Reflecting on our recent postgraduate showcases
- Written byLondon College of Fashion
- Published date 24 January 2023
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With the turn of the new year, LCF Postgraduate Class of 2023 is finally around the corner, and promises to be one of our most memorable postgraduate shows yet. Hosted as part of the official London Fashion Week schedule for the second year running, we are thrilled to welcome audiences from all over the globe from 17 – 19 February at The Truman Brewery, 83 Brick Lane, E1 6QL . In preparing for this year’s showcase, we took a dive into the archives to reflect on some of LCF’s previous postgraduate shows. With LCF moving to a new campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in September 2023, this will be the final year that the postgraduate show is hosted at the Truman Brewery. Let’s send it off with a bang!
2022
Last year’s show was the first time LCF had featured on London Fashion Week’s schedule, presenting our graduate’s exceptional work on the world stage. This show was hosted at Victoria House Basement, in Bloomsbury Square. The show was unique for us during the pandemic as it was also the first hybrid show – where audiences could simultaneously view student work in person and online. You can watch the catwalk show here.
22 designers presented their final collections. Guests flooded the venue and the front row was filled with press and industry, including Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush, The Face Magazine, i-D Magazine and a number of TikTok stars.
We took the best of what we learnt about digital showcasing during the pandemic, and interwove this with a very human, material experience forming an enduring legacy across our channels.
This show featured a variety of work, with some pieces centring zero-waste consumption (biomaterial accessories and zero-waste pattern cut fabrics) and digitisation (neoprene fabrics and immersive technologies).
2021
The class of 2021 were unique, in that this cohort were the first of their level to graduate in such extraordinary circumstances. This two-week showcase was hosted entirely online, with the School of Media and Communication launching an immersive digital platform in collaboration with Twomuch Studio, to host an array of projects curated into three distinct areas - film and photography, costume design, and communication. Each area was designed to create an interactive experience for the viewer, reflecting an innovative approach to design, allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in the work, connecting more deeply to each project at a time when connection was particularly important.
Some of the key themes explored this year included: activism and change, reclaiming of heritage and redefining identity.
Using the Sphere platform, an experimental digital alternative to a physical showcasing event. Visitors can view lots of work together, but also choose an item and zoom in to high levels of detail.
2020
Taking place just before the COVID pandemic saw the UK placed under lockdown, LCF celebrated its 2020 postgraduate show on 13 February 2020, hosting the catwalk in the iconic surroundings of the Roundhouse. The front row included alumna and menswear star Bethany Williams, womenswear designer and alumnus Hasan Hejazi, and TV presenter Laura Whitmore.
20 designers across both womenswear and menswear presented their final collections. And some of the key themes explored included cultural identity, sustainability, and gender representation.
Looking forward to 2023
It’s been a historic run for LCF, bouncing between in-person, digital-only, and hybrid shows, but we’re immensely proud of our students each year. From 17 February 2023 attendees can view and experience work from our three world-leading schools representing how London College of Fashion students look beyond the traditional notions of fashion to imagine a new future.
Whilst we are saddened to say goodbye to hosting our postgraduate showcases at some of these incredible venues, we are also incredibly excited to venture outside of LCF’s walls with a bang this year. Plans are well underway to make this a truly phenomenal show.
- Visit the LCF Postgraduate Class of 2023
- Visit the UAL Graduate Showcase
- What’s on at LCF: open days and events