A selection of graduate textile designers was showcased by Lidewij Edlekoort in Milan at Ventura Lambrate last week as part of her Talking Textiles exhibition.

There are some familiar names that ARTS THREAD is happy to see again, with a strong body of work from graduates of the Royal College of Art, the Textiles Futures MA course at Central Saint Martins and from the Design Academy Eindhoven.

We start however with knitwear from Laduma Ngxokolo, a graduate of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth and his collection The Colourful World of the Xhosa Tribe. Inspired by the Xhosa initiation ceremonies on the Eastern Cape which includes the duty of parents to buy boys a complete new set of clothing, Laduma used classic Xhosa beading patterns to create knitwear that could be worn by Xhosa men on these traditional occasions, using a blend of Merino wool and kid mohair.

Central Saint Martin’s MA Fashion 2011 graduate Bethan Silverwood oversized silhouettes use geometric inserts of burnt orange on black, with the orange sections made up from strands of yarn.

Also from Central Saint Martins, Lærke Hooge Andersen graduated in 2010 from the Textiles Future MA course with a project entitled The Synthetic Kingdom. The project is ‘a futuristic narrative about the emerging field of synthetics, and how synthetic biology will enable us to create, produce and grow material hybrids. These flora and fauna hybrids, grow and produce entire new natural materials, such as over dimensioned structures and textures that have extraordinary tactile qualities, for example, combining animal fur with the bark of a tree.’

Ruth Duff is a final year student at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland and her textiles are hand-woven in subtle muted tones and then discharge printed in geometric patterns that lend themselves to the interiors market. In addition, some of Ruth’s pieces are warp printed whilst still on the loom to achieve an ikat effect.

Jenny Postle from Central Saint Martins Fashion MA showcased a collection that drew on Middle Eastern and Asian influences. Black is the canvas onto which brightly coloured motifs are crocheted, patchworked, fringed and knitted, using a variety of textures from raffia to wool.

Royal College of Art (RCA) Textiles Ma graduate Jrumchai Singalavanij creates textiles by recycling waste from the textile industry and through a unique process, transforms them into material that can be woven. The resultant woven interior pieces are playful and decorative.

Talking Textiles was organised by Edelkoort Exhibitions in collaboration with Rossana Orlandi and Spazio Gianfranco Ferré, with sponsorship courtesy of Cerruti Baleri, ComON, Kvadrat, Loro Piana Interiors, Maharam and Ratti division b. The graduate designers were supported by British Fashion Council, Mohair South Africa, Skillset, Texprint and UK Fashion & Textile Association.

Fellow RCA Textiles graduate Grace du Prez came to Milan with Embroidered Hairy Hide made from embroidered sheep’s fleece fringed with turquoise hair tassels. Also looking at at tassels, but larger in scale, Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE) graduate Garance Echazarreta came to the show with The Beast, a chair/shelter on a birchwood base made from colourful tubes of polyurethane foam and tubular knitted cotton.

Joanna Bowring, Texprint Sponsorship Director said: “Texprint believes passionately in the importance of nurturing new textile design creativity. We were delighted to collaborate in this special event, building on Texprint’s unique relationship with UK colleges to invite participants for selection. The traditional barriers between the fashion and interiors industries are dissolving, and we are looking forward to being more involved in the interiors sector – this initiative was a fantastic experience!”

Again from DAE, Lenneke Langenhuijsen’s Tutu is a series of stools made from wood, with the seats made from layers of wood that are formed into shape as if regular pliable textiles. Again from DAE, Emilie Pallard’s Domestic Disguises is ‘a collection of blankets, which refer to our human body and our daily life pattern. The plaid creates a soft wall, a space to hide under, to look at your surroundings. The function is there, but it can also live for itself like an object or a domestic sculpture.’

Marie Paysant-Le Roux is a Textile MA graduate from the RCA whose work brings a conceptual trend approach to textiles.

Lidewij Edelkoort explains that after a ‘reaction to the increasingly digital landscape of our lives, a craving for tactility and dimension has led several designers to reconsider the role of fabrics once more. The near future will see the overwhelming revival of textiles in our interiors, covering floors, walls and furniture in an expansive and personal manner. These textiles will speak loud and clear and become the fabrics of life, narrating stories, designing pattern, promoting well-being and reviving the act of creative weaving.’

Also from the RCA’s Textiles MA, was Jane Bowler’s work Fusion, a collection which was chosen as part of the RCA’s Sustain exhibition at September’s London Design Festival. Fusion is ‘derived from a fusion of traditional Japanese straw raincoats and the iconic British Mackintosh. I have combined stitchless heat forming techniques and ultra-sonic welding of recycled plastics. Through sumptuous colour, lustrous gloss and a harmonious mix of synthetic and natural fibres I am pushing the boundaries of rainwear.’

Jy Yeon Suh from Central Saint Martins came to Milan with her concept for flat-pack textiles that inflate to become stools and lamps. A playful use of coloured strapping makes this perfect for the younger market.

Talking Textiles
Texprint
Bethan Silverwood: bethansilverwood@live.co.uk
Lærke Hooge Andersen
Jenny Postle: jennypostle@gmail.com
Jrumchai Singalavanij
Grace du Prez
Garance Echazarreta
Lenneke Langenhuijsen
Marie Paysant-Le Roux
Emilie Pallard
Jane Bowler

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