Marcus Deaville, student at Birmingham City University, was recently awarded the newly created ASOS Future Talent Design Award for Level 5 students at GFW 2018. Taking inspiration from the New Romantic movement of the 80’s that encapsulated the styles and music of Adam Ant and Boy George, his illustrations and menswear designs took the ASOS teams by storm. We caught up with the young designer to hear more about the influence of Tony Ray-Jones, the pioneering photographer that reimagined the British documentary style of photography on his work, what he’s learnt about being humble, and why he compared alternate perceptions of the seaside.
Firstly, a huge congratulations on winning at Graduate Fashion Week 2018! What award did you win?
Thank you so so much, I’m still getting over then fact that I actually got an award. I won the ASOS Future Talent Design Award Level 5.
How did it feel when your name was read out?
I absolutely couldn’t believe it when I found out, I definitely thought they’d make a mistake. But I was so honoured that an event as massive as GFW had seen my work and thought it deserved anything at all.
Which university did you attend, and how do you think they are preparing you for graduation?
I currently attend Birmingham City University, and they are still preparing me by pushing me out of my comfort zone and getting me to try new things. I am so grateful for my BCU tutors, they have helped me immensely and I know I wouldn’t have succeeded if it weren’t for them.
Describe the inspiration and concept behind your work.
The work I put forward for the award, my portfolio, consisted of two separate projects. For the first, I took inspiration from the ‘New Romantics’ and created a character based on photos from my primary school. For the second I looked at two aspects of the British sea side, one from the 60s based on the photography of Tony Ray-Jones and the other from the present trashy, slightly ‘chavvy’ British seaside.
What do you plan to pursue now, and where do you hope to be in five years’ time?
For now I plan to continue with my third year, and hopefully make it back to GFW next year with my final collection. In 5 years I plan to be perusing a career in menswear design or illustration.
If you could give one piece of advice to yourself in first year, what would it be?
If I could give some advice to myself in first year it would probably be to listen to your tutors because despite what you think they actually do know better than you, but mainly just be yourself and put that in to your work.