Fashion: New kids on the block

Jun 5 2008 by Laura Davis, Liverpool Daily Post

JMU fashion students showcasing collections. L-R Jemma Grant,Helen Priestley, Robyn Greenall, Natalie Wood, Francesca Kearns, Caroline Senior _320

The world’s biggest graduate fashion event starts on Sunday. Laura Davis checks out the local talent

WITH a Beatle as a dad, it’s probably fair to say Stella McCartney‘s designs would have attracted international attention without the help of Graduate Fashion Week.

But even so, this was where she and other famous names Julien Macdonald and Hussein Chalayan were discovered, and where many others have won jobs with global brands including Donna Karan, Gucci, Levi Strauss, Calvin Klein and Reebok.

Now it’s the turn of 21 graduates from Liverpool John Moores University to showcase their work and hope it is noticed by fashion industry talent scouts.

“This is probably the most important event for fashion graduates, as it is an amazing opportunity to showcase your work in front of some of fashion’s most influential people. You never know who could be watching the show, or what opportunities could come from it,” explains 21-year-old Francesca Kearns, one of the JMU graduates.

“It is also a good way to see the standard of work of students from other universities, as essentially these people could be competition in the fashion industry.”

Louise Richards, whose sportswear designs are influenced by Victorian Gothic style, says this is a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity.

“I am most looking forward to the reactions of people in London to my collection. It is the capital of fashion and it would mean a lot if someone high in the fashion industry paid interest in my ideas. This is the place to get connections and feedback, as it can be very good for your career path.”

Launched in 1991, Graduate Fashion Week is the biggest event of its kind in the world.

This year it is being held at Earls Court, in London, where students from 48 of the UK’s top fashion and textile universities will show off their designs in a static exhibition and 23 catwalk shows from Sunday to Thursday.

The glamorous gala fashion shows and awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday.

New for this year is a special Education Day on Thursday, which aims to give schoolchildren, aged 14-18, a unique insight into educational opportunities and a chance to see one of the four gala shows.

As well as giving graduates the chance to have their work spotted by fashion scouts from the UK and overseas, there is the prestigious £20,000 River Island Gold Award to be won.

Genette Williams, who has already set up her own photography business, Raw, has been nominated for two awards. “I am hoping to win over the judges and I will be aiming to provide myself with useful contacts for my styling, make-up, and models for my future photography publications,” she says.

“An event like this is vital within our society and role as designers today.

“Talent needs to be exposed, to be spotted or reveal influences. It gives students something raw to aim for, something real, and potentially life-changing.”

* GENETTE WILLIAMS will be joining the Girls Behaving Stylishly as a guest blogger this week. Read her experiences of Graduate Fashion Week at http://blogs.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/girlsbehavingstylishly

lauradavis@dailypost.co.uk