Northampton University sent out a series of collections that shouted inclusivity and positive messages towards a brighter future.
Mary King’s PVC, 5-piece womenswear line opened the show. Dressed in purples, blues, black and white; the models kicked off the show with high ponytails and platform sneakers.
Grace Owusu gave us an all-black leather collection, which was inspired by gothic architecture. Her key look was a top and a faille, bubble skirt, made of majestic geometric cutouts.
Congolese designer, Malelama Diengana’s collection took inspiration from the her ethnic origins. Each piece was embellished with laser-cut leather pieces, that looked like jewels. Her collection allowed her to experiment with her creativity, and to find a connection between her cultural heritage and the world of fashion.
Jessica Borrell created voluminous looks with the use of parachutes. Her collection analysed the concept of restriction. Olivia Hudson created a series of silk gowns and comfortable nightwear, in pink and beige tones.
Kirsten Wan’s collection made her models look like Russian dolls. They walked the catwalk in gowns made of silk, with fur inserts.
Radka Blazickova’s collection focused on the issue of climate change. This topic is becoming popular among the young talents at this year’s GFW. The collection was made from recycled plastic bottles.
Rebeka Mrazik’s collection was created by layering a yellow dotted print underneath geometric cut-outs of the black fabric on top.
Maryam Masood’s collection, which aimed to sensitise the audience on issues of mental health and drug abuse, was inspired by the concept of time and the movie Alice in Wonderland. It showed a series of prints representing analogue clocks and white rabbits.
From the front row, Mairi Watson told us, “I have been attending Northampton’s fashion shows for the past four years, and this time it was incredibly imaginative. It is lovely to see so many different styles and so many different approaches to the use of fabric, especially for those students that have created their own fabric. This year’s show was really impressive, and it was possibly of the highest quality I’ve ever seen from this course”.
Written by Sara Liberati
Photography by Jade Berry and Olivia Ferrera-Forbes