Team TASK had the privilege of working with Graduate Fashion Week this year, helping promote and support the new graduating talent of the UK. As the world’s largest showcase of new emerging talent and graduate designers, the 4-day event hosts over 1,500 students and 23 catwalk shows, seeing over 30,000 attendees each June. It was a great initiative to be a part of and everyone at TASK HQ had a blast being involved.
Each day saw inspiring catwalks and VIP talks, but here are some of our personal highlights:
DAY ONE : OPENING!
The front doors to Truman Brewery & the TASK PR hub finally opened and we got to see friends from the media industry! Always great to catch up over Nespresso and Krispy Kremes with Disorder Magazine, Hunger, Business of Fashion, Evening Standard, ASBO, Daily Mail, Financial Times, and Elle Magazine.
Northbrook College Sussex opened GFW with Grecian inspired ladies wear, menswear with pom poms, galaxy themes and cage skirts, corset belts and vokuhila shorts, while Sheffield Hallam University shone with structured denim and oversized bell sleeves, psychedelic hats with eyes, striped paper bag trousers, and fuchsia and lilac colours.
University of Salford was all about city landscape cut-out details, digital moving dots, headgear, all black evening wear, and pop colour grunge, while University of East London featured spikes on headdresses, long fringe accents, exaggerated and exposed cross stitching, androgynous collections, and latex blue and red thigh high boots.
DAY TWO
Arts University of Bournemouth opened Monday with cut-out details, volume skirts, tie dye coats, rust coloured collections, metallic hand painted patterns, and forest-inspired headpieces.
Bath Spa University featured mixed prints and ruffles, voluminous skirts, puff sleeves, long elegant lapels, mix-n-match stripes, quilted coats and graphic slogans, kidswear in neon colours, marbled pattern womenswear silhouettes and oversized defined circular pockets.
Khakis and deep reds, hippy prints, heavy knitwear, asymmetric lines, pink corsets, Britain not Brexit slogans, belts as necklaces, studs, fringing and badges, purple checks, and floaty maxi dresses dominated the catwalk at Liverpool John Moores University.
Henry Holland, in conversation with Hilary Alexander, spoke about his own journey into fashion and how he built his own fashion house, House of Holland, and his subsequent scholarship collaboration with Tu at Sainsbury’s.
UCA Epsom closed the day an 80’s display of chain belts, ruffled collars and pleats and teal, structured capes, men’s unisuits, iridescent overlays, graphic slogans printed on draped dresses, Rapunzel braids, bodysuits with large plastic rings stitched in, dungarees in bold checks, and a floating bridal collection held up by supersized balloons.
DAY THREE
Tuesday saw Norwich University of the Arts displaying big striped sleeves, floral appliques in shades of pink, deconstructed jackets in deep teal, camel and oxblood, velvet dungarees, clean lines, fur trimmed backpacks, latex leggings, geometric laser cut collections, and ribbon ties sleeves.
Daniel Lismore gave an inspiring talk where he discussed life as a living art piece and his newly released book ‘Be Yourself, Because Everyone Else is Taken.’
University of Brighton showed corset waists, wide leg trousers, pussy bow blouses, clashing patterns, headwraps, combinations of leather, velvet and pinstripes, thigh high boots in pink, and pastel swimsuits under jackets.
Ravensbourne showed Wednesday with structured silhouettes, silks, asymmetric black lace, tassels, glitter hoods, veils with polka dots, and knitted shin pads.
DAY FOUR : GRADUATE FASHION WEEK AWARDS DAY!
The closing day was full of familiar faces and fabulous fashion. After the International Show sponsored by Swarovski, Team TASK prepped for the final Gala Show, meeting VIP guests and getting to know our winners! Bubbles from Laurent-Perrier was enjoyed with guests such as Alisha Dixon, Daniel Lismore, Oliver Spencer, Olivia Cox, Henry Holland, Jeff Banks, Paul Sculfor and Myleene Klass.
Halina North of Edinburgh College of Art was announced as the winner of the Christopher Bailey Gold Award, followed by fellow classmate Maddie Williams winning the Catwalk Textiles Award, Irene D’Antonio winning the M&S Womenswear Award, Laura Gillings of Bath Spa University winning the TU at Sainsbury’s Womenswear Scholarship with Henry Holland, and Amy Vanderwel winning the TU at Sainsbury’s Menswear Scholarship with Oliver Spencer.
After a hugely successful event, the TASK Team got together for a celebration of our own, complete with laughs and cheers, saying goodbye to friends in the media and the team at Graduate Fashion Week… for this year!
