The university’s most exciting and innovative fashion event is almost here and it’ll soon be time to see what Lincoln’s fashion students have hiding away in Thomas Parker House this year.
The third year’s collections set to hit the runway on Friday, May 20th are as diverse and spectacular as ever before, with influences ranging from Norwegian fairy tales to Mexican festivals.
This will be the fashion department’s 4th annual catwalk show taking place in the Engine Shed which, student Abigail Tonge promises, will be ‘loud and lively’.
Lecturer Victoria Bellandini explained last year that students were to create contemporary, wearable garments but, explains Abigail, that’s not on the agenda this year.
“Although a lot of this year’s collections are wearable, for me that’s just not how I design, that’s not how I work. I like to be a bit out there, a bit over the top!” she says.
Abigail’s final collection “Gilty Teese” draws inspiration from three main themes, the Mexican festival “Day of the Dead”, ‘the rocky, tattooed look’ and 1950’s beauty ideals.
“’Day of the dead’ inspired the colours I’ve used … it’s pretty mental, and I’ve used the tattooed, rocky look especially when it comes to hairstyles with 1950s inspired silhouettes,” she explains.
Her collection promises to be edgy and out of the ordinary, “I didn’t want to do a fashion course to redesign Topshop … I’m hoping my collection wakes people up a bit,” she says.
The students have been envisioning and designing their collections since September last year but only started making their final pieces just three months ago, “It’s been hard work. I can’t believe I’ve done it!” says student Becky Bales on her collection “From Dusk till Dawn.”
Unlike Abigail, Becky, 21 has opted for more natural, classic colours in her collection inspired by the reflections and shadows created by a sunset, “oranges, browns and purples … it’s a really warm and cosy collection” she explains.
“I started looking at the stripes created in the sky and the reflections created by trees … a collar on one of my jackets stands up to represent the sunset.” Overall, Becky says she has worked with ‘about 16 to 17 fabrics’ in her winter collection including sheep skin and fur.
Another student who experimented with different fabrics is 20-year-old Amy Wright, who says “I looked at Topshop Unique last year, but that was all greens and browns; I wanted to do something more pretty and folk style … I’ve even got a pair of trousers made out of pig suede.”
Amy’s collection “Norske Eventyr” is inspired by a Norwegian folktale which promises to look ‘magical’ on the catwalk.
Lecturer Victoria Bellandini says that the fashion show is a ‘very important event’ for the students, “we have three awards this year, one from Debenhams, one from The Hub at Sleaford and one from David Nieper at Alfreton … it’s quite important having people from the industry come in because students do get jobs from these sorts of relationships.”
As for any comment on the show itself, Bellandini says: “Well, you will just have to wait and see!”