Graduate Spotlight: Ruby Iqbal

Ruby Iqbal's designs instantly grabbed me whilst browsing the LCF showtime profiles, I loved the interesting textures that look like disintegrating and aged fabric yet they are sculpted into beautiful shapes that enhance the feminine physique beautifully.

The colours are perfectly on trend for next season, working in perfectly with the industry surrounding her and keeping to her own design aesthetic, Ruby has definitely put her stamp on design.

I chatted to Ruby about weather ladies, imperfections and LCF...

Let's start simple, tell us a little bit about yourself...
I’ve just completed my degree in Fashion and Textiles and I’m trying to figure out what to do next…I love anything to do with textiles whether embroidery, print or knit.  I also love living so close to London because I think it’s the best city in the world. 

What was the inspiration for your collection?

My collection is inspired by deformities and abnormalities of the human body.  I read an interview with Kate Moss and where she talked about beauty and how you can be a pretty face, yet if you’re not a nice person on the inside it doesn’t work.  This made me question beauty further and what it is that makes people beautiful…if you see my sketchbook the main images of inspiration are things like wrinkled skin, bruises, scars and warts; things that are not considered beautiful conventionally yet through use of textile surfaces I wanted to create something “beautiful” out of something strange and unusual.

Your collection focuses on making imperfections beautiful, what's your most beautiful imperfection?

One of my eyes is a lot smaller than the other…it’s very noticeable in photos!

How did you find LCF and would you recommend it to others?
I knew about LCF because my older sister also studied there… I would definitely say it’s a great place to study; it prepares you for industry well and promotes a very independent way of learning.  I think London is the best place in the world to study fashion and I feel really lucky to have had that opportunity.  It’s a very competitive university and there are so many talented students; so you have to work extremely hard.       

If you could work for any designer, who would it be and why?

It would be Hussein Chalayan.  I love his work because it seems that in his world there are no limits to fashion & design; his combination of fabric with technology and innovation creates a real statement and is about more than just wearable clothing and a designer label.  I think fashion is art and should always be about creating something new and exciting.  I also love Manish Arora; his collections are amazing explosions of colour and culture.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I used to change my mind all the time but I always really wanted to be a weather woman because they always used to look so glamorous pointing at the map! 

How would you describe your own personal style?

I’m quite a girly girl so I love pretty things especially the one off vintage style dresses from Camden.  I live in leggings and I find jeans the most uncomfortable things on the planet so I never wear them…

Who would you most like to see wearing your clothes?

Lady Gaga!

Where is your favourite place in the World?
The top of the Eiffel tower! I went up at night time and the view was the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.

What's the best way to relax after all the stress of finishing a collection?
Sunbathing in hyde park…I was very lucky because as soon as I handed in my work the sun came out!

For more information, images and contact details, visit Ruby's LCF showtime profile.