Following a delay to restrictions being lifted, this year’s Fashion Show has taken a different guise. Whilst it was really disappointing that the students weren’t able to put on a live event, it didn’t stop our determination to showcase the students’ work in the best way possible.

Having worked though the most challenging of years, our Sixth Form Textiles cohort have produced the most extraordinary collections and have proved just what resilient, innovative and creative individuals they can be. On a personal level, I don’t think I have ever felt more pride for my students than this year. In what could have been a really difficult year for a practical subject, I recall our online tutorials with great fondness and have hilarious memories of students elevating their laptops whilst trying to talk through pattern cutting techniques, and occasional interruptions by my six year old son! 

As an alternative to the Fashion Show, we filmed the collections in and around the school to produce a more editorial outcome. Modelled by fellow Sixth Formers in the surroundings of the quad, the students’ garments looked stunning.

Opening sequences featured capsule collections by our Year 12 students Flossy, Mabel and Millie. Having worked collectively with the theme [De]Construct, their differing approaches highlighted their individual aesthetics. Millie’s initial starting point of contemporary architecture saw her producing garments with a dewy colour palette combined with fragmented print designs and delicate ruffles. Responding to the grittier elements of the city, Mabel’s collection had a distinctly grungy feel. Layered fabrics and frayed edges were juxtaposed with fitted corsets and intricate prints to convey a sense of the discordance of urban life. Meanwhile, Flossy’s sculptural garments which utilised some complex fabric manipulation and laser cutting processes took inspiration from iconic London buildings. 

In Year 13, the students have developed their own personal themes to produce their final line ups. Ella’s Rococo Romance collection took inspiration from ornate interiors and delicate florals using a pastel colour palette accentuated with metallic prints and intricate embroidered embellishments. Lumina's interest in bold graphic prints and surfaces came to life in her Metro Deco collection. Motifs and print designs were inspired by Art Deco architecture and materialised in a cool palette of chalky pinks and azure greens. Taking on more sculptural silhouettes, Mia’s collection entitled Sjøskulpturer (Sea Sculptures) drew inspiration from ocean spray and water formations. Her experimental garments used quilting and pleating techniques alongside delicate prints to evoke fluid landscapes. In stark contrast to this, Lauren’s Macabre Structures line up struck a darker note. Metallic prints referencing skulls and bone structures adorned corsets and floor length dresses, whilst intricate laser cut embellishments created unusual twists to classic silhouettes.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the students for their hard work this year. It’s been one like no other!