What a way to end the first day at graduate fashion week! University of East London gave us a huge line up of jaw dropping design. Powerful chanting like music accompanied the line ups and cast all attention onto the models, it made for exciting, on the edge of your seat anticipation throughout the audience.
We saw everything along the SmartFocus catwalk from regal furs mixed with gothic, patent leather and embellishment with blood red thread, to oversized tassels that moved beautiful on the body in an oriental themed lineup, fused felt that looked like foliage was grown around and adoring the bodies.
An extreme sports-luxe look with oversized baseball jerseys, mesh bomber jackets and tracksuit pants paired with basketball handbags looked to be floating from the model’s hands. Denim with attitude, another striking look using military style straps that fell to the floor, and impressive armour like silhouettes. Lace mystical like creatures with horns and feathers dressed head to toe in romantic red, white and black lace made for a gothic godess styled collection.
Baby pink and washed denim with playful illustrations together with feminine details such as lacing, layered ruffles and flares really broke the line between menswear and womenswear and of course the pink skateboards as the statement accessory for the collection.
The show ended with a roaring round of applause and celebrations backstage between models, designers and the program leaders.
Words by Isabel Woodrow-Young