Student fashion: Young Talent
From the collection 'Hardwear', by Ruth Gallagher 'My inspiration for the collection ranges from the simple objects of nuts, bolts, screws, locks and work tools to industrial landscapes and structures, which share the same hard, tough exterior'
More photos:Monday May 18 2009
A wise fashion editor once told me: "When feeling tired of fashion, go back to the students." It is advice I have always heeded. With any job it is possible to become jaded.
Such feelings have no place in an industry that is all about reflecting life force and energy. So student fashion-shows have become my revitalisation therapy.
Last month, I treated myself to the fashion show of Sallynoggin Senior College’s fashion-industry-practice students, where their wannabe stylists and display artists thrilled the audience with an electric presentation of youth culture and street fashion, using both organic and ethically produced fashion labels.
All the money from ticket sales went to the Chernobyl Children's Project International, while Adi Roche, the charity’s powerhouse, was blown away by the show, and she told me I was a lucky woman if this was the kind of energy I got treated to all the time in my job! I assured her it is the kind of energy one gets from young people at their best.
Next week, our National College of Art and Design (NCAD), supported by the generous sponsorship of Peter Mark, presents its graduating fashion and textile students’ collections. NCAD graduates put a lot of intellectual and conceptual effort into their creations, as well as the gut instinct that all creatives need to source original work.
So, as you can see from these pages, you can expect to see all styles — from garments of extraordinary beauty to tough urban-style wear illustrating modern man’s isolation, to truly mad and exotic flights into fantasy. The textile department is my weak spot: I adore its work!
This year, there are 17 women and one man graduating. I am told they are very grounded in reality and that they feel that fashion has to satisfy commercial needs, as well as artistic ones.
Competitions such as the NokiaYoung Fashion Designer Award are fabulous for allowing students a forum to be as mad as their creative hearts desire, and such freedom to create is essential in fashion. But then, there must also be the return to commercial reality. We need a good winter coat, great work suits and fun — yet comfortable — partywear. It’s not all red carpet and Vera Wang wedding dresses, darling.
The show, at the chq building, D1, is being held this year on May 23. On the night, you will enjoy a drinks reception and canapes while you view an installation of the work of the fashion students, and you’ll get to rub shoulders with Ireland’s designers and fashion people. Then, at 8.30pm, the catwalk show will kick off.
What a treat!
- Constance Harris
