LCF MA16 Catwalk Show

Here we have an insight into the fashion designers showing this year at the LCF MA16 Catwalk show. We took a look into their ambitions and the meanings of their collections.

Zhixian Wang has based her collection on San Mao the Chinese poet and writer. After reading her poems from childhood, Wang uses San Mao’s sad romantic story as an underlying theme to her collection. White, red and orange are used to show the journey from purity to death. By adopting San Mao as her muse Wang expresses how it is a dream to be representing her poem in her collection. Zhixian Wang has ambitions to work at Alexander McQueen, although if things don’t work out for her in the UK she will try and grow as a designer in China.

Lauren Lake‘s collection ‘Some Girls Aren’t Meant to Be Tamed’ takes inspiration from traditional Roman Gypsies, focusing on their rawness and fun edge. Trying to maximise feelings of power and strength in females Lake’s aims to create a group of ‘new women’ that care about others yet do their own thing. Being feminine and powerful, the collection is a statement through colour, pattern and cut. Lauren Lake is looking to apply for Fashion East, New Gen, funding and get onto PR books.

Ning Xu based the ‘Mute’ collection on his personal experience. As a child he had an accident meaning he could only hear pieces and fragments of sound. Xu used Yves Klien’s blue that was defined as an ‘open window to freedom as the possibility of being immersed in the immeasurable existence of colour’. Ear structure is used throughout the collection alongside small pops of orange and yellow. Hearing aid material such as silicon is used in the fastenings and attachments. The uniqueness of this collection is emphasised as every garment is reversible with detachable details. Ning Xu has ambitions to create his own studio.

Pelin Isildak‘s collection focuses on the history of uniform, also taking inspiration from Buddhism. The collection takes aspects from the past and twists them with modern minimalism, mixing the common with the noble. Pelin Isildak wants to start her own brand or aspires to work at Louis Vuitton.

Yiru Sui‘s collection is entirely based around geometry and zen. Clean looks are combine with nature by the use of wood with pure colours such as white. Deconstruction of various pieces meant Sui created various silhouettes. Yiru Sui looks to work for a fashion designer or luxury brand, or even as a buyer to gain funding to create Yiru Sui’s own brand.

Yawen Qian used her parents as inspiration for her collection. Both being doctors, Qian first focused on hospitals. The collection is a very clinical and Qian looked into clothing designers for people with disabilities. Yawen Qian has been in contact with stylists who are looking to use her garments and also would like to go back to China and gain experience in communication with factories.

Ysabel Lee is inspired by the first time western civilisation impacted south east asian countries through the Meiji Ishin restoration in Japan in the 1860’s. This is combined with the state of living we have today and our boredom of overloaded information. Inspiration from the kimono is modernly adapted with cubes, squares and rectangles. As not to detract from the structure Isabel only used black and dark colours. Ysabel Lee wants to become a creative pattern cutter yet not quit design and ideally use both together.

Alexandru Tunsu created ‘Massacre of the Innocence’ based on the development of contour. Tunsu looked at the development of garments and the way the fashion industry cuts garments, and trends within this. She took apart pre made fabrics, fraying them down to the thread, and created them with a heat press. Alexandru Tunsu would like to explore menswear next, eventually moving to Paris and creating his own label.

Desiree Slabik called her collection ‘Life after People’, taking inspiration from an American documentary. The documentary shows a time where everyone on the earth has vanished. Slabik used his idea to portray a possible future of white clean architecture mixed with organic elements. The collection develops throughout, with the last piece being a exploding flower bomb. Desiree Slabik aspires to work for Marni and Victor & Rolf and gain experience in Haute Couture.

Kirim Yun took inspiration from the 19th century era. Petticoats feature strongly throughout the collection creating a hyper–pretty look. Pink is the main colour flowing throughout this collection. Yun used pink to provoke thoughts of love. Kirim Yun looks to work in France for a brand with a modern flair focusing on details.