[Image courtesy of Telegraph]
The Bournemouth/Salisbury graduate show started off with a twist yesterday. This year the schools have been working closely with the minister of diversity to help educate and show a diverse selection of models on the runway and after all, "the over 40 are the ones with the money to spend," Caryn Franklin explained. This translated on the runway as the designers sent mature models down the runway and childrenwear designer Sarah Brigginshaw sent kids down the catwalk dancing to the music and playing inflatable musical instruments.
Shape was the focus for Bournemouth. Clare Harman opened the show with grey leather cocoon shaped jackets, which were reminiscent of the silhouettes that we were coming out of the fashion capitals last fall. These structured shapes were teamed with block coloured tights in orange or blue and teamed with leather shorts in mustard tones and zig-zag details appeared down the arms of volumous jackets. Volume and shape was also the order of the day on menswear too. Ricky Moakes presented a selection of fun street-wear with oversized drawstring bags, shirts with ultra long sleeves and denim-on-denim looks printed with slogans like 'play with me'. Hannah Lance also steered towards urban street wear with her menswear collection. Almost everything came with big hoods and harem tracksuit bottoms appeared. Although the colour palette was largely muted, she added green and orange outlines on jackets.
For Spring/Summer 11 we saw a lot of digital prints and interesting textiles on the runway and Meg Cornwell clearly picked up on that. Her collection showcased beautiful prints on skater dresses with big silver visible industrial zips down the back teamed with statement chunky silver necklaces. Prints also appeared on a sheer blouse in sky blue teamed with cigarette pants. One of my favourite collections from Bournemouth was Emily Seymour's who played with houndstooth prints on skater jackets and ultra fitted high waisted pencil skirts nipped in at the waist with a huge belt. The skirts were teamed with mustard blouses and a knitted muffs - think Dita Von Teese and you're almost there.
The Salisbury show opened with a lot of colour. Kiranjit Sogi presented a collection of huge floaty maxi dresses in bright orange and pink in a kaleidoscope-style print and models hair was full with multi-coloured flowers which also adorned the legs of tight body suits. Brona Smith was playful with textures showing green and gold brocade jackets and trousers with a similar print that brought back memories of the genie in Aladdin. Suede trousers in tan came styled with a bright gold brocade jacket with accentuated shoulder detail that worked beautifully.
