De Montfort University fashion graduate Hazel Symons scooped the
prestigious Christopher Bailey Gold Award by Oracle at the 2016 Graduate
Fashion Week awards gala show, for her monochrome collection of tailored
pieces that were bolted rather than sewn.
Symons, beat off a strong line-up of the best 25 graduate fashion
collections, which included designs from Northumbria University, Kingston
University, Nottingham Trent University, Bath Spa University, Arts
University Bournemouth, University of Salford, University for the Creative
Arts Epsom, Edinburgh College of Art, as well as collections from her
fellow graduates at De Montfort University.
For her impressive womenswear collection, which was praised for its
innovation, as well playful style by Burberry’s creative director
Christopher Bailey who presented her with her award, she wins 10,000
pounds. In addition, Symons also picked up the Creative Catwalk accolade.
This year’s judging panel for the top prize including designers
Christopher Raeburn, Gareth Pugh, Giles Deacon, and Sophie Hulme.
The event also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the annual showcase,
which has helped launch the careers of designers including Stella
McCartney, Giles Deacon, Matthew Williamson and Julien Macdonald, as well
as Bailey, who showed his first collection during the 1992 Graduate Fashion
Week and was named the first recipient of the Gold Award, which is now
named after him.
To celebrate the milestone they honoured the founders of the charity
organisation Jeff Banks, Vanessa Denza, and John Walford with Lifetime
Achievement Awards, as well as showcasing the four new patrons, Bailey,
Dame Vivienne Westwood, who were both in attendance, as well as Victoria
Beckham and Nick Knight. In addition, George at Asda were presented with a
Special Recognition Award for all their support of the graduate showcase
over the years.
Other awards given on the night included the Marks and Spencer’s
Womenswear Award, which was presented to Quivvei Jiang from the University
for the Creative Arts Epsom, for her surreal, illusion collection. She also
picked up a cash prize of 5,000 pounds.
The Menswear Award sponsored by Debenhams was given to Caoimhe Savage
from Kingston University for her collection that judges felt had “immediate
catwalk impact” and “great use of colour” for her bold, oversized
fisherman’s inspired pieces. Savage also took home a cash prize of 5,000
pounds.
The N Brown Textile Award was presented to Chloe Jackson of Nottingham
Trent for her playful and colourful collection, while the Matalan Visionary
Knitwear Award went to Kendall Baker from Nottingham Trent University for
her “outstanding, technical” collection that combined crochet machine
knitting and embroidery.
The first Tu at Sainsbury’s Scholarship Award went to Northumbria
University’s Genevieve Devine, who wins a year-long scholarship working
with the supermarket clothing brand, as well as a year-long mentorship from
designer Holly Fulton and the Sainsbury’s design team who will work with
her on creating a spring 2017 collection.
The George Catwalk to Store Award, which recognises collections that
could easily be sold straight away, was presented to George Hollins from
Arts University Bournemouth, who impressed judges with his “creativity and
commercialised” approach to his designs, as well as his understanding of
the menswear market.
The Childrenswear Award, sponsored by Mothercare, returned to the gala
show after a few years absence with Salford University’s Sinead Blagbrough
taking home the accolade for her “attention to colour, designer and
innovation,” while the International Catwalk Competition was won by Amesh
Wijesekera of the Academy of Design in Sri Lanka.
There were a number of exhibition awards given, including the Vivienne
Westwood Ethical Award won by Fiona Cartmel from Edinburgh College of Art,
the ICG Accessories Award was given to Lorn Jean of Edinburgh College of
Art, who also scooped the Boohoo Fashion Innovation accolade for his
“mathematical approach to design,” and the Lipsy Red Carpet went to Antonia
Nae of the University of East London.
Other winners included Alice Potts from Norwich University of the Arts
who won the David Band Textiles Award, while Emily Bunch from the
University of Leeds received the Karen Millen Portfolio Award, and Betsan
Evans from De MontfortUniversity won the Boux Avenue Lingerie and Swimwear
Award.
The Oracle Fashion Technology Award was given to Alex Hughes of
Northbrook College Sussex, while the Fashion Marketing Award went to Nuala
Convery from Northumbria University, and the Barclays New Business Award to
Danielle Reynolds of the University of Brighton.
The Little Black Dress Fashion Photography Award went to Erika Bowes
from Northumbria University, while the stand award was given to Sheffield
Hallam University, and Mia Edie Roberts from the University of Central
Lancashire won the Very Fashion Styling and Creative Direction Award, and
Vanessa Cuffy from the University for the Creative Arts Epsom took home the
New Media Award.
The Sophie Hallette University Design Challenge also joined Graduate
Fashion Week proceedings for the first time, naming Salford University’s
Anum Rasul’s collection as the best to include lace and tulle.
Images: Danielle Wightman-Stone of Hazel Symons and Quivvei Jiang’s
collections