A show applauded by many in the industry, the MA 2014 graduates made Valentine’s Day a very special day indeed. Before and after the show, we spoke to a few industry insiders to get a glimpse of their expectations and opinions, and we’re excited that everyone shared the same enthusiasm that we felt about this year’s graduates. Lou Stoppard feels this year is optimistic, Sarah Mower speaks about the differences between fashion education now and fifteen years ago and Felicity Green believes they’ve broken down a barrier.
Felicity Green: It’s the most exciting one I think they’ve done for years. There was an amazing thrust forward, and all students seem to have been going into the same direction. It’s as though they’ve broken a barrier down, it’s all thoroughly new and exciting. They no longer use ordinary fabrics. They create; I don’t know what to call them: ‘stuff’’, to work with. It’s a whole new route into fashion. It’s very futuristic and it’s very exciting and I think that talents are way out in front of anything we have seen for a long time. I think there is a lot of brilliant talent for the fashion industry.
Did you spot any favourites?
Felicity Green: I very much like Teruhiro Hasegawa. And I loved the way they used these fabrics in directions that are against, what can I say, against… balance, and yet they balance somehow. They really go in directions that you think just can’t work. And they do work, they make fabrics float and so it was very exciting.
Last Monday, you had a private viewing at CSM. What’s your take on this year’s students?
Sarah Mower: I think it’s extremely interesting to see how many designers are interested in textiles. The skill to embroider and design things beyond print- because the print revolution came out of Central Saint Martins- and now you are seeing people who are more interested in surfaces.
Is there a particular you would like to mention?
Sarah Mower: Absolutely, Anita Hirlekar. She is amazing and her colour sense is incredible as well.
What else would you like to mention?
Sarah Mower: What I do notice now, is that how difficult it is for student designers who have to pay so much to go university, to have the ambition to go to business. Before, 15 years ago, we had designers with free education. So they were free to be business-focused or to be cool. Now, because designer students are in debt, they can’t afford to be free. So they decide to go into business immediately. Although, expect from this graduation show to see talented people who will work for fashion houses. Even if they have got the burning desire to do something, they will do it later, it won’t happen immediately.
So what’s your take, Alex?
Alex Fury: I like Drew Henry, but I think it’s really hard to judge people at this point, because they are yet to design a full collection. You really don’t know. It will be amazing to see how they go on and develop. I like Drew, that was my personal favourite.
What’s the big difference with the graduate show last year?
Lou Stoppard: This year is more optimistic.
What do you think of the show?
Yu Masui: It’s hard to say. There are two Japanese designers [Teruhiro Hasegawa and Nayuko Yamamoto] in the show and I really support them. This year I think it’s more about the technical side, rather than the big silhouette and stuff. There is a lot of work on detail and fabrication. So you have to look closely to see what’s going on.
What did you think of the show?
Timi Wilson: Brilliant!
How is it to live and work with Louise?
Timi chuckles
Who was your favourite designer this year?
Timi Wilson: It’s hard, I love them all. Obviously the two winners.
If there would be three winners, who would you nominate?
Timi Wilson: I couldn’t say that!
What did you think of this show in comparison to the other years?
Jeremy Till: This is the first time I’ve been.
Well what did you think?
Jeremy Till: Oh well it was amazing.
Do you agree with the winners?
Jeremy Till: No, but I’m an old man, so why should I?
Who was your favourite?
Jeremy Till: There was this amazing knitwear graduate, Serena Gili, who made the garments with long nets and resin dresses. Also Drew Henry, who made gloves of the cowhides. [Sarah Wigglesworth joins conversation] What did we like again?
Sarah Wigglesworth: The ponyskin stuff [Drew Henry], the Shinto Priest [Rory Parnell-Mooney], the rugby shirts with the dangling everywhere [Anita Hirlekar], I thought that was really cool. I really liked the egg skirts [Serena Gili], with all the beautiful knitting above.
Jeremy Till: So we liked seven out of eleven things, that’s not bad. And the last one I put down to my age.
Was it too experimental?
Sarah Wigglesworth: I thought it was a bit ‘samey’.
Samey?
[Sarah laugs] Yes, it was all a bit the same.
Jeremy Till: But I did think it was amazing, so I feel like a proud stepfather.
Interviews: Tian Wei Zhang and Jorinde Croese
Photography: Kasia Bobula
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