Interesting times lie ahead for graduating fashion students and the Universities they leave behind. The job market quite frankly sucks so internships are often the only way forward, Universities have to change the way they operate because of funding cuts, and students have to become fiercer, more individual marketers to get ahead and secure a job. 

This week, Helen, Millie and Jill from Sense Worldwide went to visit the final day of Graduate Fashion Week held at Earl’s Court. This year George at Asda, following River Island and Topshop who held the slot before them, sponsors the event. Make what you will of that. I have my own thoughts on George at Asda and the link you can make between a trend for commercial graduate designs, spoon-feeding (or eating, whichever way you look at it) in education and fewer visitors at the show. It’s a real shame, because it can be such a fantastic event. It’s still a great finish for hard working students at the end of a tough 4 years, but for the visitor, this time there wasn’t much to see.

We had a few favourite pieces of work, including a range of teas designed alongside a home wares collection by a Northumbria Fashion Marketing student. It’s already a fully operational business being sold online and in Fenwick. Around the show there were also lovely adventure inspired childrenswear collections, exciting textiles and some fantastic fashion graphics projects.

It’s clear to see that students are increasingly embracing the opportunity to use new technologies in their work, demonstrated by a neat trend for laser cut textiles and inventive digitally printed designs. The best textiles were experimental, fusing unusual fabrics such as latex with flocking, or combining digital technologies with traditional silkscreen methods.

What we thought was interesting was that whilst some of the work tended towards ‘costume futuristic’, the display of the collections was often nostalgic. Caravans and bunting and giant birdhouses, for example. 

It was an inspirational event to visit, but I did leave feeling a little sad. I feel for the students and Universities who now more than ever have to whore themselves out to clients, dampening free thinking with high street ready collections, during what should be the most experimental and innovative, restriction free days of their lives. 

I wonder how can we ensure that gaining business understanding and creative commerciality doesn’t cloud the importance of creative liberation at University…? Thoughts on a postcard…