© Courtesy of Yasmina Atta
Fashion
10 international fashion graduate collections you need to see now
Clothes fashioned from biodegradable fabrics, couture gowns produced in student digs, a collection that draws inspiration from African folklore—not even a pandemic can stand in the way of the class of 2020’s creativity. Vogue visits the world’s most prestigious fashion schools (virtually) and meets the design talents on the rise.
Graduating in 2020 could have been an anticlimactic end to a years-long course in fashion design. Degree runway shows—a crucial and in some cases career-defining milestone—may have been cancelled across the board, but rather than hang up their pattern-cutting shears, bright-eyed design talents have carried on creating.
From London’s Central Saint Martins to Tokyo’s Bunka Fashion College, Vogue went on a virtual tour of the world’s most prestigious fashion schools to scout 10 designers on the rise and find out what their hopes for the fashion industry are at such critical times.
© Courtesy of Yasmina Atta
1. Yasmina Atta, 23, Nigeria
BA womenswear at Central Saint Martins in London
How would you describe your collection?
“My collection, titled ‘Kosmos in Blue’, revolves around a hybrid character—part fictional, part based on African folklore—who embodies the surreal and merges mysticism with futurism. I referenced the work of [African-American assemblage artist] Betye Saar and [Senegalese film director] Djibril Diop Mambéty, and used modern techniques with traditional materials.”
Do you have a favourite piece?
“The leather motorised wings. They embody a lot of my ideas, yet they’re also quite playful. Some people don’t know what to make of them and that strangeness is important. Asking why things exist and where they come from—it relates to my aim of combining past and present.”
What are your hopes for the future of the world?
“We remain reflective and become even more aware of social injustice and systemic racism. And that the conversations occurring online transfer to real life, especially in the fashion industry.”
© Courtesy of Sohee Park
2. Sohee Park, 24, South Korea
BA fashion design with marketing at Central Saint Martins in London
Tell us the story behind your collection.
“It’s inspired by the concept of a girl evolving into a young woman, drawing parallels with my own experiences as a woman and artist. I made five haute couture gowns at home in lockdown—there are vibrant prints, voluminous shapes, long embellished trains and crinoline cages.”
Do you have a favourite look?
“The blue 3D flower bolero and black slip dress. It took months to develop the big flower shapes—each petal is carefully designed and placed. I embellished the bolero with sequins and crystals so that, as the model turns, they shimmer like raindrops.”
What’s next for you?
“I’m working on exciting new collaborations due to be released later this year. Ultimately I would love to start my own label specialising in demi couture.”
© Courtesy of Scarlett Yang
3. Scarlett Yang, 24, Hong Kong
BA womenswear at Central Saint Martins in London
How does it feel to graduate during a pandemic?
“When it was announced that school would be closed and the runway show cancelled, I was very upset. My mood soon changed when I heard there’d be a digital showcase. Working directly with technology makes me feel like I’m contributing to positive changes.”
What was the driving force behind your designs?
“The aim was to create a circular system where garments grow and decompose. Combining bio design, digital fabrication and 3D generative simulation, the garments gradually and organically evolve.”
How did you achieve this end result through fabrication?
“Most of my textiles are made with algae extracts and silk cocoon proteins from industrial silk production waste. Because the collection is designed to decompose, the materials are completely biodegradable and don’t contain any chemicals or plastics.”
© Courtesy of Annemarie Saric
4. Annemarie Saric, 24, Austria
MA fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp
Tell us about your collection
“I wanted the clothes to have the stiffness and the shininess of a car. I thought about garments as tubes—seeing them as a geometrical shape—creating a stripped-back version.”
Which is your favourite look?
“The latex cocoon dress. It’s based on an airbrushed Japanese car advertisement. I like its hyperreal quality.”
What challenges have you had to overcome while making this collection in lockdown?
“Finding different ways of presenting and documenting the collection. Luckily I could work with my photographer friend Lee Wei Swee, who created a beautiful video of my designs.”
5. Julia Ballardt, 27, Germany
MA fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp
How does it feel to graduate during a pandemic?
“Some doors might have closed, but so many others [have] opened. It’s a perfect time and opportunity to start something fresh, well thought-out and authentic.”
What inspired your collection?
“Punk culture and its philosophical approach of collecting memories on a garment. I experimented with different types of printing and other techniques, such as resin-covered buttons.”
Do you have a favourite piece?
“I had a beautiful Gobelin carpet lying in my studio that a friend gave to me. Searching for ways of finding fabrics and materials during lockdown, it felt like it had waited for this moment to be turned into a coat.”
© Courtesy of Itsuki Ogu & Mana Sudo
6. Itsuki Ogu, 23 and Mana Sudo, 21, Japan
BA fashion at Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo
Why did you choose to collaborate and what did you enjoy about this experience?
“Throughout [our] final year, we’ve been involved in projects together. There are big silhouettes so we were able to help each other; it improved our work speed and it was fun making new discoveries. To share the sense of accomplishment when the collection was completed was great.”
What’s your collection about?
“The title of this project is ‘Addled Plant’. I was inspired by the life of a flower, a living creature that continues to grow in any environment. Using a picture book of seeds, we searched for new silhouettes and turned them into six looks.”
What are your hopes for the future of the world?
“The era of the individual is over and the way forward is to be collaborative. We made [our collection] as a team while facing the restrictions of Covid-19, so we feel strongly about this.”
© Courtesy of Yusuke Sadohara
7. Yusuke Sadohara, 21, Japan
BA fashion at Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo
Tell us about your collection
“The idea is from [Fortnite’s online] Prop Hunt game, where the aim is to make clothes that mimic other items. For example, there’s a detachable jacket with a large pocket on the back. The foldable details on the left shoulder mean that it can be turned into a bag.”
These past few months have been challenging. How have you coped?
“It’s important to think positively, connect with others and look after your mental health. When you make things, you forget about loneliness. Having a goal and online communication with friends has greatly helped me.”
What are your hopes for the future of fashion?
“This period of reflection has uncovered new ways to show fashion. It’s encouraged people to think more sustainably.”
© Courtesy of Rai Langlois
8. Rai Langlois, 22, USA
BFA fashion at Parsons School of Design in New York
Tell us about your collection
“‘Afternoon Delight’ is all about freedom, the physicality and the sensuality of clothing. I’m interested in emblematic elements of American youth culture and sexuality, and I want to present a fresh perspective on these familiar memories that are comforting.”
Do you have a favourite look?
“It consists of an upcycled pair of jeans with a matching jacket. It best represents my design philosophy because it accentuates the body features of all genders, while retaining a familiarity through its classic American sportswear elements.”
What’s next for you?
“Life after graduation is uncertain for everyone, so I think it’s important that young fashion creatives don’t limit themselves to one particular path.”
© Courtesy of Grégory Assad
9. Grégory Assad, 21, Martinique
BA womenswear at Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) in Paris
What inspired your collection?
“My love for draping and the idea of creating a new glamour with mixed silhouettes—no gender in mind. I was partly inspired by the Malian photographer Malick Sibidé, as well as American abstract sculptor John Chamberlain.”
What’s your favourite piece and why?
“The long wool and madras silk flared coat. It’s very personal and important for me because I’m from Martinique. Madras is a cotton fabric normally used for the traditional costume known as la grande robe.”
What’s next for you?
“Next step for me is to go into IFM’s MA in womenswear. After this, I [hope] to enter the LVMH Prize or Hyères International Festival.”
© Courtesy of Claire Barreau
10. Claire Barreau, 21, France
BA womenswear at Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) in Paris
Tell us about your collection
“I was inspired by the favelas [slums of Rio de Janeiro], where shimmering colours stand alongside the grey streets. I created clothes from old garments, scraps of fabrics and everyday objects such as bicycle inner tubes, threads and rubber.”
What challenges did you face while working on this project?
“I had to innovate and find solutions with what I found around me.”
What are your hopes for the future of the fashion industry?
“There has to be an evolution in consumerism to more conscious spending behaviours. I would like collections to be inspired by the personal visions of each designer, not trends.”
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