Graduate Spotlight: Rebecca Thomson

This is the last in my dedicated 'Graduate Spotlight' posts, though don't think that's the last you'll see of this years' graduates on my blog, as they'll be popping up sans interviews in the future for sure.

For the last post in celebration of Graduate Fashion Week, I thought it would be rather fitting to include an interview with the winner of the Gold Award at GFW, the lovely Rebecca Thomson of Manchester Metropolitan University.

When I heard that a Manchester student had won the Gold Award at Graduate Fashion Week, I instantly thought of Rebecca Thomson hoping it was her as I loved her collection and Rankin image.

I caught up with Rebecca the morning after her win for a chat about Manchester, her Jewish roots and her favourite designers....

Let's start simple, tell us a little bit about yourself...
I'm from Southport and I'm 22. I just decided that I wanted to be in fashion about a year before starting the course at Manchester. Before that I always had an interest in fashion, but it was more of a dream, like wanting to be a popstar! But in reality it's a really accessible job.

What was the inspiration for your collection?
I had a chat with my Nanna and she talked about our relatives who were Jewish and from Eastern Europe. I began to research into the culture and more specifically into an illustrator called Arthur Rackham who's work is cheerful, bright and fantastical but with dark undertones and a light colour palette.

Did you ever imagine you would win the GFW Gold prize?
Never. I got nominated on Tuesday, I was so ecstatic about that! Then I got shortlisted to be interviewed by the panel of judges including the CEO of River Island so I was just so honoured to be able to do that. When they were announcing the winner, I had all my stuff ready to leave, trying to find my mum! Then they called my name and I got up on stage, there was no time to be nervous, I just enjoyed it all.

Did you enjoy studying and Manchester Metropolitan University and would you recommend it to others?
Definitely, I wouldn't have won without them. They let you excel in whatever you want and encourage you to make as much of your collection as you can. It taught me to design, draw and make clothes, it has made me a very rounded designer.

If you could work for any designer, who would it be?
I have two favourites, Betty Jackson and Nicolas Ghesquière, head designer for Balenciaga. My design level is somewhere between the two of them, it's aimed at the classy, older woman but with fun elements for younger consumers too.

How would you describe your personal style?
By day I would say casual, comfortable, classic pieces and very simple. I always wear flats during the day. At night, I love to dress up and feel special. Comfort is the key to style, when you feel good it's reflected in your confidence. This is shown in my collection with tailored shirts, comfortable fabrics as well as unwearable crinolin jackets.

Who would you most like to see wearing your clothes?
I would love to see lots of people wearing my clothes! I love Beyonce, I think she embodies the person I'd like to see wearing my clothes, an independent woman who is comfortable in their own skin.

Where is your favourite place in the World?
Ibiza, it's such a beautiful island with a great chill out vibe. I love just pottering around the beaches and finding different restaurants.

What is the best way to relax after finishing a collection?
Going holiday, I love to travel. I've got a holiday to Egypt booked in a couple of weeks, I can't wait. Also going home, I get to go home soon and see all my family and friends which I'm really looking forward to, it's nice to focus on something else.

Where is your favourite place in Manchester?
My favourite restaurant is Albert's Shed in Castlefield, I try to find local and interesting places. I love The Art of Tea for a cuppa. I'm not really an Oldham Street girl, but it's a great place to go for magazines. I'm a Topshop girl at heart really, the one in The Arndale is really good.

To contact Rebecca, email her on rebeccathomson@mail.nu

Graduate Spotlight: Wei Ting Hu

I adored Wei Ting Hu's brightly coloured, sportswear inspired collection as soon as I saw it on the LCF showtime profiles. The colours an accessories remind me of Holly Fulton, which is a very good thing.

I love the layered, contrasting socks, rubber shoes, cut-outs, quilting, perspex and chain like features. I want to wear all of these pieces, not only are they incredibly on trend, they also look so very comfortable.

I chat to Wei Ting Hu about her Taiwanese roots, skills she has developed and why she loves London...

Let's start simple, tell us a little bit about yourself...
A new designer in womenswear, an enthusiastic and patient person, Confident with a passion to learn and enjoy working hard. I have good punctuality, I am efficient with my organisation and time management, I communicate well working as a member of a team and has all round skills - Research, 3-D garment design and manufacture, skilled in womenswear pattern cutting and sewing. I can speak fluent English, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese.

I am inspired by people who think in different way and asymmetrical influences. I have extensive experience of working in the creative industry both in fashion & interior design. Looking for an internship, I would be a focused and diligent in individual for employee

What was the inspiration for your graduate collection?

The main idea for this collection came from Taiwanese traditional building styles. It explored the architectural structure and details then transferred such ideas onto modern day womenswear clothing. The collection also combined the element of fashion from the eighties such as oversized shoulders, and the silhouettes reflected architectural heritage through design which merged separate aesthetic approaches in order to create a new form of glamorous dressing.

What are your favourite magazines/blogs?

VOGUE

Did you enjoy studying at LCF and would you recommend it to others?

I did enjoy a lot ~ I learned a lot here, especially pattern cutting.

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

I had working experience in Alexander McQueen before and I will never forget the experience I had there. In the future I would like to work for Marc Jacobs or Alexander Wang, I just love their style.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

When I was very young I wanted to be a interior design in the future but in the end I chose fashion design.

How would you describe your own personal style?

Cool and fashionable.

Who would you most like to see wearing your clothes?

Any customers! Anyone who loves my work.

Where is your favourite place in the World?

I love my country, I love New York, I love London, I love where fashion is about.

What's the best way to relax after all the stress of finishing a collection?

Travel around, looking for new stuff and relax with friends!

To see more images and for more info, visit Wei Ting Hu's LCF showtime profile.

Graduate Spotlight: Yelena Loguiiko

I fell instantly in love with Yelena Loguiiko's LCF graduate collection, I can already imagine an ethereal beauty sporting it on the cover of Italian Vogue. I want to drape myself in the soft hues, furry wooliness and structured fabrics. In my opinion, this collection is pretty much perfect...

I chatted to Yelena about travelling, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Cubism...


Let's start simple, tell us a little bit about yourself...
I grew up in the town of Marc Shagall,Vitebsk, Belarus. Where I finished my education in Art school and after I travelled around Europe and Asia to get more experience and to see the world.

What was the inspiration for your collection?
I was inspired by Picasso’s “Portrait of a Woman after Cranach the Younger” and Cubist geometry which I translated into my garments as an eclectic twist of cubism-inspired forms that mingle with elements of Eastern European folklore, primary traditional Latvian dresses, creating a classical yet futuristic look.

How did you find LCF and would you recommend it to others?
I found LCF is very good place to get degree,explore your creative and technical skills, to find design identity. I would to recommend it to independent and hard worker who love fashion

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

It would be Miuccia Prada, she is unpredictable... 

 

What did you want to be when you were younger?From my childhood, as I remember, I been always busy with a scissors. I grew up sewing and deconstructing garments, for me and my friends. And, I can tell you the truth, I hated create garments for dolls, never been into that.

How would you describe your own personal style?
Eclectic

Who would you most like to see wearing your clothes? (dead or alive)

I never thought about this, but I can imagine Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Where is your favourite place in the World?

You know, I do not have a favourite place. I like all places where I have been, because all of them have they own charm, but I really really like Paris.

What's the best way to relax after all the stress of finishing a collection?

The best way to relax is to have a good sleep.

To see more of Yelena's work, visit her LCF Showtime Profile.

Graduate Spotlight: Chika Ito

I adore Chika Ito's LCF graduate collection and these images show her work in the most perfect and subtle light. The creativity of the designs, with panels and ties, allows the wearer to interact with the clothes.

Inspired by petals and early Twentieth Century architecture made in the dreamiest fabric, Chika's designs are intrinsically feminine. I want to wear all of them and run through a flower filled field at sunset, do you think that's an achievable dream?

I chatted with Chika about her education, working with Christopher Kane and inspiration...

Let's start simple, tell us a little bit about yourself...

I've just graduated from my 2nd degree in LCF, I did art in Japan and worked for an assistant designer in Tokyo. I am passionate to design and create something for someone! I am not an arty person, I am definitely a designer.

 

What was the inspiration for your collection? 

The collection inspiration for the details of architecture in Art Nouveau.
 

How did you find LCF and would you recommend it to others? 

I don't remember how I found LCF exactly, however, when I came over to London, I already knew about them. Yes and No...maybe for people who really likes busy life and business stuff.

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

Christopher Kane, I was intern for 6 months. They are so nice, I had the greatest experience ever!

What did you want to be when you were younger?
An Industrial designer.

How would you describe your own personal style?

Precise... clean...( sounds boring...but it is.)

Who would you most like to see wearing your clothes? (dead or alive)
Anyone who likes my style.

Where is your favourite place in the World?
Phi Phi island (Thailand)

What's the best way to relax after all the stress of finishing a collection?

 Chatting with my friends at the London fields with Pimm's on a summery day...

For more images and information, visit Chika's LCF showtime profile.

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.

Graduate Spotlight: Carly Ellis

I must confess, after reading Westminster graduate Carly Ellis's interview answers, I fell a little bit in love with her and want to run around in London dressed in UV clothes with her...

But anyway, Carly Ellis's designs are more than sportswear, they are not only UV, they're also sequins and they glow in the dark. I must say, I cannot pull off wearing streetwear but I am a massive fan of designers such as Ashish and Jeremy Scott and admire all the work that must go into it. Carly's designs are definitely up there with the best of them, even Hilary Alexander thinks so.

Carly's work was also featured in a recent shoot with Rankin to celebrate the opening of this years' Graduate Fashion Week, the image from this shoot is the last image in the selection above featuring an awesome heat map print.

I caught up with Carly to chat about London, black lights and MIA...

Let's start simple, tell us a little bit about yourself...
Im 22, from St. Helens, Merseyside, but have lived in London for 4 years.
I am a sportswear designer with Blue hair, i like bright colours, loud music and finding a bargain on the Whoops! in the supermarket.

What was the inspiration for your collection?

The book "Ultra Violet - Black Light Images of the Aquarian Age" was the starting point for my collection. Blindingly bright futuristic images graced the pages and left me exploding with inspiration, and I looked into how I could create the same UV effect on garments. The printed fabrics in the collection were all bespoke, designed by heat pressing UV designs on top of sequin fabrics, so not only do they glow, they glitter!
Following the UV theme, I used Live Edge Perspex to construct garments and create giant embellishments giving the printed fabric a three dimensional edge.
Also, I have always found myself frustrated when buying clothes, I am obsessed with sportswear but find it difficult to find garments that are appropriate for more formal occasions. I wanted to create evening-sportswear, giving diversity to a regimented and repetitive sportswear market, something which Hilary Alexander commented about on the Telegraph Online,
"Carly Ellis, of Westminster University, hit a niche with her collection of 'evening-inspired sportswear', all of which actually glows under UV light."

You are also a stylist, who would you most like to style? (person or designer)
MIA. Everytime.

How did you find Westminster and would you recommend it to others?

It was recommended by one of my tutors at my art foundation, I also knew designer Cassetteplaya had studied here, so i was sold! I would defo recommend to others, the teachers, opportunities and course itself has been absolutely amazing and I'm so, so, so sad its over.

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

Designers which I find continuously invigorating and would love to learn from and work alongside are Basso and Brooke: for their innovation in digital printing, Cassetteplaya for always being one step ahead and effortlessly cool, Jean Charles de Castelbajac for his light hearted approach to fashion, Jeremy Scott for making sportswear sexy, Alexander Wang for his perfect combination of couture and sportswear, Ashish because of the sequins and KTZ because they dont give a f***.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I have always wanted to be a designer!!! When i was in nursery I would say to my mum in the morning "im not wearing that!" then sneak a change of clothes in my bag, she would pick me up and I would be in a crazy outfit! I also used to sit at my grans and make fashion magazines. It was never a conscious decision, just something I have always known.

How would you describe your own personal style?

Colourful, optimistic, street.

What are your favourite magazines and blogs?

I love SuperSuper magazine! It has exciting and refreshing shoots and layouts rather than polished boring and contrived fashion like in some of the glossies! Blogwise, I love fruition and katelovesme.

Where is your favourite place in the World?

LONDON!!!!!!!!!! nowhere in the world does fashion like London. I have never visited Tokyo or New York so would love to go there tho, I defo love city life!

What's the best way to relax after all the stress of finishing a collection?

I hate relaxing!!! I'm so bored already, free time is over rated. Some one give me something to do!!!

For more information, images and contact details, visit Carly's website.

Graduate Spotlight: Kathryn McGee

 

So today sees the first in a week long series of 'Graduate Spotlight' posts, I have selected a few fresh graduates from this year to feature and interview, so check back every day for someone new to keep an eye on in the future. This is to celebrate yesterdays' opening of Graduate Fashion Week therefore, it will not just be designers but graduates from all areas of fashion. Enjoy!


Kathryn McGee has been a graduate of London College of Fashion for a matter of days rather than the years of the designers that I usually post about, though her graduate collection is innovative, intriguing and extremely accomplished. 


I love the use of unique headpieces that obscure and distract from the model's haunting expression. I also admire her for opting for hairy boots rather than the usual customised Topshop shoes seen in Graduate collections. The clothes themselves are perfect, the interesting shapes of the jackets and contrasting textures work together to create a dark yet wearable collection.


I had a quick chat to Kathryn about her inspiration, education and what she wanted to be when she grew up...



Let's start simple, tell us a little bit about yourself...
I am 21 living in east London, surrounded by my crazy friends. I have an obsession with B-movie horror films. I enjoy writing and illustrating non-sensical short stories and I find inspiration in everything I see.
  
What was the inspiration for your collection? 
It was loosely based on Robin Hardy’s The Wickerman; I found the film and paganism fascinating watching it over and over, collating all the information I could. Having quite a dark personality and humour it naturally progressed into the Occult and the work of film maker Kenneth Anger.


What is your most beautiful imperfection?
My obsessive, compulsive nature.
 
How did you find LCF and would you recommend it to others?
LCF was a great place to begin to build a creative design identity and provided me with an excellent foundation for many skills. However I still feel there is a lot more I wish to discover and I would love at some point to continue with my ideas at postgraduate level. I would recommend it to self assured independent workers.

If you could work for any designer, who would it be and why?
I think it would be brilliant to work for Walter Van Beirendonck.  His work is exciting and innovative.


What did you want to be when you were younger?
It sounds terribly clichéd but I have wanted to be involved in art and design since I was 6, sitting at the table for hours literally drawing thousands of shoes. It was my love for drawing shoes that eventually led to my love of designing clothes.

How would you describe your own personal style? 
It is very laid back, usually layering a lot of things together that never quite work.

Who would you most like to see wearing your clothes? (dead or alive)
Grace Jones

Where is your favourite place in the World?
I must admit I am not well travelled, but one of the most beautiful places I have been is Kefalonia; a Greek Island.

What's the best way to relax after all the stress of finishing a collection?
I am not really big on relaxing, I like to be doing something all the time so my way to relax would be to go and have a ridiculous drinking session with my friends.


For more information, images and contact information visit Kathryn's LCF Showtime profile.

Malaysia Adventures: Chapter Three

I think this will be the last of my Malaysia and Singapore posts for now, so here is a bombardment of photos! These are my Grandmother's (who I went with because she's awesome) photos so there are plenty of me looking sweaty but they are proof I was there!

These photos are causing memories to flood back, even though it was only last week, it feels like so long ago. We went parasailing in Penang which was amazing, it's weird how relaxed you feel being dragged along by a parachute attached by a rope knot to a speedboat but it was a truly amazing experience. The photo where I'm smiling and my Grandmother is on the floor makes me laugh quite a lot...

We did jet skiing, met up with the lovely Sarah from BANMS who gave us a night time tour of Malacca, kissed albino pythons, went on the Singapore version of the London Eye, played blow darts with a native tribe (I won and have to marry the chief...) and generally had an amazing experience.

On another note, Graduate Fashion Week starts today! To celebrate this, I will be posting work and interviews from my favourite designers who have just graduated every day of next week so you know who to keep an eye on in the future!

ALSO I've just uploaded some vintage clothes to my Ebay, so go have a look and get some lovely things on the cheap. Click here to visit my Ebay.