series of national UK masterclasses, and from the 11th– 13thwe will be hosting two international masterclasses, all in partnership with Ralph Lauren. During the GFF tour we will be visiting five UK host universities and colleges across the UK and in total 18 Graduate Fashion Week UK member universities will have the opportunity to benefit from the advice and information presented from Ralph Lauren and the GFF teams.

This week sees the launch of the two winning t-shirt designs instore nationwide and online with Fatface. GFW 19 Graduates Alexandra and Roxanne won the FatFace Graphic T-Shirt Competition 2019, with their winning designs being selected by industry experts and designers Christopher Raeburn and Rob Jones.

Meet the award winning class of 2019: Aoife Malone from Heriot Watt University won the 2019 Styling & Creative Direction Award sponsored by Size?

The official BBC Children in Need t-shirt designed by Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) graduate, Megan Grinham, which was unveiled on 5th June at this year’s Graduate Fashion Week, is now available to buy from George at Asda stores across the UK and online.

A part of the British Fashion Council’s mentoring programme, with a focus around non- designer access to the creative industries for young people. Launched by Adwoa Aboah five key industry mentors and mentees will work togetherover a period of four months from Sept – Jan.

Meet the award winning class of 2019: Keri Thornton winner of the Clarks Footwear Award at GFW 19

Meet the award winning class of 2019: Ciara Neale winner of the New Fashion Media Award at GFW 19

This week GFW spoke with Hawthorn, one of the UK’s leading clothing manufacturers, producing garments of the highest quality. They proudly support fashion start ups, small brands, SMEs and emerging designers. Hawthorn offer a full scale manufacturing solution including a range of services.

GFW discussed key information for any designer looking to launch their label, from pricing and minimums to fabric sourcing and production lines.

Graduate Fashion Week is excited to announce it will be present for the first time this September at London Fashion Week in the British Fashion Council’s Positive Fashion Exhibition with a new ‘GFW Presents…’ stand from Friday 13th – Tuesday 17thSeptember. GFW Presents… will showcase the work of four talented Graduate Fashion Week 2019 alumni, who’s collections were part of the Best of GFW Top 28 Collection show in June. 

Graduate Fashion Week is excited to announce it will be present for the first time this September at London Fashion Week in the British Fashion Council’s Positive Fashion Exhibition with a new ‘GFW Presents…’ stand from Friday 13th – Tuesday 17thSeptember. GFW Presents… will showcase the work of four talented Graduate Fashion Week 2019 alumni, who’s collections were part of the Best of GFW Top 28 Collection show in June. 

Meet the award winning class of 2019: Hannah Stote from Bath Spa won the Catwalk Knitwear Award

The IJL Catwalk showcase the inspirational final year collections of six GFW high flying graduates, alongside an overview of high street jewellery trends for 2020.

Meet the award winning class of 2019: Alexandra Fan from Edinburgh College of Art scooped two award

Check out the following internships opportunities at GFW19 sponsor, JD Fashion Group. JD Fashion is looking for a Digital Design intern and a Multi-Chanel content intern, with the job information laid out below!

This week, six graduates were given the opportunity to join GFW sponsor Cunard’s Transatlantic Fashion Week Crossing which this year was headlined by milliner to the royals, Stephen Jones OBE. Go behind the scenes of the cruise and see which GFW graduates took part!

We’re excited to announce that the Julien MacDonald tote bag, created in collaboration with Matalan and GFW is out now! Coming in two colour ways — pink and green snake print inspired by the ladies swim prints from Julien MacDonald’s recent LOVE collection — the tote bags can be found in all Matalan stores and online!

We’re excited to announce that De Montfort University graduate Mariah Esa has been chosen by the public as the winner of the People’s Choice Award X SHEIN for GFW19! Selected from 28 other collections, Mariah repurposed labels thrown away in the fast fashion industry to create her garments.

There’s something in the water at the Edinburgh College of Art — the largest and oldest art school in Scotland — which took out a host of awards and runners up at GFW19. So what is it that makes the school and its graduates so highly regarded? We spoke to Mal Burkinshaw, ECA’s Programme Director of Fashion at the School of Design, as well as judges who picked the winning graduates, to hear their thoughts

Did you check out the Considered Design Hub Powered by Farfetch during GFW19? The space hosted three days of workshops, discussions and screenings hosted by an impressive list of guests. Sustainability within the fashion industry was the topic of interest, with different perspectives shining a light on the future of fashion. Check out our highlights from the Considered Design Hub, powered by Farfetch below!

Day four is Gala day at GFW19! We’re wrapping things up with the International catwalk show at 11am, the Best of GFW show and then the big one at 19:30: the GFW19 Gala! We can’t wait to see who wins the Christopher Bailey Collection of the Year award, as well as the other awards being given out during the event. Over at the GFW Live! Talk Space, the final talks for the week will be hosted by Givenchy and Tu — not to be missed! Check out the final day events below.

Luxury brands and groups LVMH, Givenchy, Farfetch, Ralph Lauren and more will be present at GFW19! From the stands in the exhibition space which will host CV surgeries, networking and recruitment opportunities, to the discussions held in the GFW Live! Talk Space and Considered Design Hub powered by Farfetch, there’s so many ways that luxury brands are getting involved in GFW19. Find out more!

There’s only two days to go until GFW19! Last year, 30,000 people attended across four days of GFW — including industry, media, buyers, celebrity judges and guests — to name only a few! It’s a great opportunity to meet people, gain a better understanding of the industry, and promote yourself and your work. Ensure you make the most of your time at event with our GFW Checklist!

We caught up with GFF global ambassador Henry Holland, who has been working with GFW since 2016. Through the years, Henry has been a judge, a guest speaker, has released a range of tote bags with GFW and Primark, and much more. We sit down with henry to discuss his time with GFW, the skills he believes are crucial for young fashion professionals to possess, and his advice to the 2019 graduates.

On Tuesday, we’re looking forward to seeing Caryn Franklin MBE hold a workshop on how emotional intelligence can be harnessed to combat stress as well as Hilary Alexander OBC in conversation with Henry Holland at the end of the day. Over at the Considered Design Hub, powered by Farfetch, a panel will discuss the question: What does a UK Ethical Factory look like? Check out the full schedule of day three below!

We’ll be getting in to the swing of things on Day Two of GFW19! Check out what’s happening at the catwalk shows, GFW Live! Talk Space and the Considered Design Hub powered by Farfetch. We can’t wait to see Gok Wan In Conversation With Hilary Alexander OBE and brush up on our fashion law knowledge with the Panel: Fashion Law, Know Your Rights.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the action at GFW19. From the 23 catwalk shows, GFW Live! Talks, Considered Design Hub activities and exhibition stands running for the full four days, there’s so much to see and do at Graduate Fashion Week. Below, check out the schedules and pencil them in!

We’re excited to announce that luxury online retail platform, Farfetch, will be sponsoring the Considered Design Hub at GFW19! On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, the Considered Design Hub will host a schedule of talks, panel discussions and workshops that look to address the burning issues of sustainability and responsible design and manufacturing in the fashion industry.

Meet Mercedes Benson, a multi-hyphenate creative working in the music industry who is a DJ, brand partnerships manager, social enterprise founder and influencer. Mercedes sat down with us at the GFW Talent of Tomorrow shoot to discuss how she got into, and how she balances her various jobs, and why she’s passionate about supporting young BAME talent into the industry.

Head to the International exhibition at GFW19 to check out the stunning work that has been created by graduates around the world. Discover the universities that will show their work up close in the International Exhibition.

40 international schools from around the world will take part in GFW19, with an exciting lineup for the International Fashion Award Show and International Exhibition. Sponsored by Gap Inc, the International Fashion Award winner will receive a prize of £1,000, alongside the opportunity to showcase for free at London Fashion Week SS20. Read more here!

Today, we’re excited to announce the judges for the International Catwalk Show, who will deliberate over the final collections of graduates from countries like Australia, Japan, The Netherlands, Russia, the US and more. The International Fashion Award, sponsored by Gap Inc. will be judged by…

This week we meet Chloe Street, Senior Fashion and Beauty Writer for the Evening Standard. Chloe joined 6 other influencers at our Talent of Tomorrow campaign shoot in April, and sat down with GFW to discuss her career journey, which has taken her from marketing to event production and now to journalism. Chloe shares her advice for young writers who want to break into fashion media, and her thoughts on the future of print and online fashion publications.

To celebrate the launch of the Tu Scholarship winner collections in Sainsburys, we caught up with one the 2018 scholarship winners, Molly Hopwood, whose menswear collection can be found in selected stores and online now! Molly gives us a glimpse into her sketchbooks to see how the denim-focused collection, inspired by her graduate collection, came to be.

Emphasising the need for ethical and sustainable practises within the fashion industry, Graduate Fashion Week alongside sponsors Farfetch; the leading global technology platform for the luxury industry, have launched the Considered Design Hub for 2019.

This week, we’ve announced the judges for more than 20 awards and scholarships to be given at GFW19! The Collection of the Year Award is the biggest accolade to be given at GFW19. Meet the GFW19 Collection of the Year judges here.

Around 30 representatives from titles like Vogue, Drapers, LOVE magazine, Harpers Bazaar, Hunger, Vogue Business, Wonderland and more, came along to peruse through an array of graduate portfolios and garments which lined the private dining room of Balthazar, Covent Garden, for the GFW19 press breakfast.

Meet Rachael Sealy, a fashion and beauty blogger who joined us at the GFW19 Talent of Tomorrow campaign shoot. As a plus sized influencer and woman of colour, Rachael is driven to break the stigma around black and plus-size fashion and beauty.

As GFW19 approaches, we catch up with Global Ambassador Christopher Raeburn, founder and creative director of his self titled brand, as well as recently appointed creative director of Timberland. With a passion for responsible design, Christopher shares his thoughts on the current sustainability conversation in the industry, as well as sharing his advice for graduates and what he’s looking out for at GFW19.

To celebrate the launch of our competition to win tickets to the V&A’s retrospective of the life and works of Mary Quant, GFW contributor Faith Richardson gives us a brief history of one of Britain’s iconic designers, whose feminist influence can still be seen almost 70 years later. Head to our Instagram to find out how you can win tickets!

GFW meets Dame Zandra Rhodes DBE RDI in her Rainbow Penthouse in Bermondsey, London, to discuss her 50 year career, why she’s joining GFW as a lifetime patron in 2019, the secret to her longevity and more.

This year was the first time we got to involve final year graduates within the making of the Talent of Tomorrow campaign shoot. Following submissions from tutors, we worked with our photographer, Erika Astrid and stylist Jennifer Mertens to select eleven talented students to help create content. Meet the team here!

GFW digital editor Megan Doyle speaks with Sul from @SulsWorld — a blogger, influencer and Youtuber who creates content on fitness, fashion, lifestyle, self confidence, dating and everything in between. Sul shares his advice for students transitioning from university into their careers, as well as sharing the most surprising aspect of his job.

Meet Erika Astrid, the Brooklyn-based fashion photographer who shot the 2019 Talent of Tomorrow campaign for GFW19. Erika shares her thoughts on the shoot, her tips for aspiring fashion photographers and her plans for the future.

We’re excited to welcome SHEIN, one of the world’s largest fashion destinations, which will sponsor the People’s Choice Award for the first time!

The Talent of Tomorrow campaign is here! Meet the influencers, check out the looks they chose for the campaign, find out about the student designers behind their looks, and see our behind the scenes video from the shoot!

We’ve been teasing the GFW19 campaign release for weeks, and we’re finally ready to share the final product! Shot by photographer Erika Astrid and styled by Jennifer Mertens, the campaign featured the work of students from across the UK.

At the FatFace flagship on the Kings Road in London, GFW ambassador Christopher Raeburn and Rob Jones of Teatum Jones joined the FatFace team to sift through over 100 applications for the FatFace Graphic T-Shirt Competition.

We’re excited to share the capsule collections from the 2018 Tu Scholarship winners, Jenni Healy and Molly Hopwood, which will be available to purchase at selected Sainsbury’s stores and online at Tu.co.uk from 19th May.

We’re proud to welcome Talent Tin, an industry-first platform that is totally reimagining the fashion process for recruiting freelancers, as a sponsor for GFW19. The founder of Talent Tin, Shiv Sensarma, shares his thoughts with GFW on diversity in the fashion industry and what can be done to create a more diverse industry.

We’re pleased to announce that Gap Inc. will sponsor the GFW International Fashion Award catwalk show for 2019. Returning for a fourth year, Gap Inc. will be present with four brands from the company’s portfolio Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta.

Founder of fashion and lifestyle platform Inthefrow, Victoria Magrath, sat down with our digital editor Megan Doyle at the recent GFW19 photoshoot to discuss the evolution of her platform, where she’s been sharing her unique aesthetic since 2012.

Take a look behind the scenes of the GFW19 official photoshoot, which took place this week at the home of Graduate Fashion Week, the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch.

Fashioning the minds of emerging talent, the Graduate Fashion Foundation is thrilled to welcome back clothing brand George at Asda as Graduate Fashion Week’s Education Partner for the third consecutive year.

There’s only two months to go until GFW19! Whether you’re a graduate showing your work, a 1st or 2nd year, or still in high school, there’s so much you can do to get yourself ready for the event. Make the most of GFW19 by following our GFW-approved to-do list.

We’re pleased to introduce the Tu Scholarship 2019 mentors who will guide and support the two winners throughout their year contract with Tu Clothing. The chosen graduates will each earn a mentorship with acclaimed designers Tamara and Natasha Surguladze from label Tata Naka, and returning mentors Rob Jones and Catherine Teatum from Teatum Jones.

We’re thrilled to welcome Dame Zandra Rhodes DBE RDI who is joining the GFF charity as a lifetime patron! An iconic figure in the fashion industry, Rhodes is celebrating her brand’s 50th year in spring 2019 and will be at GFW19 on the judging panel for the Hilary Alexander Trailblazer Award.

Iconic footwear brand Clarks is back for Graduate Fashion Week 2019, sponsoring the Clarks Footwear Award! They’re looking for creativity, innovation and boundary pushing design thinking in a competition that’s open to students from all disciplines in their final year at a GFF member university.

YKK — the global provider of fastening solutions for the creative industry — are back for GFW19, sponsoring the YKK Accessories Award as well as hosting an Instagram competition and exclusive offer for GFW member universities!

Norwich University of the Arts student Megan Grinham has been unveiled as the winner of the BBC Children in Need x George competition.

The heritage label weaves its Scottish heritage through the AW19 offering in a thoroughly modern manner, which is sure to resonate with its followers.

After 3 successful years, the Graduate Fashion Week Tu Scholarship Programme is growing internationally to showcase the dynamic and global career path that Tu offers its designers.

In the news this week, prominent fashion educators weighed in on the future of the fashion school, the V&A museum unveiled the new Dior exhibition, while BoF republished a mental health guide .

The appointment of Louise Trotter as the Creative Director for Lacoste is revolutionary for the French brand. As the first female Creative Director in Lacoste’s 85-year history, expectations, for the new chapter she’s going to write, are high. Louise Trotter, will replace the Portuguese designer, Felipe Oliveira Baptista as leading the creative direction of the company. Trotter has big shoes to fill, as Oliveira Baptista his coined with establishing the popularity for the honoured Lacoste Polo.

Fashion has long held a bad reputation for its whitewashed runways. But thankfully ethnically diverse model casting has been at the forefront of the agenda for some time now and the value of diversity is increasingly being recognised. There is a lot more visibility for Black models, but for other Black people within the industry– not so much. Yet the industry thrives from having ethnically diverse figures, because they contribute alternative perspectives to fashion - making it more creative, inclusive and more varied.  

Our ambassador Christopher Raeburn is known for his sustainable ethos and ethical credentials. Having always focused on his Remade collection, the designer has now announced a community building project, that teaches his customers the skills of repairing, and offers the chance to meet similarly like minded people.

Fashion From Nature, the first UK exhibition to explore the complex relationship between fashion and nature from 1600 to the present day, is currently on at the Victoria & Albert museum in Central London. The Graduate Fashion Week team attended a conference surrounding the exhibition on Friday, to learn more about the ethical ethos behind the exhibition, and why the prestigious museum commissioned a forward thinking project focused on design.

House of Holland SS19 related to the women of London. Any woman who has been in a rush, run out of time to dry their hair or felt they had to touch up their makeup on the tube can be held responsible for inspiring this collection. The suitably named ‘Pull in Emergency’ showcase paraded Henry Holland’s response to the London girl aesthetic; attitudes, cultures and mind sets alongside, obvious urban sportswear and 1980s influences.

Leopard: Fashion’s Most Powerful Print, published by Laurence King in October 2018, is the definitive collection of all things leopard as told by award winning journalist and GFW trustee Hilary Alexander OBE. Leopard examines the enduring appeal of fashion’s most perennial print, as Hilary explores the meaning behind the vibrant patterns in her first ever book.

#TagYourTalent is a weekly competition, seeking to highlight talented final year students from our member universities, as they create their final collections. We want to see your journey from week one to #GFW19, with images of your studio, films of the loom at work and #BTS of your photoshoots. You can post any image that you like, and a winner will be selected each week. The winner will be awarded £50 for their efforts!

During London Fashion Week, Richard Quinn, the designer that skyrocketed to fame after the Queen sat front row, took a new approach. With high expectations following his AW18 show, Quinn used his front row to positively protest against the current governments policies regarding changes to fashion in education.

Johnstons of Elgin showcased new cutting edge lightweight textiles and knit innovations with their SS19 collection during London Fashion Week at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel. Johnstons of Elgin is a Scottish cashmere brand with a woollen mill in Elgin, especially concerned with the preservation of traditional craft, and ensuring the conservation of special and increasingly rare skills.

Recentl​​​​​​​y, the quirky accessories, stationary and gift brand Caroline Gardner, filled their window in Marylebone with the designs of talented and creative designers from GFW18, Lucie Sperry and Penny Gibbs.

Saskia Lenearts, winner of the first ever Considered Design Award at GFW18, recently went behind the scenes at the Johnstons of Elgin textile mill in Elgin, Scotland. Saskia took us round with her on our instagram, where we were witness to the extensive yarn store complete with over 6500 shades in the colour library, the clock tower and the warping and weaving departments!

The final show, the scuttling to seats, the whispers of excitement, it must be the Gala Show. The most prestigious catwalk of the 4-day event revealed multiple designs, styles and techniques fashioned into the selected designers collections.

The Swarovski International Fashion Award Show at Graduate Fashion Week 2018, featured 51 different graduates, from universities all around the world. From Japan, Taiwan and India to Sri Lanka, Australia and America, the inspirations and concepts for the designs were diverse. 

Each year, we recognise the most inventive and artistic university stand design, taking into account limitations such as financial resources, the visitors experience and the management of the stand itself, including the maintenance by staff and students alike. 

Through 2017-18 we have seen a dramatic rise in the catwalk being used as a space for protest. From Public School standing against Trump in their AW17 show to Vivienne Westwood showing a fashion film with an underlying Brexit theme in place of a catwalk at her 2018 London Fashion Week Men’s show, protest has been a talking point for fashion. Political challenges shone through in many of the collections we had the chance to view at GFW18, indicating that the catwalk will continue to be a stage for creatives to express their political opinions through their art. 

Here at Graduate Fashion Foundation, the charity behind the Graduate Fashion Week event every June, we're committed to supporting new fashion talent and GFW alumni throughout their careers in the industry. As part of this ethos, we teamed up with Pure London this weekend, to showcase selected graduates designs on their stage. 

For the second year running, we partnered with SmartFocus, the Digital Messaging Cloud, to give you a voice and the chance to award your favourite designer with an iPad and the opportunity to showcase at the GFW Houses of Parliament event in November.  

Whilst the SmartFocus catwalk welcomes the conceptual final collections created by graduates from around the world, the guests that come to see the portfolios have an inventive style of their own. GFW18 saw some uniquely styled guests, expressing their identities through their clothing choices.

Behind the scenes of the unique and inspiring event that celebrates student and graduates’ talents each year, there is an incredibly talented and hardworking digital team whose role is to create and share all the catwalk and backstage insights on Graduate Fashion Week’s digital platforms.

During Graduate Fashion Week 2018, we welcomed many ambassadors, experts and industry professionals, to see the work of graduates from around the UK and the world. Caryn Franklin MBE, is a Fashion Commentator and Agent of Change, and a Professor of Diversity at Kingston University. We caught up with Caryn to hear what she thought about the 27th edition of the largest showcase of graduate talent in the world!

Swarovski, principle sponsor of Graduate Fashion Week 2018, held a popular stand during the event. Whilst with us, Dax Lovegrove, Vice President of Sustainability at Swarovski, spoke with our team- find out why they put sustainability at the core of their practises. 

The YKK Showroom is a unique resource and platform for emerging designers, students and customers. With the showroom based in the heart of Shoreditch, visitors can get the chance to speak to industry professionals, have instant access to YKK’s latest products, catalogues and collections and purchase limited edition items and samples.

We were proud to welcome Superdry to Graduate Fashion Week for the first time this June, with many job roles available on their stand, a new award and an informative conversation with Siri MacDonald in the GFW Live! talk space. From influencer takeovers to insightful masterclasses, find out what Superdry got up to at GFW18!

Vivienne Westwood is the activist, punk and designer that has been revolting against the norm since the eighties. As one of our Lifetime Patrons, the iconic British creative was the perfect match to lend her name to an award we created in 2013, to recognise the growing need for sustainable design. In 2016 the award transformed from the Ethical Award to the Dame Vivienne Westwood Sustainable and Ethical Award. 

Graduate Fashion Week have partnered up with Smart Focus, global leaders in digital marketing for another year to present the competition of the People’s Choice Award. The SmartFocus Catwalk Hall hosted 26 catwalks during the four-day event early this June.

In the months before Graduate Fashion Week 2018, designers were spending their days and evenings working in their university studios, preparing for the catwalk and creating pieces that represent their ideas and passions. Before GFW18 begun, we collaborated with many brands to offer competitions, and the designers shortlisted in the Lenzing Sustainable Denim Competition, are the pioneers of tomorrow. Find out more about their work here.

The prestigious Christopher Bailey Gold Award, named after the first winner of the award in 1992, Christopher Bailey, was awarded to Rebecca Wilson of Arts University Bournemouth, her menswear, womenswear and childrenswear collection. 

The final show of the Graduate Fashion Week 4 day event just revealed the winners of the 18 awards up for grabs by the sponsors of the event.

The SmartFocus People's choice is live! Make sure to vote for your favourite looks from Graduate Fashion Week 2018! Extending its relationship with the globally celebrated annual design showcase for the 2nd year, SmartFocus will be hosting 26 catwalks during the four-day event within the ‘SmartFocus Catwalk Hall. 

The Best of Show at Graduate Fashion Week 2018 housed many friendly faces to the organisation

Mary Portas led a talk with interviewer Helen, Head of Marketing at TU.

The International Fashion Award Show, sponsored by Swarovski was an incredible display of exceptional craftmanship and innovation from graduates across the world.

In this GFW Live! talk by Adidas Originals, Adidas Marketing Consultant, Gary Aspden discusses Manchester culture.

The British Model Oliver Cheshire discussed his career and work with M&S with Freelance Journalist, Stylist and Author Alex Fullerton.

The Considered Design Showcase featured chosen graduate’s collections alongside a Q&A with 5 industry experts.

The Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture at Kingston University is renowned for courses that are industry focussed and professional.

With over 150 years of experience and tradition teaching within the Art and Design spheres UCA’s reputation speaks for itself.

Hilary Alexander introduced her guest Mark Heyes to the talk, greeted with cheers and applause from the audience.

The UCA EPSOM catwalk showed a diverse display of colour and pattern, demonstrating their individuality and a high level of visual communication skill.

In this GFW Live! talk Eric Underwood discussed his time as a ballet dancer, how his career progressed into modelling and his future endeavours within the fashion industry. 

The Fashion and Textiles programme at the University of Brighton offers thriving, well-established courses in Fashion Design, Textile Design and Fashion Communication.

In this GFW Live! talk three members of the Clarks team discussed how insight influences Clark’s seasonal collection.

The De Montfort University catwalk show reflects the innovation and commitment that the university aims for.

The Arts University Bournemouth catwalk show captivates the commitment and innovation that the university strives for.

In this GFW Live! Talk by TU, the winner of 2017’s TU Menswear Scholarship, Amy Vanderwal and Fashion Designer, Oliver Spencer joined Graduate Fashion Week’s Managing Director, Martyn Roberts to discuss working alongside an established British Fashion Designer and what the award meant for her career.

The Royal School of Needlework showcased an impressive exhibition of exceptional embroidery and needlework.

Norwich University of the Arts is a specialist University offering degrees in Art, Design and Media subjects from a campus in the heart of the city of Norwich.

Ravensbourne’s core principles of encouraging brave and creative thinkers were showcased in the innovative designs produced on the catwalk.

The innovation and creativity that is on show at Graduate Fashion Week has been captured through the illustrative work of Calypso Pierpoint.

Hilary Alexander OBE explored the early life and beginning of Orla Kiely’s career in a conversation at the last talk of the day.

The multi-disciplinary partnership at Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester Fashion Institute aims to combine expertise from across the Fashion Industry.

Edinburgh College of Arts showcased their exceptional approach to an experimental and highly personal style of designing on their catwalk today.

What was meant to be a way to fund ski adventures rapidly became a popular high street brand appealing to all.

Manchester School of Art is one of the largest providers of Art and Design courses in the UK, with a distinguished 170 years history.

Laura Gillings, Women’s wear design assistant for TU at Sainsbury’s, joins Martyn Roberts to discuss life after she graduated, how GFW helped her career and the recent TU collections in this GFW Live! Talk.

Former Creative Director at Calvin Klein, Franciso Costa joins Hilary Alexander OBE to discuss what it takes to land a job in one of the world’s leading luxury brands.

The Birmingham City University catwalk show captivates the ambition and confidence that the university strives for.

CEO & founder of Fashion Roundtable, Tamara Cincik chairs the panel talk on ethnic representation in the fashion industry

Bath Spa University evidenced their ethos for expressing issues that affect their graduate designers in their catwalk today.

Sheffield Hallam University help their students to work on real projects with employers whilst studying as well as having lecturers with industry backgrounds.

London Beauty Artists are industry experts and educators attending big events such as London Fashion.

The Northampton University catwalk show captivated the challenging and individual approach that the university strives for.

The influencers, Sandra Haglestam, also known as 5 Inches and Up, Victoria Magrath, also known as In The Frow and model and influencer, Emma Breschi joined Hunger’s Emma Firth to discuss what it takes to be internationally successful in the GFW Live! talk.

With day one of GFW having flown past already, we are already seeing the amazing and emerging talent that our graduates have been creating the past year! There will be plenty more catwalk shows and talks you will not want to miss. 

University of East London started the catwalk off with a presentation video with titled “I’ll show you what woman is,” followed with videos of women throughout history. The audience were captivated by this show, with the volume loud with cheers and applauding welcoming each graduate’s designs to the SmartFocus Catwalk. Rock music, accompanied by a fast pace and toe tapping, kept the electric atmosphere alive throughout the multiplicity of work showcased this evening.

Its 60th year, Fashion at Northumbria University, is renowned for its innovative courses and strong links in the fashion industry. With an award winning building with excellent workshops, placements for students in the industry are implemented in the UK, US, Europe and Asia.

The world’s first super-model and 60s icon, Twiggy joined Hilary Alexander OBE to discuss her life in fashion in the GFW Live! talk by M&S.

Head of Womenswear and Accessories design at John Lewis, Iain Ewing discussed Fast Fashion and how to stick to a clear design idea in the GFW Live! talk by John Lewis.

The University of Salford catwalk embraced their broad design education that is taught in the institute. Salford uses a contemporary practice in fashion industry and encourages individual creativity in Fashion Design, Fashion Image Making and Styling.

GFW Alumni and Head of Superdry Womenswear Design, Siri MacDonald joined Hilary Alexander OBE to discuss all things Superdry and career pathways in the GFW Live! talk space.

Liverpool John Moores University has a long and inimitable heritage dating back to 1825. Their ethos of pushing the boundaries was demonstrated through the fashion design and communication graduates’ catwalk.