Graduate Fashion Week 2008

This year Graduate Fashion Week has moved from its regular home in Battersea Park to Earl's Court. In addition, an extra day has been added to the event dedicated to helping 14-18 year olds and those at Further Education colleges to find out about the fashion courses available. There will be 'Audience With' career clinics hosted by Caryn Franklin and featuring Henry Holland and Richard Bradbury CBE of River Island amongst other industry experts.

Over 19 shows will take place followed by Wednesday's Gala performance and 47 colleges are taking part in the exhibition alongside organisations such as Fashioning An Ethical Industry and The London Apparel Resource Centre. For the catwalk collections, there are is a £20,000 River Island Gold Award again this year for the most outstanding collection, as well as awards for menswear, womenswear, Pringle Visionary Knitwear Award and Zandra Rhodes Catwalk Textile Award. The judging panel includes Claudia Schiffer who has been taken on tours of Westminster and the University College of the Creative Arts, Epsom.

The London College of Fashion, The Royal Academy of Arts and Brighton University all showcase their catwalk collections outside of Graduate Fashion Week.

This year, we will be publishing post-card style reports on the stylish people and the talented students we encounter.

Photo: Ian Gillett