Best of UEL creative talent on show at Graduate Fashion Week
Thursday 21 May 2009
Fifteen talented final year Fashion Design students at the University of East London's (UEL) School of Architecture and Visual Arts (AVA) will be showing off their stunning individual collections at Graduate Fashion Week which runs from 7 - 11 June at Earls Court.
The students were chosen after displaying their collections before a panel and now have the chance to participate at the high profile event, which showcases the very best of student design from around the UK.
The event includes over 50 of the top fashion and textile universities in the UK and overseas, and features a static exhibition and two theatres hosting 20 shows over four days. It finishes with the Gala Fashion Shows and Awards on Wednesday June 10th.
In previous years, UEL students have won prizes and in 2007, student Kelly Shaw’s garments were bought by Victoria Beckham after she judged a gala show.
Attendees at the show include talent scouts, photographers, journalists and buyers from around the world as well as the students' families, tutors and friends. Over the years Graduate Fashion Week has launched the careers of pioneering British designers such as Stella McCartney, Hussein Chalayan and Julien Macdonald.
Julie O'Sullivan, Senior Lecturer at the School of AVA, said: "I'm delighted to see such a wonderful variety of collections going through to Graduate Fashion Week this year. Our students have worked incredibly hard and it's great to see them so excited about showcasing their designs, I wish them all the success at the show!"
One selected student, Sarah Seaton Burridge, 22, from Senrab Street, E1, has already gained entry into the prestigious Royal College of Arts starting in September this year where she will start studying for a Masters in women's wear. Sarah said: "It's unbelievable that I've been selected for the Royal College, I didn't expect it and I'm really looking forward to it."
AVA Fashion Design is renowned as one of the best programmes in the UK and the School also has an exhibition stand where portfolios are on display for graduating students. UEL has excellent links in the fashion industry and is a leading University for Fashion and Textiles. For further information visit www.uel.ac.uk/ava
Students exhibiting their designs at Graduate Fashion Week this year include:
Ayroza Dobson, 23, from York Close, Beckton. Ayroza is studying BA Hons Fashion Design with Marketing. Her collection is called 'All the small things' and focuses on items like postcards and badges and making them into bigger designs, such as her badge dress. Ayroza said: "I'm really happy that I've been selected for Graduate Fashion Week, it's a great opportunity to present my collection and I feel as if all my efforts have been rewarded."
Balvinder Chawla, 25, from Browning Road in Manor Park. Her collection is called 'Desolate dolls.' Balvinder said: "The collection was inspired by porcelain dolls that I found in a skip in Deptford. I took one home for inspiration and decided that a collection based on that theme would be really interesting."
Caelie Jones, 22, from Senrab Street, Stepney. Caelie said: "My collection is called 'Toasted' and largely relates to the prints within the collection - all of which were developed from pictures of my kitchen. My inspiration was taken from Industrial Britain in the 1980's and the beginning of the digital age."
Sarah Seaton Burridge, 22, from Senrab Street, Stepney. Sarah said: "My collection is called 'Brothers and Beasts' and my themes are based on child soldiers and fairytales and the mixture of the innocent and the sinister. Oversized, dragged down silhouettes are taken from the scale of adults clothing when worn by child soldiers."
Louise Marie Rhodes, 24, from Bow Rd. Louise said: "My collection is called 'One round Jack' and it's inspired by 1920's Menswear. It includes men's fabrics for women's wear with sharp, hard-edged seam lines. My aim was to be part of Graduate Fashion Week when I started the course so I'm really pleased to be selected."
All the students quoted are in their final year of studying BA Hons Fashion Design and Marketing.
Ends.
UEL Press office contact: 0208 223 6239 or 07595 056245
Notes to Editors
The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 23,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.
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