Charlotte Taylor SS’11
Friday 17th September – After debuting last season at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout exhibition, Charlotte Taylor was picked as one of VFS’ Ones to Watch and made her catwalk debut.
Anna Skodbo
Wednesday 15th September – The final 2.0-10 Collective designer to present their collection was Anna Skodbo, who recently graduated from the University of Hertfordshire. She was showcasing her debut collection NEGATIVESPACE, “inspired by the forgotten and ignored nooks and crannies of London: graffitied gates, broken chain fencing, razor wire.”
Lisbeth Lovbak Berg
Wednesday 15th September – Next up on the 2.0-10 Collective catwalk was Lisbeth Lovbak Berg, who studied fashion at Oslo University College in Norway. With this collection, entitled Decay In Beauty, she sought “to develop a clothing concept that takes the planet’s well-being and the durability of clothing into consideration. It is inspired by an older overgrown wooden house and the beauty of its decay as nature recalims it.”
Thomas Lovegrove
Wednesday September 15th – London Fashion Week is just around the corner. The marquee’s already up in the courtyard at Somerset House and over the next couple of days, the West End will fill up with celebrities, superstar designers, paparazzi and official LFW cars, sponsored by Mercedes Benz.
Meanwhile, in the East End, a group of young creatives put on their own show in an empty, industrialesque building down a side-alley off Hackney Road – exactly the sort of thing HNT was set up to cover.
The 2.0-10 Collective consists of film-maker and DJ Jason Bradbury; scriptwriter Charli Whatley, who also collaborates with musician David Woolford; photographer Jo Zurowska Leigh; artist Selina Kerley; illustrator Aimee Emerson and fashion designers Thomas Lovegrove, Lisbeth Løvbak Berg and Anna Skodbo.
We first encountered Ravensbourne graduate Thomas Lovegrove at Alternative Fashion Week back in April. His new THOM WILL LOVE collection is a further development of the sporting apparel theme, with a more sophisticated look but still retaining the bright palette from his AFW show. Thom’s not content with staging a conventional catwalk show. At AFW, his models got aggressive as they passed one another on the catwalk. This time he got creative with some t-shirts and a can of spraypaint. Where else have you seen a designer create a garment during a catwalk show?
GFW: Jemma Page
Sunday June 6th – University of Northumbria graduate (and Pringle of Scotland Design Competition winner) Jemma Page’s knitwear collection at Graduate Fashion Week 2010.
GFW: Johanna Greenish
Sunday June 6th – University of East London graduate Johanna Greenish‘s collection at Graduate Fashion Week 2010 was entitled “Unfold”.
Taking inspiration from the art world, my collection explores the effect of folding and unfolding fabric by creating shapes that combine harsh geometric lines with linear curves. Layers of fabric are used to create garments that change into something new with movement. The imperfection of the hand painted fabric with its lack of complete mastery over the final effect allows for something to happen that is unique and individual.
Contact: jojo744 [at] live.co.uk / 0757 838 5156
GFW: Bunmi Olaye
Sunday June 6th – University of East London graduate Bunmi Olaye‘s collection at Graduate Fashion Week 2010 was entitled “Matriarchy”.
Inspiration: ‘Matriachy’ sets the scene for an Autumn/Winter 2010 collection celebrating female empowerment and domination with a feeling of escapism and culture fusions between Nigeria and Great Britain. A fascination with the leopard masquerade (Ekpe) from the South East of Nigeria, Calabar. A cultural and historical phenomenon that was once the former government in pre-colonial Nigeria. The Ekpe cult was once rumoured to have been a women’s only cult initially but which is run by men today. A cultural icon for empowering women in Calabar, Nigeria, was Scottish missionary Mary Slessor. A matriarchal figure in a revolutionary period of Queen Victoria. Think power, royalty, status and ultimate femininity. This philosophy brings about a collection that is luxurious and feminine, with a wild and untameable spirit influenced by the masquerade.
Style: The feeling of a warrior-like woman in power. The look plays with new proportions and the pairing of very different fabrics, precious materials such as cotton raffia, bells and beads, silks, sheep fur and woven wools with unexpected details. Rich colours and vibrant prints with a hairy look; red, black, white and burnt ochre with a monochrome effect in parts and unusual pom-poms. Power dressing takes a new form with a Victorian silhouette. A contemporary twist, strong shoulders and sleeves, enhanced waist and an exaggerated silhouette.
Contact: bunmi.olaye [at] bunmikoko.com / Natalie Whorms or Gemma Waters at the Outside Organisation – 0207 436 3633
GFW: Holly Keepfer
Sunday June 6th – University of East London graduate Holly Keepfer‘s collection at Graduate Fashion Week 2010 was entitled “Sensory Symmetrics”.
“Sensory Symmetrics” focuses on the connection of spirituality with science to create an artistic interpretation of the human body. Through using microscopic images this gave an insight in to the detail and textures in the body. Combining graphics of cat scans and spiritual elliptical photos the human hormone, respiratory system, complex vein and artery networks I have developed an idea of using a characterized arrangement of colored thread strung between points to form abstract geometric patterns or representational designs such as the bodies anatomy.
Contact: hollykeepfer [at] hotmail.com / 07968 987967
GFW: Lisette Mallardi-Van Esch
Sunday June 6th – University of East London graduate Lisette Mallardi-Van Esch‘s collection at Graduate Fashion Week 2010 was entitled “Una Sette”.
Constructed garments with amour inspiration.
I wanted to create a collection with a maximum of 2 stories. (The metal rings woven onto fabric, and 3-D laser cut shapes).
The garments have to be structured, fitted, strong but still female. I would like to create a mix of wearable clothing with an haute couture edge.
The colours are mainly dark (black, midnight blue) and a mustard and vintage light brown to brighten it up.
When the collection comes together I want the viewer to see the diversity of the same inspiration. That different pieces/colours can go together.
Contact: lisettevanesch [at] gmail.com
GFW: Charlotte Macke
Sunday June 6th – University of East London graduate Charlotte Macke‘s collection at Graduate Fashion Week 2010 was entitled “Armour of Me”.
Exploring the plate armoury lethally sharp aesthetics, Armour of me creates a visual dialogue about the possible limits of the body powerful new silhouette. Armoury panels are injected into strong tailoring pieces in order to construct bionic shapes, dynamically reflecting modern woman as powerful urban warriors. Moulding felt and Macramé work is carefully considered to work around the geometry of the female body in order to reshape, resize and rescale into heroic proportions. A strict use of clean, sharp lines controls and exposes the body with precision whilst curved lines, injects hints of provocation. Small chainmail pieces are used as jewellery, working with the garment focusing on protection and creating a strong, striking female silhouette.
Contact: charlottemacke [at] hotmail.fr / 07989 154578
