Day two round-up

Day Two of Graduate Fashion Week at Earls Court was full of hot talent, but suitably chilly air conditioning; a day spent in the arena is almost enough to forget the 27º scorching sun outside though also likely to induce a mild case of cabin fever.

Reveling in the artificial breeze, we took a closer look at some of yesterday’s star work such as the menswear collection from Northbrook College graduate, Andrew McCormack. Catching up with his course director, Steven Dell, we found that the Afro-Scot fusion was due to Andrew’s own ancestry and up close and personal his work has even more of a visual impact.

We headed next to the catwalk presentation of UCCA Rochester. With Jean-Pierre Braganza acting as a tutor, the influence of his aesthetic was clear; his baggy versus skinny trouser silhouette was ever present. Minne Muztuccari added subtle chaps and pleated bum panels to her menswear tailored trousers. Elizabeth Render commandeered the classic men’s shirt with billowing piratical versions and Laura Booty rebelled against the gothic tailoring of most Rochester graduates and turned to Gaudi for inspiration with her jewel encrusted silk glamazon gowns.

In the fleeting break before Somerset took to the catwalk, it was time to take a closer look at the work of Gemma Warren. Her dandy and rude boy marionettes are on display as you enter the arena and are all part of a very complex Fashion Marketing project challenging fashion stereotypes. Turns out marketing isn’t all about facts and figures; at Northumbria University it seemed to be a very creative process with garments, puppets and sketchbooks galore to support her idea.

Somerset was a real riot of colour; many a Ray Ban was planted on noses to shield precious fashion eyes. Abi Jennings succeeded where many do not with her graffiti print swimwear. Hooded swimsuits were close fitting with no unsightly gaps. Debra Smitham cracked sour faces with her playful prints, puffball pinafore shorts and pin-up sailor girl jaunty caps. The presence of the prime minister’s wife, Sarah Brown, didn’t go unnoticed by Samantha Payne; her exquisite, balletic creation with jigsaw piece embellishments came paired with a plastic poesy, handed to Mrs Brown from the catwalk.

Northampton gets the prize for our ‘show of the day.’ The amount of talent on show was unrelenting. The best of the best included Amy Thompson’s series of cream concertina pleat coats and dresses, the asymmetric overcoat actually extracted gasps from a few around us. Nadia Wilcock channelled the changing of the guard with look-alike bearskin hats, brass buttons and tartan lining. The highlight? A gown made of an antique union jack; patriotism that Benidorm visiting lager louts could take cues from. Not forgetting the accessories and textile designers, Craig Fellows took us on a chicken run with his sketchy cockerel prints and speckled egg bag and Jody Parchment excelled with neon, architectural leather bags and patent pink heels.

Westminster followed a close second to Northampton (almost equal on talent and opening their show with a troop of fire eaters earns them a solid mention). Caroline Roughley initiated proceedings with her harlequin tights and pom-pom, puffball pinafores. Erin Hughes was hot on the tail of print supremos Basso and Brooke with her tessellated kaleidoscopes of pattern and Sarah Senouci gave us the ‘cardi-coat’ in her collection of casual menswear. After the show we hopped on the Westminster fashion double decker for a closer look before leaving the arena and back into the real world - where the talent isn’t all condensed into such a small space.