De Montfort University opened up there dmu2019mashup show with part one. The show consisted of sixteen looks from fifteen designers, featuring everything from back to front blazers to delicate satin dresses made from durable plastic.
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De Montfort University
The De Montfort University catwalk show reflects the innovation and commitment that the university aims for.
Recently, De Montfort alumni were invited to Hong Kong, to take part in the GREAT Festival of Innovation! The four day festival imagines the future by exploring how technology functions in various industries- including fashion. We've already seen the potential of fashion working alongside technology to decrease it's carbon footprint, but the potential for greatness is limitless.
De Montfort University is the lead education partner at GREAT and showcased the work of students, graduates and academics in VR, Game Art, Fashion, Architecture and Cyber Security. Fashion Design graduate Abisola Akanni and Master’s student Raabia Arif brought their stylish, colourful collections to Hong Kong. Hair and make-up was arranged and the models were made up at the British Consulate before heading for the venue, where the innovative designs captured the attention of the international audience.
Abisola Akanni has presented her designs at both Africa Fashion Week and was chosen to participate in the Best of GFW17 show last year. Her focus on loud prints and using shape and colour to explore the notion of 'clashing' was a primary talking point at GFW17, and led to Abisola taking her designs to Fashion Futures in Dubai along with other creative emerging designers from the event.
“To have the chance to show my designs here and to have such great feedback – it’s amazing.”
Abisola Akanni, De Montfort University Graduate & GFW17 Alumni
Contour Fashion student Carys Gill was also on hand to help organise and co-ordinate the pop-up fashion salon, and helped show the work of DMU knitwear designer, and Best Of GFW17 participant, Bethany Griffiths, to the audience. Hong Kong is a major hub for the fashion industry, with a booming design industry and a base for many international brands . As part of their #DMUglobal experience, Fashion students visited lingerie company Clover and Royal Spirit, which produce garments for high end and mass market names.
“Coming to Hong Kong and having this experience has definitely made me think of working overseas. You talk to people who have moved away to work and it makes you think, ‘I could do this’. Opportunities like this are so important for young designers. It’s our platform to show industry and the general public what we can do on an international stage.”
Raabia Arif
Have you recently participated in an interesting event with your university? We love to cover the experiences of our alumni, from all over the world. Email our Digital Editor, Annabel, on editor@graduatefashionweek.com for the chance to be featured!
It was inspiring to see such a refreshing take on menswear at Graduate Fashion Week 2017. Almost every university showcased a men’s collection, but several graduates stood out by challenging the conventional ideas of menswear, using ‘feminine silhouettes’ and fabrics like silk, lace and sheer fabrics. We also saw a more diverse selection of models, with Ellen Fowles’ collection modelled entirely by older men at the Ravensbourne show.
The De Montfort show displayed a mix of garments and collections from 19 graduate designers on our SmartFocus catwalk
Graduate Fashion Week has been the launching platform for designers such as Christopher Bailey, Julien McDonald and Stella McCartney. For 13 years the Gold Award has been awarded to designers who have demonstarated outstanding creativity, personality and innovation. In this post we look at some past winner of this award and what they are doing now.
In 2011 Rory Langdon from Nottingham Trent University was recognised for his exceptional ability in design, cut and construction and excellent use of colour and fabric with the Gold Award. He now works in Italy as a freelance knitwear designer after having worked for Mugler, Belstaff and Max Mara.
Not only did Chloe Jones from Bath Spa University win the Gold Award in 2012, she also took home the Womenswear Award. She then went on to show at London Fashion Week with Fashion Scout and now works as a Junior Designer at River Island.
Last year's Gold Award winner Hazel Symons from De Montfort University, won the Award with her collection of monochrome pieces that were bolted together rather than sewn. This collection was innovative and forward thinking and truly unique. Sophie is currently working with Sophie Hulme, who was one of the judges, as an Accessory Design Intern.
We are so proud of all the talent that has been exhibited at GFW and can't wait to see what is coming up this year on the 4th to 7th June.
This year we are giving away a total of 4 tickets to 2 lucky winners to see a show during London Fashion Week! You can win 2 tickets to this year's Ones to Watch Show at the Fashion Scout catwalk on Friday 17th February at 3:30pm. The show includes Orange Culture, an ultra modern menswear brand and RU a womenswear brand inspired by exploding and cracking buildings.
A separate winner will win 2 tickets to see the Fashion Scout Merit Award Winner - Katie Ann McGuigan Show where you'll see outstanding prints alongside modern and graphic silhouettes. The show will take place on Saturday 18th February at 5pm.
Both shows will take place at the Freemasons' Hall, London, WC2B 5AZ. No transport will be provided.
THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED
We caught up with our 25th Anniversary award winners to ask them about their experience of GFW, how they got there and what they have planned for their futures in fashion!
We caught up with our 25th Anniversary award winners to ask them about their experience of GFW, how they got there and what they have planned for their futures in fashion!
Graduate Fashion Week 25th Anniversary