Victor Pastor Olivares, MA Fashion Design Technology Menswear, is next up in our Graduate Spotlight series and our first Menswear student. Victor’s final collection will feature alongside 9 other students at the MA Menswear Catwalk show, which will be live streamed from the LCF website on 8th January 2016. Here Victor tells us about his inspiration, future plans and advice for potential students.
Photography by Felix Cooper and styling by Anders Sølvsten Thomsen.
Tell us about your final collection?
My collection is based on my fascination with the extraordinary transformations of birds of paradise and inspired by the three states of mind: conscious, unconscious and subconscious. My design explores the combination of integrated technologies such as bounding, laser cutting, printing, knitting (by computerised Stoll machine) and synthetic dyeing. All of these technologies have interacted to create my final product. Consequently, faulty printing and burnt edges have been allowed, since they are a key evidence of my creative process.
Where did you study prior to your MA at LCF?
I come from a family of seamstresses and embroiderers and when I was younger I would destroy and change my clothes. My mother didn’t want me doing these bad things so she put me on a 4 year course covering the five sections of pattern cutting and garment making including, block patterns, dressmaking, tailoring, lingerie and corsetry. I then did a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design in Valencia, after which I gained a lot of experience in the industry around the world in roles such as garment technologist, Sample Machinist and designer. I then decided to come to LCF to first study the Post-Graduate Diploma in Fashion Design & Garment Technology and I then went onto the MA course after that.
Reflecting back on your MA what would be your top three tips to students thinking about doing the course?
Have patience
Be strong and believe in yourself
There isn’t a better place than LCF to do your MA so go for it!
Why did you choose LCF and MA Fashion Menswear?
LCF is one of the oldest fashion institutions in the UK, and London gives you a very strategic point for fashion. You are in between New York, Paris and Italy so its a key place to be. You can be in touch and network with all the fashion capitals.
LCF also gives you great access to valuable technical resources such as machinery and software, if you come knowing a little bit about the industry and the making process you realise how fantastic these resources really are. There are amazing people here at LCF who are always helpful, I have been able to work with the knitwear and print technicians and they really helped me develop my collection.
What have you found the most enjoyable parts of your course? And what have you found the most challenging?
My final collection was the most enjoyable part of the course as its the accumulation of 18 months hard work and learning. the summer was very special to me as I was working very hard on my collection and making it real. For me the beginning and the middle were also very interesting as it is when I really explored ideas and experimented.
The most challenging thing is to be individual and stepping away from current trends to create my own vision … but I succeeded!
What was your favorite thing about studying in London?
I have always loved London. I used to visit for gigs and events and then my friend had a room free in London so I knew it was meant to be. London is mix with so many different people from different areas of the world, this is really important and inspiring for me. Just being in a coffee shop you can see so many different types of people, from different nationalities wearing different looks/trends/colours etc. I find this remarkable as no one is surprised and everyone does what they want, everybody lives together in peace and it is really nice. Coming from a smaller place I find this very refreshing and beautiful.
Have you won any prizes?
I was awarded the Harold Tillman scholarship and without this I would not have been able to complete the course so I am very thankful for this opportunity.
Before studying at LCF I won 1st prize at the Modorra Fashion Festival, Bilbao in October 2005 for the Best winter Collection and I was asked to speak at Monterrey Design Week, Mexico in 2007.
Have you undertaken any work experience or done a placement whilst at LCF?
I spent 4 years in London before I came to LCF and worked at various brands as a designer and garment technologist. Since studying at LCF, I have been working hard on my course so didn’t have too much time for work but I interned with Ryan Lo as a machinist as well as helping out backstage. I also helped with design workshops at the Design Museum with my fellow student Bethany Williams.
Describe your work in five words…
Fresh, spontaneous, ironic, optimistic and cheeky.
Do you have a muse? If so, who and why?
Music inspires me.
What are your future plans and how do you think the course will help you to realise these plans?
I would like to find a job within a big menswear brand to improve my skills as well as learn from experience within the structure of a company.
- Watch the Menswear live stream 8/01/16 10:30GMT
- Find out more about MA Fashion Design Technology Menswear
- Find out more about other postgraduate courses available at LCF
- Read other MA16 Graduate Spotlight interviews
- Follow Victor on Twitter and Instagram
- #LCFMA16 on Twitter and Instagram
- Photography by Felix Cooper and styling by Anders Sølvsten Thomsen