Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
LONDON, United Kingdom — Central Saint Martins is the most famous fashion school in the world. That is why, every February, the MA graduate show takes up a spot on the official London Fashion Week schedule – and it's also the reason that press, headhunters, buyers, stylists, photographers, educators and every fashion student in the world looks to the show to see what the crème de la crème come up with this year.
Well, it was full of ideas, to say the least. Satisfyingly, two of the best designers in the line-up won the top prize from L'Oréal. Stefan Cooke's trompe l'oeil basics were anything but. From afar, the garments appeared to be straightforward prints in simple shapes. Upon closer inspection, strips of printed elastane were crisscrossed into a basket weaves and re-pieced with the effect of slight distortion. The technique culminated in lithely cut clothes that self-consciously projected an image of something different from what it was; leggings woven from denim-printed splices, for example, cleverly riffed on the idea of a digital image on an intricately constructed garment, and familiar motifs turned into something uncannily transformed. The flat, two-dimensional quality was offset by layers of thought and process, sort of like a technological device – an i-Phone or laptop, for instance – whilst the Lycra-like fabric was an apt nod to the current global craze for athleisure wear.
Cooke’s co-winner, Gabriele Skucas’s collection began with a black wool New Look pleated skirt and cream Brontë blouse, but hang on, isn’t she supposed to be a knitwear designer, we wondered? What followed was an artful variation of a singular theme, with highly technical and nuanced renditions of the waist-cinched look in crochet and fine-gauge knits. Skucas’s reference wasn’t actually Monsieur Dior, but rather her own conservative heritage, which added to its weighted charm. Essentially, this was a feat of extraordinary technical ability. How difficult it must have been to knit pleats that swing with movement yet retain such crispness! The utter simplicity and masterful grasp of Skucas stood head and shoulders above the prevailing Gvasalia-isms and hackneyed tinsel-cum-bodysuit creations elsewhere — an exemplary audition for a role on a truly innovative design team.
Other highlights included Li Gong’s streamlined menswear, which consisted of perfectly boxy jackets and panelled trousers that elongated the silhouette to Schiele proportions. Gong was clearly interested in English hunting garb, as seen in her sweeping red coat and the stirrups that provided gravity to the lengthening trousers, which also featured cleverly placed panels and strips to slim the leg and create a flattering illusion. That’s the kind of sartorial trick women have had at their disposal for decades – it was nice to see such clever design being offered for men.
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Overall, however, this year's CSM line-up felt somewhat disjointed and the prevailing sense of irony felt passé. In a political landscape that is bleak and extreme, the risk of appearing insincere is higher than ever. Many of the 16 shortlisted designers out of a class of 30 seemed to have been selected not for talent and technique, but rather for attention-grabbing statements. This is a missed opportunity for complete autonomy of expression when graduating from an esteemed creative institution like CSM.
It may always be the case that some outshine others in a group show, but perhaps the more obviously lacklustre looks will act as a caution to young designers: what can be intended to subvert can sometimes equate to the very values it seeks to criticise.
