new designers | HAWTHORNE & HEANEY

Every June, Islington’s Business Design Centre plays host to some of the most exciting offerings this years graduates have to bring in the New Designers Exhibition Part 1. Hawthorne and Heaney went down to see what it was all about this year and to bring you the most exciting pieces. With the show split into sections where each university champions their best students, there is plenty to see.

Nottingham Trent University exhibited some work from students such as Hannah Croft of Muuna. Her work has a beautiful crystalline quality as she blurs the line between minerals and fabric fusing them together. She combines practises from her experience as an embroidery and woven designer to create these visually intriguing pieces.

There was also work by Josey Mendez who works predominately with CAD embroidery and fabric manipulation to create this collection which she exhibited called ‘Movement of Nature’ which is inspired by the contrast of shorelines.

Rosamund Hanny has produced a very beautiful collection of samples which include pages technique, CAD and ombre tassels to create these elegant installations which traverse art, textile design and fashion. Featured were pieces from her award winning collection ‘Wings and Feathers’ as well as a piece from her anticipated new collection ‘Fins and Scales’. Inspired by the natural world, Hanny’s work is underpinned by a strong ethical design philosophy. Incorporating environmentally conscious processes such as exhaust dyeing, along with up-cycled materials including vintage wedding dress silks

‘Wings and Feathers is a textile art installation inspired by the vibrancy and fragility of nature. The work synchronises traditional and contemporary techniques to create overworked and innovative textile pieces, incorporating digital and hand embroidery, sublimation printing and exhaust dyeing.’

Another designer who stood out from the One Year On section was Alice Wheatley of ‘This is Alice’ . Her glass wear pieces have an other worldly quality with their body parts captured in the glass which is both intriguing and unsettling.

‘This is a concept installation, a reflection of entrapment. This is indiscriminate and indifferent, a fateful episode. This is suppressed and secreted, an estrangement from being. This is an existence, a life with consequences. This is a restriction and confinement, a history of forgotten and forsaken people. This is somebody else’s life, a moment, take a look. This is Alice.’

The new designers exhibition is only on for a few days each year so make sure you watch out for the window of opportunity to see the collection while it is on. The best of luck to all the new graduates which showed and well done! We are already looking forward to next year…

As the academic year is coming to an end, Central Saint Martins, a college in University of the Arts London have hosted their whole school degree show. The university has been transformed into exhibition rooms presenting a small selection of every student’s final collection.

CSM Degree Shows 2016

Each department have presented their work in an appropriate way from glamorous fairy lights in BA Jewellery design to sturdy pieces of scaffolding in BA Fashion. Some stunning examples of embroidery were presented from the BA Fashion students, and as expected all collections portrayed real hard work and creativity to be individual and stand out from the crowd.

BA Fashion – CSM Degree Shows 2016

Fashion student finalist Santiago Garcia Trias featured sequin embroidery heavily in his final collection forming very complicated areas of handmade sequins of all colours and textures.

Garment Close up – Santiago Garcia Trias – CSM Degree Shows 2016

A wide range of materials have been used to create this unusual surface for example metallic paint has been applied over the sequins to create an extra sheen. Santiago has contrasted the highly embellished areas with black silicone and rubber to create the structure of the garment. The close up above is a section of one of his works featuring a range of distorted summer florals. Each garment in his collection has a floral element, the emphasis on the contrast between busy embellishment plain dark fabric helps to emphasise the detail in the embroidery.

Santiago Garcia Trias – CSM Degree Shows 2016

Many of the students have chosen to concentrate on unusual techniques in their projects. Textile Design finalist Molly McAndrew has based her project on woven beadwork and tapestry weaving developing a range of samples using crystal beads from collection sponsors, Swarovski.

Exhibition Space – Molly McAndrew – CSM Degree Show 2016

The fashion accessory collection explores ‘The Adventures of Neko Chan and Gingham Man’ taking real inspiration from people in Japan. The geometric nature of the woven beadwork really creates an innocence and simplicity to the pieces in the collection and it is clear to see that the main influence is Japanese manga art in various forms. A very justifiable collection of work appreciating the laborious yet honourable work of an artisan.

Visualization – Molly McAndrew – CSM Degree Show 2016

As well as delicate intricate work catching the public’s eye throughout the exhibition CSM’s degree shows had a wide range of bold colourful pieces. Jina Park really explored the concept of large handmade sequin work throughout all of the garments in her final BA Fashion collection.

Jina Park – CSM Degree Show 2016

A wide range of paper materials have been used to create this heavily embellished neck piece. She has duplicated the same motif in a range of sizes and colours and used it throughout the collection.

Jina Park – CSM Degree Show 2016

Jina has made the sequins out of a reflective materials which really has really helped with portraying movement and fluidity in such big accessories. To see more garments from her collection visit www.jinapark.co.uk

By Philippa Martin

Hawthorne & Heaney on New Designers

Hawthorne& Heaney on CSM BA 2016