Xiaoping Huang
Words by MPDClick’s Runway Editor.
Over the last week, thirty nine universities from across the UK have come together at Graduate Fashion Week to showcase the up and coming designers of 2012. Over 1000 applicants and 20,000 visitors were on site for the prestigious week making it the most successful year to date. Yesterday saw GFW come to a close along with the much anticipated Gala show.
As with every year, MPDClick were on hand to cover the best of the best at 2012’s Gala Show and this year was no disappointment. The room quickly filled with a prestigious line-up of judges including Daphne Guinness, Suzy Menkes, Matthew Williamson along with many others filled the front row to assess this year’s nominees.
This year was too an exceptionally high standard showcasing collections of both womenswear and menswear. The most covetable award of the night, the £20,000 George Gold Award was presented to Chloe Jones of Bath Spa University who’s pagan style silhouettes crossed with nineties sportswear stole the show. Other awards were also presented throughout the evening where Chloe Jones also scooped up the overall womenswear award. Riona Horrox of Edinburgh College of Art took the Menswear award and Fiona Xiaoping Huang from UCLAN won the Zandra Rhodes Textiles award. Bold colour and creative detail won the International Award taken by Karen Jesson of ESMOD Berlin, the knitwear award was jointly won by Josianne Propp from Manchester and Caitlin Charles Jones of Kingston University, whilst Sarah Murphy of Northumbria was awarded the Ethical Award.
There is no doubt this year was an extremely exciting place to be for both the students and visitors with no doubt that things are only going to get better for the students and their exciting future careers.
Click here for more information on the night and Graduate Fashion Week.
-K.B
Amy Holden
Josh O’Sullivan
Caitlin Charrles Jones
James Waalker
