Fresh Fashion Collections shine at Museum Show
A dramatic mix of designs drawing upon influences including empowering sportswear for women and surrealist art feature in this year’s Edinburgh College of Art Fashion Show.
The outfits, centring on the showcase of the Graduate students’ final collections, will grace the runway at two catwalk shows at the National Museum of Scotland on Friday 7 June, bringing together the dynamic talent of fashion students of Edinburgh College of Art (ECA).
A mix of voluminous outfits, structured designs from upcycled yarns and fabrics, and breathtaking beaded dresses are some of the highlights of the event, which showcases commercial fashion and boundary- pushing outfits.
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Innovative concepts
The inspiring shows – tickets for which are available to buy via Eventbrite – will feature a range of collections displaying the cutting-edge designs, pioneering techniques and innovative concepts of ECA students.
The annual show is a highlight of Scotland’s fashion calendar and spotlights emerging fashion innovations in womenswear, menswear, knitwear and garment construction.
This year, at the 7.30pm show, a section will feature three collections from the Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation – a joint institute between Donghua University in China and the University of Edinburgh.
The professional catwalk shows will celebrate the creativity of the designers and give a glimpse of what the future of fashion will look like, with collections inspired by the recent National Museum of Scotland’s Beyond the Little Black Dress exhibition, and a collaboration with Lochcarron of Scotland and the V&A Dundee’s Tartan exhibition.
Dramatic collections
Lucy Alice Pearson’s dramatic collection makes a statement about the power and transformative nature of movement with her collection called MOVE. The striking pieces are crafted with sustainability in mind, using reclaimed bicycle inner tubes, rediscovering and repurposing materials into a new form.
Olivia Shearon’s captivating knitwear designs offer a high fashion spin on sportswear to empower women. The collection combines innovative knitwear and exaggerated silhouettes resulting in a timeless capsule collection with garments designed to be adjusted, layered and styled to the customer’s preference.
After exploring her family’s history, Milly Trend was inspired to use her grandmother’s old curtains and other second-hand material to create a collection that pays tribute to her heritage. Using themes of motorcycles and farming in a nod to her past, Milly’s pieces create stunning silhouettes, while exploring how fabric moves and distorts with us when we sleep.
Tian Qiu’s collection explores the concept of marketing tactics on social media and the use of a cloak of secrecy to generate curiosity and interest. Tian’s dramatic pieces use folding and layering combined with knitting and felting patchwork to give different sections of the garments a mismatched look.
The arresting experience of sleep paralysis inspired Elaine Zeng’s dramatic pieces, which use motifs taking inspiration from surrealist art, such as dripping faces and animal skins. Her personal exposure to panic disorders led to her researching dream interpretation theories espoused by Freud.
We are excited to offer audiences the chance to see the incredible work of our students and the new Graduate designers of 2024, including the work of students from the Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation, at the 7.30pm show. We are immensely proud of their dedication, enthusiasm, and ambition in putting their final collections together. We are delighted to see their creativity come to life in the wonderful venue of the National Museum of Scotland.
Fashion teaching at ECA is renowned for fostering creative freedom and design innovation among its students. Those on the programme study brand development, inclusive design, sustainability, and technical and pattern-cutting skills.
Many graduates have gone on to work for the world’s leading fashion houses and to influence all aspects of the industry.
Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation (SCF) was created in 2014 as a joint institute between ECA and Donghua University, Shanghai.
The institute centres around two programmes, fashion innovation and interior design.
Tickets for the ECA Fashion Show can be purchased via Eventbrite.
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