Ones to Watch: Alice Lee

Photography by Magdalene Golbieweska

‘Ones To Watch’: the words on everyone’s lips all day; who or what will be the next big thing. The front row and beyond filling up, for the already three time NewGen winners Alice Lee. The husband and wife duo have been off-radar raising a family. Ready to wow us all over again with their couture like pieces, SS12 is their first catwalk show…

The scrawled handwriting of Alice Lee projected onto the back wall, as the lights dimmed. Following the avant-garde edge of Phoebe English, Alice Lee already felt softer, more traditional.

To a heavy machine-like beat the first model walked out, her head encased in black knitted millinery:  two swirling discs reminiscent of woven baskets on either side of the face. The dull black of the headpiece and outfit was highlighted with glossy leather oversized stitches running through the knit, as if binding the delicate holes together and structuring the silhouette.

This stitching motif ran throughout the strong, focused collection; the continuous lines seeming to mimic the fluid production of knitting. Although there was little physical movement, the linear embellishments seemed to electrify the pieces, shimmering rhythmically under the light.

The idea of fluidity and freedom in knitting was related by Lee of Alice Lee backstage post-show: “Sometimes we just sit back and let it [the knitting] go. We follow it rather than it follows us.”

Famed for their couture-like details, Alice Lee’s complex handwork and use of traditional techniques creates highly textured, intricate pieces which cannot be appreciated in the blur of a fashion show.

Though perhaps free in design, the collection had a structured, rigid feel to it. Shapes were clear, specific and familiar: a straight leg here, an A-line there. It very much felt like a defined collection though Alice assures me there is no one inspiration: “It sort of grows as we’re designing, like knitting.”

The super-mini dresses were the showstoppers for me – a sky blue piece comes to mind with a plunging V-neck and wide sporty racer-back. Though sexy in cut and hemlines, revealing erogenous shoulder blades and collarbones, these dresses retain a sophistication. They are for the chic and refined, the knitted panels gliding over toned limbs – no body-con found here.

The cosy connotations of knitwear were juxtaposed with glamourous sequin embellishment, while a long-sleeved dress saw small silver spikes run along the shoulders and down each arm like armour. 

Though often staying true to the female silhouette, one dress featured exaggerated shoulders which swirled out from the seams like the head piece of before.The intricate knitwear translated into some very wearable pieces: a blood red twinset for a powerful executive, with fitted sweaters and flared knee-length dresses for everyday. The sportswear aesthetic lay subtly throughout, lending a clean uniform like feel. I asked Alice Lee after the show what they hoped would happen now. They giddily replied, almost in unison: “We hope that everyone loved it, and that we get some good orders!” 

I don’t doubt it; I can’t have been the only one to walk away lusting after knitwear…

Text: Natasha Slee

Ones to Watch: Shao Yen

Photography by Magdalena Golembiewska

Showing third on the Ones To Watch bill, Shao Yen presented an accomplished and assured collection; proving tht the designer has continued to hone his creative vision since his (all-white) CSM graduate collection last year. For Spring Summer 2012, Yen blended daring flashes of skin with fluid silks and gossamer fine cobweb knits, that seemed to float off the human form, trailing across the floor with every step. Post show, a tired but up-beat designer revealed his inspiration. “It started with an amazing black and white photograph of prostitutes and I incorporated this into my love for 80’s and 90’s streetwear.”

Silk dresses and cropped tops were sculpted and manipulated into unexpected shapes by leather belts and buckles, the heavy-duty work wear aspects in direct contrast to the flowing textures, the S&M vibe reiterated with twisted and knotted fabrics, and statement soft-leather chaps. These are Gothic Grecian sensibilities fit for the modern age. Cheeky peek-a-boo reveals, thigh high splits and sheer knits evoked a subtle tension that was juxtaposed against liquid luxe fabrics. Yen denied his conceal and reveal technique was a shock tactic. “I was interested in looking at ways the body could be exposed”, he explained. “I wanted to explore unexpected regions, and look at how exposure can cause different meanings.”

More conceptual pieces included plastic 3-D wire dresses, the looped design also applied to clutches and, in the first exit, a structured headpiece, in a nod to sci-fi chic. But, unsurprisingly, it was the knits that made the boldest statement. Pushing the boundaries of what is conventionally perceived to be 'knit', Yen spun fine gold threads into complex dresses, frayed tendrils and devore effects added surface interest. It's refreshing to see a young and emerging designer balance commerce with creativity, and Yen seems to have got the balance just right. We approve!

Text: Victoria Loomes  

Jacob Kimmie Spring Summer 2012

Photography by Lucas Seidenfaden

Illustration by Yiunam Leung

Bach rang through the speakers as the scene was set. Jacob Kimmie’s minimalist Baroque collection was set to paint the clean white runway with a modernist take on the exuberant grandeur of this classic style. The classical music overture set the pace for the restrained and buttoned up SS12 line. There was a demure elegance in the air as the show began with a tailored black dress. With strips of fine mesh down the sides and arms, exposing brief glimpses of flesh that tantalised the crowd. As the show went on more flesh was available to be consumed, but everything was with a sophisticated buttoned up finish. Sheer materials offered playful teasing, disguised by lady like cuts.

Sheer cream ruffles bubbled up around the neck to create high collars and sheer blouses tucked neatly into fitted pencil skirts.  It was grown up, sensible, yet flirted wildly with the camera. Black shift dresses with fragile net capes hinted at the habits worn my nuns and delicate white dresses were virginal. At times there was definite religious connotations that later made them selves apparent with the solid jeweled crucifix that hung around one models neck. Interaction between a new innocence and restrained sex appeal was at work

The collection was heavily monochrome with attention paid to graphic prints. Long silky black dresses swept the floor, printed with doves. Talking to Jacob Kimmie after the show he revealed that the birds were chosen to symbolise light and purity.  With purity in mind, it is hard not to mention the fine web like white gown with floor length veil that lay over the models dark eyes. As well as bridal it held references of the Catholic conformation. As she walked down the catwalk she carried with her a birdcage, a symbol of confined femininity. In fact the only break from the monochrome palette came when a rose pink printed dress floated in, dragging its small train behind.

The music cut to a church organ they seamlessly flowed into Rhianna’s ‘Run This Town’ while the models made their exit. Running backstage I caught Jacob who was happy to talk me through this breathtaking offering. “ Rococo and Baroque, but not as we know it.” He worked to reform these extravagant styles with a modern, minimal edge. “That sounds like a contradiction doesn’t it?” he joked. He wanted to pare down the style while keeping the elegance. Of course there was a little divine inspiration in there too. “Next season I’m thinking ‘Turner’, but that’s all I’m giving you” he said as we finished up. Well Jacob, looking at SS12, we will be staying tuned to see what comes next. 

Text: Samantha Farr

Masha Ma Spring Summer 2012

Illustration by Kellyanna

Photography by Lucas Seidenfaden

To chimes and flashing lights the first Masha Ma model appears! This collection was to be assertive and confident, embodied by the woman striding past me.The first look was assurance of Ma’s continuing exploration into the female form: a cute sporty dress, straight off the tennis court, consisted of an off white bib front and knife-pleated skirt.

A gold zip ran defiant down the dress front, alluring to the fetish details which ground these feminine pieces: every model wore a bondage style head piece, in innocent white, around their slicked hair.At first glance, this collection felt ultra feminine: flowing chiffon panels and hand-sewn 3D lace details. Yet it was not subversive. Ma’s desire to juxtapose radical London fashions with the assertive femininity of the French created an undeniably strong muse. A woman whose strength is owed to her stoic commitment to solely feminine fashions – there were no trousers or suits in this collection.The outfits were frequently built in layers: a bib front over a flippy skirt, over a long sheer underskirt. Leather look pocket panels, and sporty ribbed trims accented the delicate pieces, while Versailles inspired prints added pops of gold to the strict colour palette of deep midnight blues, teals, and cream.

Inspired by the reconstruction of the Château de Versailles, Ma printed images of the château’s decadent interiors directly onto the fabric surface. A print of grey stripes on a floor length dress on closer inspection turned out to be an image of a Versailles doorframe. A crescendo in the collection grew as the delicate drapery was built upon in layers of satin and georgette. Folding out from the hips, the textural ruffles were a strong feminine reference.

Then hints of deconstruction began to appear, like cracks on the surface: a crinkled chiffon blouse was torn apart by a pattern of holes – a direct reference to the daring reconstruction of Versailles.Neatly frayed hems and sleeves peppered a series of mesmerizing gowns – halter-neck fronts flowing into a skirt of varying panel lengths. These backless dresses gaped, sometimes edged with a sporty rib, sometimes replaced with mesh.

A beautiful trench coat dress remains clear in my mind. Constructed in panels of silk, georgette, and lambskin, the open collar folded away gently while a judo-like belt pulled the piece together. A perfect merging of French aesthetics and a British institution.Backstage a sign instructed the models to ‘walk in the centre, with confidence’. Because with confidence in ones femininity is the only way to wear Masha Ma.

Text: Natasha Slee

Backstage at Masha Ma Spring Summer 2012

Photography by Lucas Seidenfaden

The atmosphere was busy behind the scenes at Masha Ma SS12. Perhaps because of the numerous elements that needed attention in the collection. There where so many parts, and pieces, underskirts, and layers. The shoes needed to be haphazardly taped to feet and white S&M style strappy headpieces needed sorting if they decided to misbehave and twist on the model’s heads.

But surprisingly, the hair was the component that won most of the attention. The perfect high ponytail style was designed around the headpieces. ‘When we did the hair test, the head pieces where brought along and that was the focus of the style and how we could make that work,’ explains hair stylist, Cos Sakkas, ‘it had to be simple, but still very strong to complement them.’

The ponytail was positioned a little bit lower, achieving a cool S&M look, rather than on the top of the head, which, as Sakkas describes, ‘can sometimes looks a little bit dominatrix.’

The classic style was kept - high shine on the top, using hairspray from the Toni&Guy Label M professional hair care range and then smoothed super straight and flat through to the ends.

A lot of work was put in by the stylists to ensure the sleek styles stayed just right. Models had to be herded away from the powerful fans, so as not to displace a single strand of hair from the rigid tails. Hands were stroking through a fizz control serum attentively to give a slick gloss. This continued right until just seconds before the model’s stepped onto the runway.

The tails were pushed away from the neck using long black banding to anchor the style. This allowed the hair to swing violently with each model's step, which set off the floating pleats and layers of the collection well.

The make up was very natural, light powder was padded onto the lips towards the end, to blend the lips into the skin and a final mist was sprayed over the face.

Text: Rosanna Cole

Kate Wallis - Graduate Showcase

Photography by Lucas Seidenfaden

Interviewed by Grazia, along with Henry Holland and Liberty London Girl, Kate Wallis is one new designer that is gaining quite a reputation. “It was crazy, I was so nervous, the interview was streamed online and it was so strange to have my Uni friends watch it.” When talking about it she was so animated it was contagious. She beamed with excitement about her experiences and the day so far. She was full of life and vitality, which mirrored her collection, pieces that even she deemed as ‘fun’.

“I wanted to have fun with fashion, I wanted party pieces that people would get excited about wearing.” Instead of making her collection about an art object or abstract idea, Kate based her collection on strong women such as Anna Dello Russo. Admiring her sense of adventure and ability to freely enjoy the creativity that fashion offers. It was this attitude towards clothing that she took forward when putting pen to paper and illustrating her ideas.

Dripping in giant hand stitched layers of sequins, that caught all the light in the busy exhibition hall, these dresses glimmered. Above the polka dot layers lined rows of feathers in deep violets and rich (almost metallic) emerald greens. The layers built up until the shoulders were topped in thick fur-like fabric in black or cream. Dress shapes were all with short skirts and strong boxy shoulders. To enhance this strength one piece even had metal cubes embedded into the full shoulders, while some had simple solid collars sunken into the neckline. Yet, Kate was not content for these strong party pieces to be ordinary, she wanted them to ooze luxury. So, all metal work is plated in 24ct gold and the delicate printed material that forms the ripples of one skirt had her fly to a couture fabric house in Switzerland. A fabric house linked to many of the well know luxury fashion houses. Each piece has a quality couture like finish.

If you feel like you have seen these dresses before, chances are you have. Kate is building a celebrity following that has seen the likes of Diana Vickers running around town in one of these spectacular party pieces with a difference.

Text: Samantha Farr

Fashion Illustrations from Ones To Watch Spring Summer 2012

Illustration by Andy Bumpus 

Nicola Morgan - Graduate Showcase

Photography by Lucas Seidenfaden

“I wanted technology to revaluate how we construct clothes,” Nicola Morgan tells me while peering out from under her blunt fringe. The fresh faced designer stands alongside three examples from her collection, two black, one red, but all three, full-length evening gowns. This RCA graduate explores the possible interactions and overlaps between technology and fashion while looking to construction for detail. In the graduate showcase three such examples of Nicola’s combining of these juxtaposing forces can be witnessed. Fabric drapes into elegant folds and twists into sweeping drapes. The molded metalwork creates an industrial and almost skeletal framework for the fabric to hang from. In some places smooth and others track like, these metal additions wrap around the neck and back of the garment, manipulating the structure and shape of the pieces.

Glancing over the jersey fabric and framework as we walked around the pieces she began to explain her methodology and inspiration. “ I wanted them to have a jewellery like quality,” and these metal structures with enamel finish certainly do. In fact, they have an almost seductive quality, as the structures in one piece break free from the fabric and wind around the neck like a choker.  Entwined in her technical jewellery. She explains that each solid structure is carefully held in place by tiny pins that give a smooth and invisible finish. To create them Nicola formed every piece digitally, creating the whole collection though virtual media.  “It was so exciting when I finally got to touch them,” working digitally only enhanced the tactile encounter for her when it came. The real art of these pieces lies in the tension created between the soft fabric and rigid constructions.

Text: Samantha Farr

Ones to Watch: Malene Oddershede Bach

Photography by Magdalene Golembiewska

The selection of VFS ‘Ones to Watch’ was brought to a show stopping finish with Danish designer Malene Oddershede Bach’s colour popping collection. The set of designers were always set to cause a stir, and after clawing my way to a seat I sat back to watch the atmosphere thicken. When let in, people literally ran for seats, filling the room so much that they had to extend the front row for the mass of VIP’s and fashion heavyweights. As onlookers took test shots from their cameras, you could hear excited murmurs spread behind you as people guessed or bragged about which ‘names to know’ they had seen. “Who’s here…” swept behind me from ear to ear like Chinese whispers.

The moment they had waited for was here and Malene Oddershede Bach was certainly no disappointment. Coinciding with the launch of her own label, Malene’s collection came to the runway and demonstrated what this talented designer was capable of. The label aims to be defined by a focus on texture, form, layering, unusual cuts, bright colours and leather pieces and this collection brought to life everything the designer had promised. From the moment the music played out its up-tempo beats, the runway was awash with sharp bold colour. Only when looking past the vivid palette of shocking pink, cyan blue, and acid yellow could you appreciate the fabrics that glistened with intense graphic prints, that at times appeared like snake skin. While featuring familiar shapes like tailored suits and preppy collared shirts, dresses were folded and manipulated to make way for the designer's inspiration of fulfillment and the sensation of love, accounting for missing sleeves at times and the taking away from pieces. “I like something to be not necessarily what you thought it was." Malene told me backstage. Each colour represented something such as the yellow being symbolic of the scales of the butterfly. Floaty asymmetric dresses, bubble hems, knit dresses and head to toe colour suits were elements she used to interact with the psychedelic. 

Text: Samantha Farr

Ones To Watch: Phoebe English

Photography by Magdalene Golembiewska

Bravely breaking the ice at the VFS Ones To Watch show was ice blonde Central Saint Martins MA graduate Phoebe English. It had been a long wait for the overwhelmingly overcrowded 5:30PM showing and it kicked off with a multitude of monochrome mini dresses with raw fringe details that almost scraped the runway. English, well known for her use of hair in her previous collection went back to her roots; honing her signature style which she says is 'defined, complex and detailed'.

Scooped backs, minimalist cuts, short skirts and capped sleeves. From afar the collection looked clean cut with sporadic floor length fringing, however it was all in the details. Not a stark contrast from the black rubber faux-hair godess-esque dresses from her previous collection; for Spring/Summer'12 English reverted to an organic, clumpy atmosphere that resonated through the carefully constructed, tightly pleated calico canvas separates. Predominantly dominated by black; the lack of colour simply enhanced the exquisite hand detailing and man hours spent on perfecting each individual garment. Her background in knit was evident to see through the sheer precision of the intricate details, and despite the fact that she stuck to genuine fabrics this time rather than the thickets of hair; the level of innovation left all the forward thinking fashion mavericks in the room drooling.

However as soon as it began, it was over. The collection went by so fast it was hard to keep up. The raw edge fringing struggled to keep up with the power houses that were the half ponytailed, half extended fringed models that stormed the catwalk like sirens in the night. A wide eyed smile from Phoebe and a nod of recognition and the music dipped.

I caught up with English shortly after the show backstage chatting to stylist Rebekah Roy. Post storm thoughts and feelings were a mixture of relief and fatigue but ultimately happiness. “We have been working on the collection for about 7 weeks so yeah quite a short amount of time but i've had a really fantastic team helping me and we work really well together so it got a good pace to it. The inspiration I had, well I just wanted something a bit heavier, a bit bulkier than the stuff from the last collection so I was just trying to move it forward in a new direction.” As to what she is doing this evening? “I'm going to have some champagne”...We think this sounds like a good idea!


Text: Madeleine Ayers

Backstage at Leutton Postle Spring Summer 2012

Photography by Lucas Seidenfaden

Behind the scenes, you could not take your eyes of the model’s lips. As if they had bitten into some rainbow flavored ice-cream and forgotten to wipe their pout. The bright colored mess around the mouth mixed and faded into one another, and looked crumbly, like the lip had been embellished with a harsher texture. Suitably, the hair was simple to match the powerful makeup, with a strong, high shine parting with softer wavy locks towards the end.
Fashion Scout spoke to makeup artist, Lan Nguyen about the fantastic mouth.
What inspired this interesting makeup look?
The designers actually, they were quite adamant that they wanted a really fun, almost something that was ….by the models themselves. It had that element of fun, DIY, quite simplistic but still making a statement. So we decided to go with beautiful skin, and then just keeping with that strong quite garish mouth, which in essence makes you question what is happening. And that’s what they wanted to send out in a message, you need to do a double take.
How did you achieve the look?
We decided to keep the eyebrows quite blended off, not alien like, but just muted, it was just all beautiful foundation, dewy and a little bit of white eyeliner inside just to dust of the lashes, so quite alieny. Quite ethereal.
The colours we chose around the mouth were to go with each outfit, so the designers themselves after we’d done all the smudging and everything, went around and just put an accent of what they felt was part of the outfit, which was quite a nice touch.
What products did you use?
All the beauty skin and eyes, eyebrows is all Body Shop. Using their latest mineral foundations and concealers and the white shadows and highlighters. And then we just used greasepaint on top. And also the designers had loads of leftover yarns and materials which we decided to cut off and stick in the middle as a highlight, as a bit of a collage on the lip. In make up terms it was to give that cute little highlight in the lip, and we wanted to add that extra art.
I also caught up with hair stylist, Indire Schavwrecker.
What inspired the hair look for Leutton Postle s/s12?
I really got inspired by natural look that represents what they have all in the clothes. So if you see there the clothes they have like a combination of different recycled fabrics, from dry to very shiny, from creating a pattern. So I wanted to keep it simple but mirror what happens in the clothes.
What products where used to create the look?
I used mousse to kind of give the grittiness in the texture but also the very wet look in the top, and then we used sea salt and then we twisted and wrapped the hair into two chignons, and then literally dry the seasalt in and then take it out and it will just give that really beachy feel.  And then just use some hairspray to get the even shine here.

Text: Rosanna Cole

Leutton Postle Spring Summer 2012

Photography by Lucas Seidenfaden

Merit Award winner Leutton Postle attracted the attention than none other than Louise Wilson, director of MA Fashion at Central Saint Martins.

The Vauxhall Fashion Scout's Merit Award is a world renowned showcase for London’s most innovative new designers.  This year the venue filled with onlookers eager to lay eyes on winning duo Leutton Postle’s catwalk debut. The front row attracted the attention of none other than Louise Wilson, director of MA Fashion at Central Saint Martins. The room was alive with excitement. It was 7pm, every seat in the house was filled, photographers found every inch of space to place their tripods, and then the moment came. This long awaited show had begun.

Models steadily emerged from behind the scenes, their long hair down, slicked back and nude make up other than the multicolored patchwork of lipstick covering their mouths. As each one paced before us, we were able to fully absorb the reason they were such deserved winners. The knitwear collection was a multicolored offering of sensational blanket like pieces. There was a gentle heritage feel from the patchwork garments that interacted with the traditional qualities of knit. A pastel color palette was interjected with the occasional scrap of green or orange. Whether head to toe or just a patch here and there, jumbo fringing was one consistent theme that manifested itself in various distinctive ways. With a selection of knit techniques on offer whey were able to create a distressed and rustic quality. Garments hug loosely from the shoulders, with breaks in the knit to glimpse hints of the flesh beneath, contrasting thick pieces to he fragility of skin. Tunics, one legged trousers, and full jumpers all features but the final dress was a perfect example of the design pairs skill and talent. Full length and unrestricting multicoloured fringing hung from a muticoloured grid that embalmed a thin mesh like knit. As the model made her final walk, this dress showed fluidity of movement and a softness amidst this strong collection. Youthful, exuberant, and playful, this bright collection earned its crowd.

When the show was over it was clear to see the emotion in the designers as they quickly snuck out front to see loved ones and friends. Despite tears of relief and overwhelming emotion the pair did give me a few words. “We feel great, good, very emotional,” Jenny said. After discussing their influences of crazy paving and IKEA cookbooks, taking a lot of visual imagery and translating it into fabrics, Sam gave us a little hint to what’s next for them, “we are going to sleep, sleep, oh, and party.”

Text: Samantha Farr

Sweet Treats from the Hummingbird Bakery

 Photography by Lucas Seidenfaden

The Hummingbird Bakery specialise in lush cupcakes with the sweet and fluffy taste that denotes American wholesomeness. Inspired by good American baking, the kind that is generous in frosting (two thirds sponge to one third frosting) and uses the very best quality, hard to find ingredients unsparingly. Real, full fat butter, whole milk and overwhelming frosting produce cakes that are indulgent and fulfilling.

A real treat and a real pleasure, Hummingbird cupcakes are also beautiful to look at. With a home made feel (each cupcake is made fresh on site) and decorated with a sense of fun and lovingness. Pastel coloured frosting and a cupcake called ‘Red Velvet’, with a red sponge adds to the luxurious feel of these cakes. One will pause (only briefly) to admire these delights before revelling in their big-hearted plentifulness.

Here, at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout we are enjoying Hummingbird’s treats in the Media Lounge. Miniature cupcakes offer a little treat and serve to inspire or big, hearty cakes offer a moment of undivided indulgence.

With the rising popularity of cute, frosted cupcakes Hummingbird’s creations are very fashionable making the collaboration with Vauxhall a great match.

 

Text: Amy Lockwood

Kingston Univeristy MA

Photography by Lucas Seidenfaden

Transformed from this morning’s Graduate Showcase, the vestibule played home this afternoon to the Kingston University Fashion MA exhibition.
Skeletal black frames from which work was simply hung broke up the grand space. Sometimes the most beautiful work benefits from only the most sparse display – the case here. The exhibition was overwhelming to walk into, positively of course: innovation hung everywhere in various guises, demanding ones attention.

There was the digital catwalk show to contend with too – its premiere screening inciting a buzz around designers, their guests and VIPs alike. This video installation brought life to the delicate pieces hung in the exhibition space behind. Models with smeared black eye make up, and dirty blushed cheeks loomed, walking from screen to screen.

Stefanie Nieuwenhuyse’s sustainable creations, which seemed delicately sculptural on display, transformed into garments on screen. Her work had caught my attention in the exhibition: laser cut recycled plywood layered like scales onto a corset base. To see it on a model, in movement, was exquisite. Stefanie was the winner of a design challenge set by bio-waste firm InCrops to show the possibilities of sustainable materials in fashion. She sourced all materials for her pieces from the college workshop floor, and her work explores ‘biomimicry’ technology, emulating the look and feel of reptile skin.

The catwalk video showcased an ethereal sheer maxi dress by Stefanie, with a scale-y wood panel embellishment. The panel seemed to be in the shape of a lizard, as if it had been skinned, its limbs stretching out over the model’s body. Meanwhile, an open-ended necklace draped around the neck like a snake.
 

Another stand-out display was that of Ninela Ivanova. It held an arresting position in the centre of the room, but perhaps what captured visitors to Ninela’s work was her use of…mould. Ninela was taken by this most unusual, and not entirely pleasant, of inspirations after watching a Russian documentary. Growing her own mould specimens, she translated the forming patterns onto chiffon and silk. A long sleeveless jacket, lab coat-like, seemed to have mould growing within its fibres; greens browns and oranges bleeding randomly on its surface. A silicon dress had sealed within it a vein like pattern, while inside the PVC shoulder pads of a jacket grew live mould.

Although I was drawn particularly to the work of Stefanie and Ninela, there is no denying that the Kingston MA has produced very talented innovative graduates. I look forward to seeing their work at future Vauxhall Fashion Scout seasons.

Text: Natasha Slee