The popular UCLan Fashion Showcase was held on the university’s Preston Campus on Wednesday night.
It featured 11 unique collections created by final year fashion design students, which were modelled by Manchester based Boss models.
Singer, songwriter, fashionista and host of Channel 4’s hit body positivity show Naked Beach, Jsky, also opened this year’s show with a live performance.
Senior Fashion Lecturer Chris Molloy said: “We are absolutely delighted to bring this prestigious event back to Preston as nothing beats seeing the collections on a catwalk.
“We have really missed this event in our calendar and the students have worked incredibly hard to produce these professional, highly personal collections ready to showcase to the public.”
One featured student, Kirsten Torkoniak, who embraced sustainable practices with her designs added: “I am proud of the way my original designs have had very little changes throughout the process and we were always able to find a way to create the look I wanted. The final year had so many challenges and involved a lot of late nights and hard work but I had the best time seeing my designs come to life.”
For the first time, the showcase also featured work from first and second year fashion design students, along with a short film reflecting on the breadth and depth of skills across the university’s fashion courses, highlighting diverse projects created by fashion promotion with marketing, fashion design and textile student
See the 11 showcases, as well as other snaps from the fun night below:
1. Abbie Rossi
My ’Underwater Forests’ collection is inspired by the recent ‘Earth Shot Prize 2021’ where the organisation ‘Coral Vita’ in the Bahamas won the prize for their project that grows coral at speed to replenish damaged reefs. Marine life and coral formations inspire my prints and silhouette direction creating a high summer resort collection for S/S 23. Details including Rimoldi edging in contrast colours mimic the underwater creatures such as sea slugs that bear frilled fins and psychedelic patterns that also feature in my prints. Photo: UCLan
2. Abbie Stephenson
‘Reclaimed Romance’ is a womenswear collection inspired by interior design florals and my Italian ‘Nonna’ Luisa who moved to the UK from Italy in the 1950s. Way back then my Nonna was being thrifty and sustainable by repurposing garments and her efforts to reduce waste runs in my blood today. She was bold and courageous, therefore I wanted my collection to represent her by featuring exaggerated sleeves and vibrantly floral prints including a personally designed painterly black floral print inspired by a dress my Nonna wore in the 50s. Photo: UCLan
3. Eve Manning
My collection is a study of repetitive curvaceous shapes repeated and built up by layering and contorting these forms to create seductive outfits. A slightly contemporary gothic mood is the underlining aesthetic, that empowers the wearer to feel confident and in control. Black film is inserted into the shapes creating a ‘modern glamour’ look with a futuristic twist, great for standing out at nightfall. Photo: UCLan
4. Fatima Desai
The inspiration for my final collection crosses over two contrasting ideas. The first is an unlikely starting point, which is my inspirational grandmother’s medical condition, lymphedema, a condition she refuses to hold her back, and the second is a prized family heirloom an unusual onyx jug. These two elements have influenced my silhouettes, design details and embellishments. My colour palette explores a diverse range of skin tones injected with deep teal and mustard accents to create a directional palette. Photo: UCLan