Trine Hav Christensen; Xiao Li

The Work in Progress exhibition is an annual window on the emerging talent currently studying on the prestigious postgraduate courses run by the UK’s Royal College of Art. Examples of work from all of the current fashion and textiles students were displayed from January 11-18 2012, in a free, exciting and inspiring show. In this first post, ARTS THREAD chooses some highlights from the womenswear fashion students.

Dramatic statements and a general air of exuberance emerged strongly as an overall trend. The global economic crisis grinds on, but the exhibition revealed an optimistic and even extravagant view of the future of fashion.

Second year fashion womenswear student Trine Hav Christensen’s work was a great example of this flamboyant flavour, with bright floral prints, lace, metallics and applied kitsch fake flowers all in her mix. Knitwear specialist Xiao Li’s bright, boldly patterned jacket stood out, as did Rebecca Thomson’s extravagant fur and leather jacket evoking rock star excess.

Rebecca Thomson; Shubham Jain; Rajinder Johal

Camilla Woodman; Lorren Johnson

Alvaro Gonzalez; Julia Thomas

Kyle Spires; Matt Hui

See RCA Fashion Womenswear on ARTS THREAD

Lucy Penny

Who’s Next/Prêt-à-Porter starts this Saturday and ARTS THREAD will be there with 10 up-and-coming fashion designers. One such designer is Bath Spa University Fashion Design BA (Hons) graduate Lucy Penny who will be showcasing her graduate collection Skin Deep. We had a chat with Lucy to learn about her inspirations, recent projects and plans for the future:

ARTS THREAD: Tell us about what you’ll be showing at Who’s Next
Lucy Penny: I will be showing my graduate collection entitled Skin Deep. It is a contemporary feminine womenswear collection, inspired by the beauty of the human figure. Inspiration for this collection stemmed from my interest in the shape and form of the human body and how we can alter and distort its appearance through weight loss and muscular toning. By using a combination of jerseys, silk organzas, chiffons and supple leathers I have developed intricate pleats, sculpted panels and symmetrical drapes to create delicate, sophisticated garments.

AT: Who or what inspires you?
LP: I gain inspiration from a variety of sources, such as controversial media images, people and places I’ve seen on my travels, and traditional textiles.

AT: When you were a child what did you want to be when you grew up and when did you decide you wanted to be a fashion designer?
LP: I’ve always known I’ve wanted to do something in fashion! A creative eye runs in my family, so my enthusiasm in fashion and textiles has always been encouraged, none more so than Saturday evenings which involved my sister and I putting on fashion shows!

Lucy Penny

AT: Have you worked on any exciting commissions since graduating?
LP: Since I have graduated I have been working at Karen Millen as footwear and accessories design protégé. This has enabled my knowledge of the industry to grow immensely. I have had a number of designs included in forthcoming collections, as well as being given the responsibility of all coordinating accessories and initiating belt, glove and jewellery designs.

As a result of the exposure my collection gained at GFW, one of my dress designs has been put into production by Bastyan and will appear in stores in A/W ’12.

AT: What are you currently working on?
LP: Since I have been living in London I have taken full advantage of the art and culture on my doorstep, and this is helping build ideas for my next body of work.

AT: What do you hope to gain from showing at who’s next?
LP: By showing at Who’s Next I hope to build valuable contacts within the Industry, as well as gain constructive feedback on my collection. I’m looking forward to exhibiting at a global event!

Meet Lucy Penny and the other chosen designers within the FAME area of the show, held January 21-24 2012 at Porte de Versailles.

Lucy Penny’s ARTS THREAD portfolio.
Bath Spa University Fashion Design BA (Hons) on ARTS THREAD

Alena Johnson

Come along to meet ARTS THREAD at Who’s Next/Prêt-à-Porter where we are showcasing the work of 10 incredible new fashion designers. Liverpool John Moores University Fashion BA (Hons) graduate Alena Johnson has joined us to display her incredible collection The Unberable Lightness of Seeing. ARTS THREAD ask Alena a couple of questions to learn more about her work:

ARTS THREAD: Tell us about the collection you are showing at Who’s Next
Alena Johnson: The collection is called The Unbearable Lightness of Seeing. This is a play on my fellow Czech Milan Kundera’s book (The Unbearable Lightness of Being). The designs were inspired by my occasional migraines and the related visions and colours I see during these events. There is an aura associated with these migraines, and I have channeled the related disorientation, disruption and experience into my creative process to produce something intricate and extravagant: a cathartic expression into beauty. My designs tend to be very sculptural and three-dimensional, creating and exaggerating different body forms.

Alena Johnson

AT: Which textiles did you use?
AJ: I chose wool (mainly sourced from Huddersfield, Yorkshire) for the jackets; this gave the outfits both a soft and distinctive shape. Organdie was utilised to create the pleated and hard edges; the transparent fabric expresses the ‘light’. Neoprene was used because it holds shape really well and doesn’t crease – a vital and necessary factor for my collection. Silk provides another contrast through comfort and delicate sensation; a counterpoint against the hard wired edges. Migraines move in sections and waves of different intensity which is why I used different strengths, forms and textures.

AT: Was there a specific process you went through to create the garments?
AJ: Yes, I used repetitive patterns which would increase and decrease in size. I used pleating, fabric manipulation and plastic wiring to hold the forms and structure. I implemented zero waste pattern cutting in some of my outfits; I plan to do more of this in my next collection.

AT: What do you hope to gain from exhibiting at Who’s Next?
AJ: This will be my first major step after graduating and I’m hoping to find an industry that still supports innovation and genuine creativity. My aim is to meet potential buyers, investors or those companies that will harness my visions, commitment and desire. This is a great opportunity to get an overview of the industry and the inspiration to move forward and grow.

Meet Alena Johnson and the other chosen designers within the FAME area of the show, held January 21-24 2012 at Porte de Versailles.

Alena Johnson’s ARTS THREAD portfolio.

Diego Vanassibara

Meet Diego Vanassibara, a London College of Fashion Cordwainers Footwear: Product Design and Development BA (Hons) graduate with a passion for quality footwear. Diego will be accompanying our other winning designers at this year’s Who’s Next/Prêt-à-Porter event in Paris. We asked Diego a few questions so you could get to know him better:

ARTS THREAD: Tell us about the collection you will be showing at Who’s Next
Diago Vanassibara: I’ll be presenting a very focused and timeless capsule range, which highlights craft and detail and finds the right balance between edgy design and wearability.

AT: What inspired you to incorporate wood into your collection?
DV: Natural materials have always appealed to me, but wood in particular because it is a resource that has been used in various ways since the dawn of time, however it still manages to be incredibly contemporary and modern. I cannot think of anything more timeless than wood. It’s resistant, flexible to work with and simply beautiful. And in any case, I thought it was time to “upgrade” the status of the wood in footwear and bring it to the top of the shoe, instead of carving a heel out of it to step on.

AT: Has your family history influenced your work?
DV: I don’t think it has directly influenced my work in any way. But as I grew up in the countryside and spent 20 years living in such an idyllic place, I am sure my memories from that fun and beautiful time play part in the way I design.

Diego Vanassibara

AT: What made you decide to become a footwear designer?
DV: I discovered I wanted to be involved in the footwear industry after starting my first degree in architecture and urbanism. What I love about architecture is the engineering side of it, but I wanted to combine it with the free creativity of fashion. So I decided to explore more about shoes and I found the perfect balance between both fashion and architecture.

AT: What do you hope to gain from exhibiting at Who’s Next?
DV: I have visited Who’s Next previously so I know it is going to be a fantastic opportunity to promote my work, obtain feedback and for networking.

Meet Diego Vanassibara and the other chosen designers within the FAME area of the show, held January 21-24 2012 at Porte de Versailles.

Diego Vanassibara’s ARTS THREAD portfolio.

Ruth Green

London based women’s knitwear designer Ruth Green graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2011 with an MA Fashion Design. Since completing her studies she has exhibited internationally, won awards and spent her time working on a brand new collection. As she prepares for Who’s Next, Ruth talks to ARTS THREAD about her A/W 2012 collection and love of knitting!

ARTS THREAD: Tell us about the collection you will be showing at Who’s Next
Ruth Green: I will be showing my RCA graduate collection and also previewing my A/W 12 collection, which will be launching in February in London in collaboration with Vauxhall Fashion Scout.

My RCA collection drew inspiration from Egon Schiele, with colours and textures melting into one another. Combining felted lambswool, fine high shine viscoses and layers of sheer silk chiffon. Large scale intarsias evoke Francis Giacobetti’s photography of Francis Bacon cascaded across oversized silhouettes, slouched marled handknits and layered chiffon.

My A/W 12 collection draws inspiration from American quilt making – in particular Log Cabin quilts – taking this traditional technique and giving it a new twist, experimenting with colour and scale of pattern. Working with British yarns from lambswool to cashmere, using geometric silhouettes and blocks of colour and pattern. Slouched wool viscose pieces are juxtaposed with industrial denim layered beneath super soft knits and felts.

AT: Why did you decide to specialise in knitwear?
RG: I have been working with knitting machines since my school days and my mum is an avid knitter so there has been yarn and knitting books around me for as long as I can remember! I love the whole process from selecting colours and textures to creating and manipulating my own fabrics. I’m a bit of a technical geek and often create very labor intensive ideas but its always worth it in the end, and it is interesting to then translate those ideas into wearable pieces which are edgy but commercially viable.

Ruth Green

AT: What have you been doing since you graduated?
RG: I graduated from The Royal College of Art last July. Since then, I showed at ITS10 in Trieste, Italy which was an incredible experience! Whilst there I was awarded the Skunkfunk sustainability award. I have created a sustainable capsule collection for Skunkfunk and have been to their studios in Bilbao to work with the design, marketing and PR teams. It is due for launch in September 2012 across Europe in Skunkfunk stores. Alongside this I have been freelance designing for Rowan.

AT: What do you hope to gain from exhibiting at Who’s Next?
RG: It’s a fantastic opportunity for many different people in the industry to have a look at my work and see how it is progressing, especially in Paris it is really exciting!! It will be great to get some feedback and meet people from all area’s of the industry as well as the other Who’s Next exhibitors as they are all in the same position as me.

Ruth Green

Meet Ruth and the other chosen designers within the FAME area of the show, held January 21-24 2012 at Porte de Versailles.

Ruth Green’s ARTS THREAD portfolio.

Toni Stott

Manchester School of Art MMU Fashion BA (Hons) graduate Toni Stott is one of the 10 Who’s Next/ARTS THREAD competition winners who will be joining us at the leading global tradeshow in Paris from 21 – 24 February. Toni Stott designs beautiful, layered womenswear inspired by ballet and the romance of 15th century costume. We spoke with Toni to learn more about her work.

ARTS THREAD: Tell us about the collection you will be showing at who’s next?
Toni Stott: My latest collection was inspired by delicate and fragile 1600s cuffs, collars and trims. It references historical garments, Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes and French impressionist Edgar Degas and his ballet drawings.

It is a fresh, modern twist on gracefulness, for women who embody everything feminine, delicate and pretty. Layers of smooth flowing fabrics dance on the body, with intricate details revealed by clear transparent panels, juxtaposed with men’s generic garments inspired by American sportswear. Volume and movement is key to this collection with full chiffon skirts and dresses, refined with jersey casuals.

Think of it as the modern day off duty ballerina.

AT: Who is your design muse?
TS: I don’t have one particular person who I look to when designing, I like to use different women in different collections to keep the look updated and fresh. For the collection I will be showing at Who’s Next, I used Alexa Chung as a muse. I love her delicate pretty feminine look mixed with an edgy grunge twist. Alexa is someone i would really like to see wearing my clothes.

Toni Stott

AT: Have you started to design a new collection?
TS: I have started to design a new spring/summer collection, mixing my delicate design style with bold floral prints, lots of volume and movement, lightweight fabrics, silks, chiffons and crepes. A bright warm colour palette of sunny yellows, oranges, blues and magentas mixed with nudes and transparent layers finished with French lace. I have taken last season’s women and brightened her up, she has became braver and more experimental yet still graceful, feminine and delicate.

AT: What do you hope to gain from exhibiting at who’s next?
TS: From exhibiting at who’s next I hope to gain valuable experience which will help me further my career, to have an insight into the industry and into showing a collection at an exhibition. Also to establish contacts and to get feedback on my collection and the opinion of buyers and journalists.

Meet Toni and the other chosen designers within the FAME area of the show, held January 21-24 2012 at Porte de Versailles.

Toni Stott’s ARTS THREAD portfolio.
Manchester School of Art MMU Fashion BA (Hons) on ARTS THREAD

Lyudmila Lane, 'Endless Sequence'

The third emerging designer who will be joining ARTS THREAD at Who’s Next in Paris is University for the Creative Arts: Rochester graduate Lyudmila Lane.

Lyudmila got her professional career off to a flying start by winning the Gold Award during the 2011 London Graduate Fashion Week and is continuing her success by collaborating with Miss Cufflinks London. We ask Lyudmila about her collection and what her strongest design skills are.

ARTS THREAD: Tell us about the collection you will be showing at Who’s Next
Lyudmila Lane: It is a sensual, delicate and contemporary collection designed for woman with a strong personality. The inspiration behind my collection is movement in our everyday life. If you look at a slow motion of your life you will see repetitive sequences, which can be interpreted as different patterns.

AT: Which are your strongest skills as a designer?
LL: I bring my own vision to forms, mixing media, experimenting with draping and combining it with a simple, clean silhouette.

AT: What do you hope to gain from exhibiting at Who’s Next?
LL: Opportunity to network with professional people and be giving a chance to show my work to the world. To enter into business opportunities to further my career.

Meet Lyudmila and the other chosen designers within the FAME area of the show, held January 21-24 2012 at Porte de Versailles.

Lyudmila Lane’s ARTS THREAD portfolio.

Victoria Sprice, Bill Amberg Project/ RCA MA Final Collection

Footwear designer and Royal College of Art graduate Victoria Spruce will be joining ARTS THREAD at Who’s Next/Prêt-à-Porter in Paris later this month. We first became aware of Victoria’s incredible talent for shoemaking during the RCA’s Work in Progress: Fashion Womenswear exhibition back in February and since then we’ve seen nothing but great things from her! As the first day of Who’s Next fast approaches, Victoria takes some time out to tell us about her graduate collection and love for shoes!

ARTS THREAD: Tell us about the collection you will be showing at Who’s Next
Victoria Spruce: I will be showing my graduation collection. The collection is inspired by organic, flowing sculptures, giving the idea that the object could consist of one flowing continuous line and material. In order to create these fluid lines I experimented with 3D printing technology and combined this with traditional leathers and shoemaking, giving a visible contrast between the two but also balancing the visual differences so that they work together as one. I love the visible juxtaposition between old and new and matte vs. shine that the two materials and techniques have created. The overall aim was to create a collection of sculptures that on closer inspection are actually wearable footwear.

AT: Where do you go for inspiration?
VS: I am constantly inspired by the lines, shapes and silhouettes found in architecture, sculpture and structures, which I think is very visible in my work given its sculptural nature! I think it’s fascinating to take something as big as a building and scale down certain aspects of it to the size of a shoe.

AT: What preferences do you have when choosing footwear for yourself?
VS: I have a very varied collection of shoes for myself! I think my only preference is whether or not I want it instantly! I love heels (as you can tell from my own collection) but I also have a lot of flat shoes, boots and trainers!

Victoria Spruce, BA (Hons) Graduate Collection

AT: Who do you imagine would wear your designs?
VS: I think any woman who appreciates the design and wants something a little different would wear my shoes. They are quite statement pieces so she’d probably be a keen shoe addict as well!

AT: What do you hope to gain from exhibiting at Who’s Next?
VS: I hope to gain further exposure, experience and hopefully gain some great new contacts. The attention towards my collection has been unbelievable so far which has been great and I’m just very grateful to have been selected for this amazing opportunity.

Meet Victoria Spruce and the other chosen designers within the FAME area of the show, held January 21-24 2012 at Porte de Versailles.

Victoria Spruce’s ARTS THREAD portfolio.

Lauren Pharoah, 'Four and Twenty Black Birds'

This month ARTS THREAD are teaming up with the leading fashion tradeshow Who’s Next/Prêt-à-Porter to launch the careers of 10 exciting new designers. De Montfort University graduate Lauren Pharoah is one of the up-and-comers who will be joining us in the Porte de Versailles, Paris for this incredible event.

The womenswear designer first caught our eye during last year’s Graduate Fashion Week where she showcased her ‘Four and Twenty Black Birds’ collection. We caught up with Lauren to learn more about her collection and her expectations for Who’s Next.

ARTS THREAD: Tell us about the collection you will be showing at Who’s Next?
Lauren Pharoah: My ‘Four and Twenty Black Birds’, beautifully damaged collection represents the mood between feminine innocence and the female alter-ego. The soft and the harsh. The light and the dark. The ethos being ‘let out your inner rebel’. The concept for the collection grew from Gothic architecture, painting and sullen photography, which inspired the melancholic colour palette. Rock influences also played a part in the creation of the collection.

AT: What fabrics have you incorporated into the collection?
LP: You will find that a lot of the pieces within the collection are made from leather, whether it be an oversized biker jacket or a pleated leather blazer. Leather expresses the ethos of the collection beautifully: rough and the tough, yet soft and subtle at the same time. Other pieces in the collection are made from luxurious fabrics such as origin-assured fox fur, fully glass-beaded, and also knit printed chiffon. Garments made from the highest quality of fabrics give you a feeling of desire and these garments will become investment pieces that you will cherish forever.

Lauren Pharoah, 'Four and Twenty Black Birds'

AT: When did you become interested in fashion design?
LP: I have always loved fashion and keeping up with the latest trends but first became interested in fashion design when I saw my first catwalk show at school. I have always been a creative person and had always enjoyed art and design but after seeing that catwalk show I knew that fashion was the avenue of design that really spoke to me.

I have always designed womenswear instinctively but become inspired by a lot of menswear collections and masculine styling which helps feed into my design process. I like to think a lot of the pieces I design can be easily transitioned into menswear and it is definitely something I might dabble with in the future.

AT: What do you hope to gain from exhibiting at Who’s Next?
LP: I hope to gain from the exhibition experience and knowledge of showing my own collection at exhibition, to meet perspective buyers and liaise with various people within the industry and gain valuable contacts. As well as looking forward to showcasing amongst others within the fashion industry, I hope it provides me with the next steps to help me succeed in my chosen career.

Meet Lauren Pharoah and the other chosen designers within the FAME area of the show, held January 21-24 2012 at Porte de Versailles.

Lauren Pharoah’s ARTS THREAD portfolio.

Image credits: Fox tail coat photography Fabrice Lachant; catwalk photography Simon Armstrong