After months of preparing for the next gen show of the year, the students at the Royal College of Art presented their collections at the 2012 Fashion MA Show yesterday. Whilst the vast majority of the audience were wondering if they would catch a glimpse of the next Christopher Bailey or Holly Fulton -- former RCA Fashion MA alumni -- press critically sought for the highest form of creative craftsmanship, words synonymous with the Royal College of Art.
Crane.tv were most impressed this year with the attention to detail demonstrated by the Japanese menswear students. Aerodynamic tailoring and textured neoprene for Hiroaki Kanai's collection competed with Ichiro Suzuki's suits - intricate geometric patchwork and raised cube-like shapes.
The increased usage of digital printing technologies was equally apparent throughout the show. Moreover, Rajinder Johal used the Rapidform technology, creating 3D prints of belts and jewelry to accessorize his silk cobalt and navy jumpsuits. When not hopping on the tech bandwagon, others preferred to innovate by means of collaboration with other departments. Remarkable were the collaborations between footwear designer Tariq Mahmoud and Mixed Media and Textiles student Lily Kamper who created dip-dye Perspex soles as well as the textile flowerbeds adorning Alex Mullins' menswear collection, which included collaborations with Textile students Umber Panezai and Carlo Volpi.
But the true piece de resistance was milliner Hannah Morgan's Bauhaus-inspired sculptural catwalk presentation. As futuristic resin and wood head and shoulder pieces, cuff and rings sashayed down the runway in a sober grey and white color palette, one could say Morgan presented the perfect embodiment of the College's ethos.
Text by Seyna Van Der Linden for Crane.tv
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