Thirty-six postgraduate students from the Royal College of Art’s prestigious School of Fashion present their final collections to press and trade on Thursday 2 June.
The Show opened with two industry projects that includes a new competition with high-street store Esprit. This was followed by the fourth collaboration with bespoke Italian label Brioni, who set first year Menswear students the task of designing a contemporary men’s tailored coat. Sportswear label Umbro will be exhibiting the results of their sponsored student project in the static exhibition. The Fashion Department is also pleased to feature an exhibition of designs by established and emerging RCA Fashion graduates who are making an impact on the international fashion scene, curated by renowned fashion writer Iain R Webb.
The graduate presentations that follow showcase the final collections by students specialising in Menswear, Womenswear and Millinery. The static display at the entrance to the Show features work by students from Footwear and Accessories.
The RCA Menswear course continues to gain critical acclaim, with recent graduates putting British men’s fashion and style firmly on the map. Success stories such as James Long, Katie Eary, Carolyn Massey, Christopher Raeburn and Lou Dalton have all established their own labels in London. This year’s Menswear graduates continue to push the boundaries, mixing up traditional fabrics with modern cutting techniques; painting trompe l’oeil onto garments; experimenting with fabrications and collaborating with textile experts. Inspiration comes from 1940s crime movies, abstract sculpture, medieval knights, sailor’s equipment and 1920s cross-dressers.
The Womenswear collections are sophisticated, stylish and colourful. Knitwear ranges from bold, colourful patterns to elegant, fine-jersey dresses. Experimenting with industrial or discarded materials is clearly evident from the use of black rubber to fur remnants. Several students are considering the scale of garments on the human form, from over-sized silhouettes to the use of space between the body and dress. Inspiration comes from kaleidescopes, organic sculptures, the art of Albert Irvin and Egon Schiele.
Founded by former Vogue editor Madge Garland in 1948 and now led by Professor Wendy Dagworthy OBE, the Fashion School is renowned for its links with the clothing and textiles industry. An emphasis on individual creativity and originality married with impeccable technical know-how means that RCA graduates are entering the profession with exactly the right skills needed to thrive in these challenging times. An astounding 95% of RCA Fashion MA graduates gain employment in the industry, and at the appropriate level.
RCA Fashion graduates who have shaped the face of fashion include Ossie Clark, Philip Treacy, Antony Price, Julien Macdonald, Christopher Bailey, Clare Waight Keller and Erdem. More recent graduates who are emerging as names to watch within the industry are Holly Fulton, Heikki Salonen, David Longshaw, Aitor Throup, shoe designer Camilla Skovgaard, and milliner Justin Smith.
RCA Textiles MA students whose work specialises in textiles for fashion will be exhibiting at the RCA graduate exhibition, Show Kensington, which opens at the College from 24 June to 3 July (closed 1 July).
The Royal College of Art is the world’s most influential postgraduate university of art and design, specialising in teaching and research and offering the degrees of MA, MPhil and PhD across the disciplines of fine art, applied art, design, communications and humanities. There are over 900 masters and doctoral students and more than a hundred professionals interacting with them – including scholars, leading art and design practitioners, along with specialists, advisors and distinguished visitors.
