Top industry names from Harrods, COS and All Saints lined the catwalk of Regent’s University London’s final year fashion show on Thursday 29 May.
The culmination of two days of graduate showcases of On the Lawn - held fittingly on the University’s lawn - the event welcomed leading industry names, including renowned fashion journalist, Hilary Alexander OBE, and head of womenswear at COS, Nicole Bischofer, who judged the evening’s two catwalk awards; Creative Collection Award and Industry Design Award.
‘This year’s fashion design students have explored notions of beauty, gender, identity and culture within the development and realisation of their collections. Inspiration for each is as unique to the individual student as it is diverse in terms of their concept,’ said Course Leader, Steven Dell.
‘A broad range of topics and research themes have been explored, from youth-sub culture of the 1960s deconstructed, graphic carnivalesque art of Ricardo Chavez-Mende juxtaposed with historical depictions of court jesters, surrealism and hidden identity, abstraction of past references in drape practice, through to the reinvention of workwear influenced by photographic images from the Great Depression.’
BA Fashion Design student, Ka Wai Lam (Basil) took home the Industry Design Award for his outstanding menswear collection, titled Melancholy for Lost Youth.
Lam, originally from Hong Kong, said his collection takes inspiration from the dress code of mods and youth sub culture in 1960s Britain. Its focus is placed upon ‘a sombre, colourful story of mournful tones of blue, and subverted through oversized silhouettes and exaggerated detailing’.
The Creative Collection Award went to Shy Yunn Ong, whose collection Klang Klang, was felted and distressed, with accents of cobalt, green and golden ochre.
Yunn Ong, from Malyasia, said her collection was aiming to evoke the feeling of nostalgia, with its organic look – tactile with rough and pronounced texture.
Commenting on both the successful year and fashion show, Steven Dell concluded: ‘As our final year design students reach the final stages of their journey here at Regent’s, a new adventure in their professional life is about to begin.
‘On behalf of the fashion design school and I, we wish you every success and good fortune with your international career ambitions and future successes.
'Congratulations, class of 2019!'
Also on show were Fashion Marketing’s final major projects, which look at solutions to existing problems and subsequent recommendations for industry.
‘This year, our students have explored the fashion media landscape as being a force for positivity, honesty and authenticity. They have speculated on the role augmented reality might play in merchandising. Investigations into promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility have resulted in concepts at many different areas of industry, from fabrics, to logistics, to retail,’ commented Course Leader, Dennis Maloney.
‘Our 2019 graduate exhibition featured snapshots of these concepts, realised through magazines, apps, films, web platforms and experiences. Promotional strategies are illustrated through advertorial imagery, launch events, social media initiatives, point of sale and much more.’
The works presented included GAIA, a luxury multi brand website stocking designers who use only sustainable alternative fabrics, Venus, an app that recreates any make up look with vegan products, and a magazine called Collective which aims to educate consumers about the damaging impacts of fashion on the environment through forming creative communities globally.
BA Fashion Marketing student, Athena Demos, reflected on her time at Regent’s: ‘Throughout my degree, I have acquired more skills than I ever could’ve imagined. I have gained CAD skills, creative marketing knowledge, journalism knowledge, academic writing skills, branding knowledge, and I have found a new love for events.
'It is safe to say, this degree has provided me with the confidence to enter the marketing industry.’