From CJ Tuke‘s schoolgirl take on the twins from The Shining, to Marina Patalano‘s inflatable accessories, the Westminster BA Fashion show served plenty of Instagram-worthy moments. But there were also more understated highlights, including Steven Stokey-Daley‘s romantic interpretation of English public school culture, which featured donated archival fabrics from Alexander McQueen. In a time when sustainable practice is playing on every fashion designer’s mind, it’s nice to see an established house proudly sharing their resources with young designers, simultaneously easing the financial burden of producing a final collection on the students and easing the strain of new material production on the planet.
As well as forging links with established houses, this year, Westminster are taking steps to support students beyond graduation. AW20 marks their third time showing as part of the London Fashion Week schedule and their first time occupying a showroom space in Paris. “This will allow those that wish to build their own brands to develop early relationships with international buyers and stockists prior to their graduation in June,” explained Professor Andrew Groves.
While course leaders are contemplating their students’ futures, the designers themselves were trawling the past for inspiration. Hannah Sosna presented a refined and playful take on menswear, accentuating her tailored collection with the faded geometric colour blocks of 1960s TV test cards. Meanwhile, Fennuala Butterfield explored 1970s kitsch and Karolina Brown went back even further. Her embellished and embroidered garments sung with the opulence of 19th Century masquerade balls.
Meet the Westminster BA Fashion class of 2020.