After two years of on-screen presentations, Central Saint Martins opened its doors again in real life with the BA Fashion Show 2022. The event was a blast of joy from a generation that wants to re-embrace life as well as reflect creatively on social, political and environmental issues.
With Madonna and FKA Twigs sitting front row, a total of 115 designers presented three looks each on Tuesday on an industrial two-story runway in a colourful 80-minute show at CSM’s King’s Cross campus.
Oversized silhouettes lined up with a variety of 3D shapes, mesmerising glitter embellishments and experimental crochet. Here are 4 standout talents to watch:
Alice Morell-Evans
The winner of this year’s L’Oréal Professional Young Talent Award, Alice Morell-Evans redefined the limits of knitwear with deeply personal references to her Welsh heritage. Her collection was a mash-up of crochet, fabrics and leather draped over curved experiemental shapes. “It began with looking at ‘Mari Lwyd,’ which is a wassailing tradition in South Wales,” says Alice. “[I was] looking at my grandparents’ home and this distorted restorative nostalgia idea where you remember a home space differently to how it actually is, in the exaggerated form of that space.“
Inga Praskeviciute
Inga Praskeviciute’s dreamy dandelion dress was a highlight. The BA Womenswear designer from Lithuania created a structured look inspired by the plant and made from hundreds of beads developed in collaboration with jewellery designer Cara May Forte. A weighted, pulled back shirt ensemble in dip dyed gradient cyan complemented the airy, ethereal theme.
Emil Dernbach
His sculptural take on modern fashion landed Emil Dernbach this year’s L’Oréal prize as first runner up. He showed block-coloured dresses and an armour-like full metal dress, embodying a message of power and strength. Also of note: the graphic donut-shaped earrings.
Christie Lau
Fashion print designer Christie Lau brought metaverse fashion to the physical catwalk by presenting three gigantic cubes printed with QR codes, which were linked to Instagram filters featuring the digital garments. The scanned codes revealed virtual designs including a floating hoodie and a houndstooth blazer reinterpreting the pattern as fluttering moths. “AR and VR are extending the possibilities of how we want to present ourselves, and I want to be a part of it by designing garments for people’s digital identities,” they say.
Header image: Alice Morell-Evans, BA Fashion 2022, CSM © Courtesy of Central Saint Martins, catwalking.com
Lara Milena Grobosch 