Graduate Fashion Week Report
By Andrea Coyne (Fashion Design lecturer)
& Adriana van Rooyen (Pattern Making lecturer)

The River Island Graduate Fashion Week was held in London in June 2006, serving as a platform for 21 colleges and universities throughout the UK to each showcase their top twenty fashion degree students. By grouping together, lesser known schools have more impact and greater media coverage and industry attendance. An accompanying exhibition housed stands for the schools, as well as trend magazines, forecast services and recruitment agencies.

Schools showed Autumn/Winter 06/07, primarily featuring womenswear, but menswear dominated in the end with all three award winners focusing on men. UK Schools also offer pathways in knitwear and textiles and this was reflected. Our lasting impression was one of sophistication and quality, superior tailoring and creative patternmaking skills. There was amazing attention to detail, with every item and outfit carefully considered. Ranges were definitely trend-driven, but with an in-depth research and development process in place, the results were individual and mature. The inclusion of print and the incorporation of knitwear added depth to many of the ranges.

Fresh, raw, un-nurtured talents were not, however, openly apparent and this is perhaps where our niche lies in South Africa.

Graduate Fashion Week Photos:
[Photo's taken by Adriana van Rooyen]

Heritage influences were a key trend.