On Wednesday evening, London’s fashion set descended on Granary Square for the Central Saint Martins BA graduate show. The event serves as the unofficial kick off of London Fashion Week, and more importantly it’s an opportunity for emerging creatives to showcase their work before some of the biggest players in the industry. This year, the person presenting the L’Oréal Professionnel award was industry titan Danial Lee, Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer.
And the graduates didn’t disappoint: from Margiela-style umbrella hats to cardboard looking trenches and sculptural looks made for Erykah Badu. These were the show's standout designers:
Myah Hasbany
Winner of the L’Oreal Prize, Myah Hasbany’s collection was based on a story she read about a UFO that crashed in a small town in Texas, their home state. Fittingly, it was otherworldly, rich in preternatural proportions (with one look designed for Badu, who they’ve been collabing with for years) and space-reminiscent mouth pieces.
Isobel Dickens
Womenswear designer Isobel Dickens’ collection was an ode to childhood, inspired by the creative's return to her childhood home, when she found it demolished. The line featured bright blue wellies, baby pinks and fish cut outs—a sculptural ode to childhood nostalgia.
Hannah Smith
Hannah Smith was the first runner up for the L’Oreal Prize. Her inclusively-cast show was more femme: an apparenty witchy ode to nature and the occult, ft. dream-catcher-like hats, tie dye, and models carrying bouquets.
Matthew David Andrews
Matthew David Andrew’s collection was giving Margiela. “One of the collections that inspired the use of the water on the runway was Margiela Spring 2006. Dye was put into ice cubes and strung around the necks of the models as necklaces - paired with white dresses the dye began to stain the dresses and the ice started to melt on the runway,” he told us of his inspiration.
Luke Hemingway
Like Heminway’s menswear collection was streetwear on steroids, serving up baggy cargo pants, deconstructed jackets, and balaclavas. The highlight (and moment that most lent itself to virality), however, was a model emerging down the runway with a cardboard robot tucked under his arm.
Ayham Hassan
The second runner up was Palestinian designer Ayham Hassan, who's collection was an ode to Palestine and featured cross stitch embroidery by eight women living in the West Bank.
Zainab Mansary
Daphne Guinness scholar Mansary’s graduate collection, titled “His reflection is Blue” was more wearable than most. The designer eschewed stunts in favour of puffer jackets adorned with loose wool, and bold blue prints on silk suits referencing Sierra Leone.
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