Amelia’s Magazine | University of Central Lancashire: Graduate Fashion Week 2012 Catwalk Review

Hayley Harrison GFW 2012 UCLan by Alice Hair

Hayley Harrison by Alice Hair

Before attending my first Graduate Fashion Week show, I had a little look around the stands to see what would jump out at me without the glitz and glamour of the catwalk. University of Central Lancashire immediately got my attention thanks to full-sized toiles of Xiaoping (Fiona) Hwangs intricately pleated clothing on display. I chatted with UCLan lecturer Kate Ball, who gave me her tips of who to look out for on the catwalk. Xiaoping was on her list, as well as Claire Acton‘s hair-inspired silhouettes with oversized perspex hair clips, Talia Golchin who created silhouettes based on old Victorian brothel imagery and Emma Guilfoyle who experimented with large-scale prints of John Major. “It all sounds a bit mad but it’s done in a really innovative way,” assured Kate, and after flipping through student portfolios and seeing amazing use of colour, pattern and a healthy dose of illustration (always good) I was ready for the catwalk show.

Claire Acton

Claire Acton GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum
Claire Acton GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum

Claire Acton opened the show with, well exactly what lecturer Kate Ball described, but much better than I imagined. Fun ideas are great, but fun ideas produced to this standard are amazing. Fabric was turned into strong graphic lines by clever strips cut to look like hair, pinned out of the way of the printed faces peeking underneath. Young, exciting and colourful, Claire was a perfect choice to open the show with, and the use of perspex accessories (which seemed to be everywhere this graduate fashion week) was spot-on. Claire has already been raved about in the press for her impressive collection, as well as a runner-up for the Gold Award. I’m expecting we’ll see more of her brilliantly executed work soon.

Talia Golchin

Talia Golchin GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum
Talia Golchin GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum

For Talia’s collection curvy, illustrated female figures balanced on top of oversized masculine boiler suits or floaty dresses printed with lips and moustaches. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but I could appreciate the strength of the concept here: much like something a Vivienne Westwood or Masion Martin Margiela in-the-making would do, it was bold wearable art that challenged what you would expect to see on a catwalk.

Hayley Harrison

Hayley Harrison GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum

Hayley Harrison‘s collection was full of loud, eye-popping colour, but done in an exceptionally smart way. Strong lines, crisp structured white shirts and plastic draped as if it was silk made me want to look, look, and look again at her workmanship. Lecturer Kate Ball summed up this year’s graduates by commenting on how much they all experimented with surface pattern and print, which was evident in the hazy polka-dot neon pattern used for this collection.

Hayley Harrison GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum
Hayley Harrison GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum

I love polka dots- japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, the ‘Princess of Polka Dots‘ uses them in everything, (and has recently collaborated with Louis Vuitton) and while using so many variations in one look could be over-crowded, Hayley Harrison added just enough to each outfit.

Emma Guifoyle

Emma Guilfoyle GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum

Thatcher-ite style seems to be in big favour recently, and graduate Emma Guilfoyle took it to an incredible level with conceptual fashion. The illustrative John Major print made an appearance with an Andy Warhol-like punch, framed by extended version of 80′s power shoulders. Emma made it beautiful with excellent colour combinations such as mint and white or pink and brown tweed sections, adding little touches such as iridescent pailettes or rosettes emblazoned with ‘Vote!’. I also like that she included a matching bag – a massive part of any female politician’s trademark look.

GFW collection by Emma Guilfoyle
Graduate collection by Emma Guilfoyle

Emma Guilfoyle GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum
Emma Guilfoyle GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum

Steph Cunningham

Steph Cunningham GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum
Steph Cunningham GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum

Trompe l’oeil digital prints with a hint of 90′s Versace: Steph Cunningham hit the mark with patterned suits, dresses and separates in an array of rich colours. I loved the gilded frame print used as an edging to the bottom and waist of a skirt or as the lapels on a coat (reminiscent of Mary Katrantzou), as well as the jumble of images that reminded me of a tapestry, echoing the feminine silhouettes perfectly.

Graduate Collection by Steph Cunningham
Graduate Collection by Steph Cunningham
Graduate Collection by Steph Cunningham

Xiaoping (Fiona) Huang
For each graduate’s work I saw, I would put a star next to my notes against a few who really impressed me, and Xiaoping Huang was definitely one of them. Already intrigued by the toiles on the UCLan stand and the heads up from a lecturer, I was not prepared for the incredible collection about to come down the catwalk. Incredible – and I mean incredible as Xiaoping has since been awarded the Zandra Rhodes Textiles award for her work – variations of accordion pleats in a ton of primary colours came bounding down the catwalk. Models changed from stiff structures to delicately shrouded forms in Issey Miyake-like softly pleated silks, then to bouncing, walking, jack-in-the boxes.

Xiaoping (Fiona) Huang GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum
Xiaoping (Fiona) Huang GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum
Xiaoping (Fiona) Huang GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum

It was like Xiaoping Huang wasn’t just designing, she was playing with her skills, visually exploring the ways she could stretch her abilities. There was so much to see, and so many details that you could spend forever pouring over. Lecturer Kate Ball told me that Xiaoping is even involved in creating a set of ‘shrinkable furniture‘ and I began to see correlations between her work and Hussein Chalayan‘s famous collapsable, wearable furniture collections.

Graduate Collection by Xiaoping Huang

Seeing how successfully this collection turned out from looking over a teaser toile at the UCLan stand was the perfect end to the show. I cannot wait to see more from Xiaoping Huang, as well as the other graduates from such a talented group. Look out fashion world, there are some super-designers in waiting.

Xiaoping (Fiona) Huang GFW 2012 UCLan by Alia Gargum

Categories ,90s, ,Alice Hair, ,Andy Warhol, ,Claire Acton, ,Earls Court, ,Emma Guilfoyle, ,Gold Award, ,Graduate Fashion Week, ,Hayley Harrison, ,illustration, ,Issey Miyake, ,John Major, ,Kate Ball, ,Louis Vuitton, ,Maison Martin Margiela, ,Mary Kantrantzou, ,shrinkable furniture, ,Steph Cunningham, ,Talia Golchin, ,Textile Award, ,University of Central Lancashire, ,Versace, ,Vivienne Westwood, ,Xiaoping Huang, ,Yayoi Kusama, ,Zandra Rhodes

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Amelia’s Magazine | University of Central Lancashire Ba Hons Photography Graduate Show 2011 Review

UC Lancaster Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Christopher T. Finch
Photography by Christopher T. Finch.

UCLan, buy more about University of Central Lancashire presented a very clear collection of experimental work in their stand alone space as part of Free Range at the Truman Brewery.

UC Lancaster Photography degree show Free Range 2011-UC Lancaster Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Christopher T. Finch
Christopher T. Finch works with primitive home made cameras and digital technology. For his final show he presented a selection of pore framing facial close ups, various characters layered closely, almost on top of each other.

UC Lancashire Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Lizzie GodfreyUC Lancashire Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Lizzie GodfreyUC Lancashire Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Lizzie Godfrey
Lizzie Godfrey has obviously been influenced by the political climate. In a book titled The Fire This Time? she followed protestors through anti cuts marches earlier this year. Photographs were accompanied with lots of text to explain the evolution of her thought process too.

UC Lancashire Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Teresa Roberts UC Lancashire Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Teresa Roberts
Teresa Roberts produced a book too: The Maasai: Changing of Traditions mapped the ways that Western culture is influencing this nomadic people.

Richard Lewis Pryce looked through a blur onto the streets of London. Apologies for the lack of artwork but there was nowt in his online portfolio and my shot was rubbish. Shame I can’t show you because it was very clever stuff.

UC Lancashire Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Jennifer ColvinUC Lancashire Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Jennifer Colvin
Jennifer Colvin did some interesting things with resin and bits of collected ephemera.

UC Lancashire Photography degree show Free Range 2011-Ma in travel photography
The University of Central Lancashire is starting a new MA in Travel Photography this September – the course will engage in global politics, sustainable development and environmental issues, conservation and colonialism. Modules will be field based and the first will take place in Kenya. Maaaaan, if I didn’t have a magazine to run and a life to be responsible for then I would so run away and take this course.

Categories ,#UKuncut, ,2011, ,Christopher T. Finch, ,collage, ,Colonialism, ,conservation, ,digital, ,Ephemera, ,Free Range, ,global politics, ,Graduate Shows, ,Hand-made, ,Jennifer Colvin, ,Kenya, ,Lizzie Godfrey, ,ma, ,photography, ,Richard Lewis Pryce, ,Riots, ,sustainable development, ,Teresa Roberts, ,The Fire This Time?, ,The Maasai: Changing of Traditions, ,Travel Photography, ,Truman Brewery, ,UCLan, ,University of Central Lancashire

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Amelia’s Magazine | Best of D&AD New Blood Illustration & Graphic Design Graduates 2012: part three

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Alex Young
Following on from my second review of New Blood comes my final write up. Lots of students illustrated the cover for Grimm’s Fairy Tales – at University of Central Lancashire the rough energy of this woodcut by Alex Young stood out.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Nicola Jones
At Norwich University College of the Arts Nicola Jones screenprinted the open market.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Nicola Jones
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Stacey Knights
Stacey Knights worked in simple colourways to create illustrations of the market and for a brief to design for the cover of Little White Lies (another popular project which featured throughout the exhibition).

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Gina Pape
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Gina Pape
Gina Pape‘s Sympathetic Magic was inspired by the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Sophie Perryman
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Sophie Perryman
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Sophie Perryman
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Sophie Perryman
Sophie Perryman created a collaged monster that was the antithesis of the Kawaii (cute) phenomenon.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Jack Cullis
At the University of West England Jack Cullis created a series of stunning illustrations for classic Penguin book covers.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Sami Al-Adawy
Sami Al-Adawy‘s grid town appealed to my love of repetition in design.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Jamie Jones
This harbour by Jamie Jones would look great in a kid’s book.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Rebecca Clemson
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Rebecca Clemson
The Great Barrier Reef in paper quilling by Rebecca Clemson at Staffordshire University was a huge hit with visitors – she’s also a potter who has secured funding to set up her own business in the potteries. I wish she had a website.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Melanie Milne
Melanie Milne had also dabbled in ceramics and had created this wonderful typographic textile design as an ode to the humble sprout.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Elora Taylor
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Elora Taylor
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Elora Taylor
At Plymouth University I loved beautiful character illustration of jazz monkeys by Elora Taylor.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Jenny Cox
At University of Cumbria Jenny Cox illustrated The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Shorty Lee
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Shorty Lee
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Shorty Lee
Cute illustrations for a touchy feely children’s book called The Magic Sheep by Shorty Lee at Edinburgh College of Art.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Nikki Wei Guo
New Blood graduate show 2012 -Nikki Wei Guo
Mother Worms by Nikki Wei Guo; illustrations to accompany self penned folk stories about desire for life and fear of death.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Cara Holsgrove
Creepy but beautifully realised imagery by Cara Holsgrove is part of a handmade book of poems about distorted reality.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Sophie Hargrave
Sophie Hargrave‘s recycle week and gender equality posters at Loughborough University.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Camilla Perkins
I missed this year’s University of Westminster illustration exhibition at the Ambika P3 Gallery so Alia Gargum covered it. Here’s what I liked at New Blood: Above, super colourful portraits of David Bellamy and Jaques Costeau framed in wreaths for plate designs by Camilla Perkins.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Angelina Ioannides-Beer
Like Alia I picked up on the geometric work of Angelina Ioannides-Beer. And what a marvellous name!

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Emma Black
Intrigued by overlaid monoprint work by Emma Black.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Holly Monger
Narrative scenes by Holly Monger.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Olivia Henry
Cute character work by Olivia Henry.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Nina Jorgensen
Beautiful abstract patterns from Nina Jorgensen

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Josie Shenoy
Intricate patterned work by Josie Shenoy.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Rikki Hewitt
Collaged work by Rikki Hewitt.

New Blood graduate show 2012 -Paul Hickey
Paul Hickey‘s work combining photographic imagery and a painterly blocks of colour.

It’s hard to pick out the finest graduates from such a busy exhibition which is why I always prefer to see individual college’s shows. I will always be most attracted to narrative illustration and typography over digital or advertising led work, and in those areas these three blogs should give a taster of the huge amount of creative talent heading out into the marketplace this summer. If you like what you see why not give them a job? I wish them all the best: whilst design becomes ever more important in our consumer led world it’s undeniably tough out there and only the very talented, motivated and lucky will end up doing exactly what they want to do.

Read my first and second reviews of New Blood 2012 here and here.

Categories ,2012, ,Alex Young, ,AMBIKA P3 gallery, ,Angela Carter, ,Angelina Ioannides-Beer, ,Camilla Perkins, ,Cara Holsgrove, ,D&AD, ,David Bellamy, ,Edinburgh College of Art, ,Elora Taylor, ,Emma Black, ,Georgina Pape, ,Gina Pape, ,graduate, ,Graphic Design, ,Great Barrier Reef, ,Grimm’s Fairy Tales, ,illustration, ,Jack Cullis, ,Jamie Jones, ,Jaques Costeau, ,Jenny Cox, ,Josie Shenoy, ,Kawaii, ,Little White Lies, ,Loughborough University, ,Melanie Milne, ,Mother Worms, ,New Blood, ,Nicola Jones, ,Nikki Wei Guo, ,Nina Jorgensen, ,Norwich University College of the Arts, ,Olivia Henry, ,Paul Hickey, ,Penguin, ,Pitt Rivers Museum, ,Plymouth University, ,Rebecca Clemson, ,review, ,Rikki Hewitt, ,Sami Al-Adawy, ,Shorty Lee, ,Sophie Hargrave, ,Sophie Perryman, ,Stacey Knights, ,Staffordshire University, ,Sympathetic Magic, ,The Bloody Chamber, ,The Magic Sheep, ,University of Central Lancashire, ,University of Cumbria, ,University of West England, ,University of Westminster

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