Have a look at catwalk of the future

Published on Thursday 11 May 2006 12:08

BRIMMING with directional and inspirational fashions, it could easily have been a catwalk show from the inaugural Edinburgh International Fashion Festival. But this time around the designs sashaying down the runway were truly home-grown - and created by students.

This week, guests at the annual Edinburgh College of Art fashion shows will get a sneak preview of the style stars of tomorrow, as the Capital's 2006 graduates unveil their latest designs.

"Fashion-wise, the standard of work is exceptionally high and it's the best of Scottish design talent on the catwalk," says Robert Gillan, head of fashion at ECA.

"Eleven fashion students are graduating this year and we're proud to be the only Scottish fashion department to be selected to show on the catwalk at London's Graduate Fashion Week in June."

Anita Barry wowed the crowd with her collection of powerful yet feminine clothing, taking inspiration from the work of photographers Helmut Newton and Corinne Day.

The result was sharply dressed, alluring and striking creations including a sexy black satin cocktail dress with contrasting pinstripe wool top, low slung pinstripe cigarette pants teamed with braces and a masculine shirt, sleek trouser suits and a statement faux fur coat interwoven with black wool.

White luxurious coats, cream trouser suits and intricately detailed jackets and coats from Leanne Fotheringham caused a stir, as did the elegant grey coat, pink jersey dress with outsized puffy sleeves, mustard ladylike blouses and sequined tops which oozed Parisian chic, from Coline Henault.

Lilia Yip took a more futuristic approach with a striking collection of red jersey fashions, including a two-person ensemble which converts to one, a padded two-person outfit, red Grecian dresses, floaty trouser suits and statement macs.

For Victoria Bain, it was all about winter fashions courtesy of traditional wax fabrics, tweeds and tartans with khaki green jodhpurs, stylish tweed jackets, burnt orange wool skirts and coats as well as padded waistcoats teamed with leggings, while Claire Wilson indulged our love of denim with simply tailored clothes teamed with abstract denim jackets. Detailing here was innovative, with unusually placed pockets and buckles, and voluminous shapes.

The audience were put in a summer mood with 50s swimsuits, yellow city shorts, beige macs and floaty white summer dresses, from Rachel Antonio. And Lu Flux continued the theme with a sea of florals and patchwork creations inspired by Oscar Wilde and Baudelaire.

The result was a back-to-back display of innovative and directional fashions - all from Edinburgh students - which impressed from start to finish, standing them in good stead of the future after they leave the college this summer.

Robert says: "I'm really excited about the standard of work that will be on show and the creativity. Their collections are all based on their own personal research, and the standard of the research, the creativity and the fact they've designed, cut and created these fashions is very impressive."

The ECA Fashion Show is tonight at 7pm and 9pm, and tomorrow at 7pm and 9pm. For tickets call 0870-220 1116.

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