Words Ryan Martin.
Photos Matt Ford.
Yesterday Liverpool saw the return of The Clothes Throw: pop up shops, catwalk shows and clothing auctions with donated celebrity pieces, all to raise money for Alder Hey Hospital.
Fashion design graduates of John Moores University showcased their final collection at Palm Sugar Bar.
The Designers.
The Collections.
(click to enlarge)
Gemma Howarth, specializes in lingerie design, her‘Ephemera’ collection uses fabrics such as lace and chiffon to give a very promiscuous, yet vintage look to her work.
I found the inspiration for my collection in my grandfathers stamp collection which has a one of a kindfeel. So I think when designing I had a very bespoken mind. Then this linked me to researching into the Greek word Ephemera meaning things lasting no more than a day. Just like a stamp. I found this fascinating. The way something which can be seen as rubbish maybe something amazing to others. Tonight was such a goodevent, everything went well backstage considering the amount of corsets in my collection that needed to be laced up. For the future I am hoping with the graduate scheme at John Moores to get a placement at Mark andSpencers in the lingerie department which is what I want to go into. Other than that am just working on my portfolio so it’s a very exciting time.
Jody Wood, used her collection ‘a visual paradox’ to bring in her audience by letting them decide what they see with the use of her ink blot patterns.
My designs are all about what is personal to you. Ilooked at light shadows and ink blots which tap into the viewers mind. When people see my patterns on the dresses, one view maybe totally different to another, it’sall about perception. It’s the same way ink blots work when shown to someone on a card which was my primal research looking into such things as the Rorschach tests for inspiration. To see my pieces walk down the runway rather than dressing them in the back was fantastic. This is the 3rd time that my designs have been down the catwalk and this is the first time I have seen them in action. Also its good that this is all for charity as well. After the graduate fashion week in London I got offered a internship at DVF in New York so that’s my next move, just need to save a bit before I go.
Laura Wallace’s elegant collection ‘the chocolate box’gives off a feminine attitude with unusual textured fabrics in faded white tones.
My collection was based a lot around everything vintage and looking at old photographs. I wanted to give across in my designs a very antiques vibe. Tonight went really good. Everything went smoothly and it was nice to be an audience member and actually see my collection go down the runway instead of all the running around backstage. At the moment I am working for a designs and event company but when it comes to the fashion side of my career, the buzz around my graduation collection is still happening which is amazing but I can’t wait to start another interesting collection.
Louise Boarder has created her designs around the thoughts and feeling of never growing up. Using children’s story books for inspiration, her collection‘their land of nod’ plays around with
Surrealism and the concept of dressing up. Over sized tartan coats and furs are all main features in these fairytale fashions.
Well my inspiration all started with the children’s book‘Where the Wild Things Are’ but then that moved me into looking at woodland animals. Then from there I looked into Peter Pan and that lead me to pyjamas. So the start was like a story in its self which is the best way of describing my collection…a reversed story. Tonight went really good and like a lot of the other designer felt, it was amazing to see it on the catwalk for once. I have spend a huge amount of time on my designs but this is the first time I have actually watched it in a fashion show. I think what’s next for me is that am going to move to London because it’s the place to be, I have just done a placement with Amanda Wakeley but now my main aim it to have a full- time job in what I have trained 3 years for.
