The Northampton University catwalk show captivated the challenging and individual approach that the university strives for. The work being showcased represented graduates that have broken the boundaries of the conventional approaches to fashion. With a buzzing atmosphere, in the pre-show crowd they had already won the audience’s attention and were set up for their show to begin.
Cultural influences were obvious throughout the collections, from Japanese influences in Jennie Hardie’s collection to 1980’s influences in Lucy’s collection. The Japanese inspired collection created by Jennie featured vibrant yellows and blues alongside additional fur and bow detailing. The 1980’s inspired collection created by Lucy, featured neon orange and yellow fabric made into oversized hoodies and tracksuit bottoms.
Geometric shapes were prominent throughout Jennie and Lorraine Makumbe catwalk collections. Lorraine featured white and orange geometric shapes alongside metallic detailing and “Heroic” graphics creating a bold look. Whereas, Jennie’s incorporated cut out geometric shapes within her collection.
With access to University of Northampton’s tannery that they have on campus and Northampton’s history within the leather industry, it was no surprise that leather was used within the graduate’s collections. Melissa Francis dressed her models in matching oversized yellow hoodies and added her leather accessories which were made of multi-colour dyed leather in very natural tones.
Hannah Guiver’s collection got the crowd cheering when she sent out her children’s wear collection. Hannah’s pieces were made of bright colours and featured nature inspired prints. She paired the clothes with chunky, brightly coloured accessories. This along with the fact that the children performed a dance on the catwalk to a song from the Jungle Book sent the crowd wild. The catwalk show was a representation of the values of the university, all collections pushed the conventional boundaries of the fashion industry and grabbed the crowd’s attention.
Words by Rosie Smith
Photography by Becky Mukerji