It’s nearly here! The #LCFBA15 Catwalk Show takes place Monday 8th June at 7pm GMT.
In the next of our Class of 2015 blog posts we talk to Giverney Grace Volrat, Jay Biscarra and Isobel Rose Cook about their work which will be seen on the BA15 Catwalk.
Image credit: Womenswear by Jay Biscarra, BA (hons) Fashion Design and Development
Textiles and Millinery by Giverney – Grace Volrath, BA Fashion Textiles: Embroidery
Photographer: James Rees , Creative Direction: Rob Phillips, Hair: Ezana Ové, Beauty: Kirsty Gaston
Giverney, BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Embroidery, Jay, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development, and Isobel Rose Cook, BA (Hons) Menswear have collaborated to create their collection. The three students talked us through their work and their hopes for the future.
LCF News: Tell us about what you have created for the catwalk…
Giverney Volrath: The catwalk show is a curation of three people’s vision. It’s a story of excitement as we see the line up we’ve been working on becoming 3D. I made a hat out of wood! I didn’t think that would be happening when I started this year!
Jay Biscarra: My concept draws inspiration from the 1950s film “ The Nun’s Story”. The film strongly demonstrates female power and the exploration of women religious in sacred habits, which illustrates a visual reflection of their clothing and personal identity.
GV: Having moved countries during my childhood and having grown up with parents that travelled and family that was from all over, I focused my project on travel. I used a lot of my own photography as a starting point and noticed that I was usually drawn to architectural differences when I was abroad. I started to focus on cultural context and breaking down buildings and structures. What they looked like from a far as a mass, and the intricate details and textures when they were looked at close up. This was the inspiration for my textile collection which was then based around using wood, acrylic and copper.
Isobel Cook: In this collaboration we looked at oversized silhouettes, knots and ties. This inspiration originated from a combination of all our ideas. My idea of oversized silhouettes was from looking at 80s power dressing. Together we harmoniously merged the inspiration to create everything oversized with oversized knots. By combining all our inspirations we created a collection that embodies huge silhouettes and earthy tones and textures.
LCF News: Giverney, your work features a lot of detailing and the use of wood. What techniques did you use to create these pieces?
GV: Yes, I engraved and laser cut my own beads and created 3D interactive embellishments that move and make sounds when placed on the body. Using a lot of the machines available to us had been a huge eye opener and I am in love with using the industrial laser cutter. I want one! I enjoy techniques and refining them, finding new materials to use and how to make them interact with each other.
Image credit: Womenswear by Jay Biscarra, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development, Menswear by Isobel Rose Cook, BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Menswear
Textiles and Millinery by Giverney – Grace Volrath, BA Fashion Textiles: Embroidery
Photographer: James Rees , Creative Direction: Rob Phillips, Hair: Ezana Ové, Beauty: Kirsty Gaston
LCF News: What’s special about your courses?
JB: BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development is more product based compared to Womenswear and Menswear which are more design focused. You get to explore your target market and consumer, which then shapes your design aesthetic.
GV: Becoming a specialist in your chosen domain is very important and a unique aspect of the BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Embroidery course. Some of the techniques we’ve been taught using CAD software is fantastic as we head off into industry. Collaboration and interaction between courses is great too. Getting to know menswear designers really opened my eyes to the menswear industry which I had not taken into consideration before I started at LCF. I now find the menswear market interesting to research and the male silhouette an interesting one to work with.
IC: The tutor’s are amazing. They all are experienced in the industry and are really open to anything you want to create. They’re extremely helpful and are always available to help.
LCF News: So now as you enter the world of work, do you feel ready and what are your ambitions?
JB: I did a placement year at Richard Nicoll and that has given me a real insight into working in the industry. During my time there, I have fully developed my pattern cutting and sewing skills, as well as my communication skills.
IC: Whilst at LCF I also did a work placement at Trine Lindegaard. This was an amazing experience and I personally learnt a lot. This placement taught me a lot about having fun and how to experiment a lot with textiles as her work included beautiful weave’s from Ghana and also amazing embroidery.
GV: Yes, placements were obligatory during our second year, which I thought was an excellent idea. I loved my time during my placement. I worked at the Ralph Lauren London Showroom for 4 months, which I found through the LCF Careers website. The careers advice team are very helpful with CV and cover letter advice. They also were a great help when we had to find placements at forwarding job opportunities that they thought matched your aspirations.
I would like to be entrepreneurial and be starting up on my own. I plan to gain some experience working for others so that I have a good idea of what I want from my business.
- Meet more of the Class of 2015
- The students work will be shown at the BA15 Exhibition, open 8th – 13th June. Find out more.
- BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Embroidery
- BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development
- BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Menswear
- LCF Careers
- Join in on #LCFBA15
- All about LCF BA15 on our channel