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Graduate Fashion week 2011

Every fashion follower across the UK is more than aware of when fashion week will grace us with the delights of what we should be wearing for the next six months. We hang on every hemline, key colour and heel height for a staple of how to fill our closets. However, it’s not so often that we get a chance to see what the new spawn of fashion design have to offer to our ever open fashion minds.

Salford University Degree Fashion Course Graduates

Although it only happens once a year, there’s enough ingenuity to last and this graduate fashion week certainly didn’t disappoint. With around 50 universities and 52 fashion related courses being given the chance to exhibit their impressive collections, it’s almost hard to chose which show to watch. For me the decision was easy, with roots deep set in Manchester, Salford University grabbed my attention straight away. With their fashion programme already winning portfolio accolades their show was brimming with inspiring lines and quirky design…and what a show they gave.

Held in Earls Court London, the catwalk was opened with a film by fashion styling and imagery student Jonathan Flanders, called ‘The American Dream’, and set the standard high for the shows to come.  Not deterred by a challenge, nor over faced by the amount of work putting together a comprehensive collection entails most of the designers on the catwalk produced work that wouldn’t be misplaced in Milan.

Anh Hoang

The opening designer, Anh Hoang, produced an assortment of fringing, embellishments and explosions of colour to her ‘Ingenious Mind’ collection.  Based on Salvador Dali’s surreal artistic influence, her designs create a tangible avant-garde edge to the way we see womenswear.

Katie Beth Cowling

Katie Beth Cowling used Denmark’s Black Sun as the base for her ‘Murmation’ collection. With a gothic colour pallet and haunting silhouettes of birds printed, embroidered and laser cut, the collection trended towards a more grunge inspired look.

Olivia Deeney

Leaning towards a more couture inspired collection, using a mix of traditional tapestry, feathers and sheer fabrics, Olivia Deeney’s ‘Creepy Beautiful’ is heavily influenced by how inanimate objects can become meaningful possessions throughout life, creating subtly captivating ensembles.

Kerri Goulden

A romantic affair made Kerri Goulden’s collection ‘Unspoken Sentement’ capture my heart. Using an isolating toxic relationship between two young lovers and their residence in their slowly decaying bedroom as its base, each piece reflects a certain element of what each lover is surrounded by, which in turn engulfs anyone wearing them into complete fantasy.

Salford University Fashion Degree Graduates

Each Salford fashion design student to show at graduate fashion week gave an ingenious insight in the way they see design. After watching the show it became apparent to me that Manchester will be proud of more than just their music in years to come.