“IT’S NEVER THAT COMMON TO MEET SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT NAMES FROM THE INDUSTRY IN COLLEGE AND HEAR THEIR DIRECT FEEDBACK.”
Graham talks us through the experiences the mass audience would never get a glimpse of: “The conversations I had with the judges at the finals were incredibly valuable. After all, it is never that common to meet some of the most prominent names from the industry in college and hear their direct feedback. It was particularly lovely to chat with Lucinda Chambers (Fashion Director at British Vogue); with Luella Bartley (designer from label Hillier Bartley who formerly led Marc by Marc Jacobs) about the creativity amongst the design process, with Tommy Ton (photographer) about what’s most photogenic of the collection, and with Justin O’Shea (Buying Director of MyTheresa.com) about the commercial viability of particular pieces. They were all conversations that I found incredibly useful when it comes to my design in the future.”
When we asked him about the terms ‘wearability’ and ‘commerciality’ after he had just finished his masters degree, he said “I feel that both elements are undeniably important for shaping up a business,” and that ethos has taken him far. The competition is on a global scale and one of the most important things that comes with that is the press recognition, which Graham reckons is always crucial to have as a new designer. Press or no press, the opinion of the public is what mattered most in the end. After the collection was completed, a poll was set up on the H&M website so that a worldwide audience could select their favourite collections and democratically vote which designs would make it to the stores. (However, H&M does not own any of the designs made by the finalists.)
The designs of Graham’s AW15 collection are, in his own words, a continuation of his MA, which used a plethora of experimental fabrics like elastic fish wire, recycled PVC strips and metallic plastic chords. He now further explores and develops his materials and in contrast to that shiny collection which sometimes resembled woven cassette tapes, this one is purposefully done in a much brighter tone and a lighter finishing. “Silhouette-wise, it is more effortless and streamlined,” he says, and explains that as a new designer he is hoping to build upon the materials he previously sourced and developed, to create something more ‘serene and desirable’ than his previous work. That does not mean a radical change, as “there is still a lot of experimenting going on when I pull the ideas together.”