Milan’s just closing its doors for another year tonight. If you have chance today, take a look at some of the pieces from the Royal College of Art 2012 graduates in an exhibition entitled Work.

This April students and alumni from Maastricht Academy Fine Arts and Design present The Beauty of Things, an exhibition of projects on the subject of hygiene.

Last Wednesday, AMFI, Amsterdam Fashion Institute opened Amsterdam Fashion Week with its Individuals collection for autumn/winter 2013/14.

ARTS THREAD was one of the judges in the Admiralty Needle international contest for young designers earlier this month. The contest, which took place in Saint Petersburg acknowledges the talents of up-and-coming designers who specialise in womenswear, footwear, accessories and childrenswear. ARTS THREAD looks at the winners in the footwear and accessories categories.

The winter edition of Made in Clerkenwell kicks off this Thursday. For four days, over 100 UK designers will cram into St John’s Square and Clerkenwell Green where they will display their jewellery, fashion, furniture, ceramics and accessories to the public.

The Royal College of Art’s annual showcase of graduating textile talent took place at the Kensington Gore building this summer. Fashion footwear and accessories were also displayed, creating a truly exciting and inspiring variety of work. ARTS THREAD highlights some favourites.

Anya Edwards, UCA Epsom

At the Epsom show UCA students displayed an eclectic, energetic display of pure imagination. A wide variety of fabrics, materials and techniques were involved in each collection giving each student a unique style.

Anya Edwards began the show with a strong use of patterned wool jackets layered with metallic hemmed embellished dresses. A promising entrance to the show as well as a strong finish with another hopeful Mariapia Mineo.

James Kelly, UCA Epsom

James Kelly created an eerie feel to the proceedings with the ‘Psycho’ soundtrack playing alongside, a dark collection followed. Sharp shapes created with woolen capes and trench coats engulfing the models petite frame.

Irina Voinea, UCA Epsom

Another favourite representing menswear was Irina Voinea’s Mexican themed illustrative t-shirts complimented with printed suits. A flurry of colour and print were seen throughout the catwalk, a lot less loose materials were used and more tailored and volumised garments were seen.

James Walker, UCA Epsom

James Walker was the breath taker, with an accordion shaped dress expanded with leather and zips. Volumised shoulders with strong checks and brown hardened leather. The exaggerated hips and shoulders with circular detailing gave an essence of character to each garment.

Mariapia Mineo, UCA Epsom

The finish for Epsom ended on a high note with Mariapia Mineo’s striking all red collection using patent detailing on cape like dresses infused with tailored jackets, Mineo clearly has a strong eye for detail as each look was carefully decided upon. An impressive show for Epsom, with many hopefuls secured from this university.

UCA Epsom portfolio pages on ARTSTHREAD

Image credit: Simon Armstrong, simonarmstrong.com

Men in dresses and re-imagined tailoring reigned supreme at Birmingham City University, with notable mentions to structural and quirky knits. Birmingham’s students used accessories with great aplomb, making them key features of many collections, whilst their shoes were amongst the best I’ve seen. On the clothes front the materials used were innovative and inspiring and the shapes pushed boundaries.

Textiles and embellishment key at Salisbury, the knitwear and textural elements of many of Salisbury’s collections were leant a tactical focus.

Bath Spa successfully used spotlighting to create a moment of drama at the beginning of each collection, this highlighted the strength of the many material juxtapositions that featured heavily. In contrast the knitwear and textural elements of many of Salisbury’s collections were leant a tactical focus.