As a montage of Edinburgh’s famous Elgin Marbles, operatic music played out to the crowd, early awaiting the Edinburgh School of Art show.
With only 13 designers exhibiting, Edinburgh’s carefully selected graduates each portrayed well thought out collections giving insight to the ethos and personality of each designer.
Carrying roses and wearing black robes hand painted with portraits, Matilda Barrowcliff opened the show with a beautifully chaotic collection embracing the diversity of gender. The show continued with a series of collections displaying clashing prints, from artsy pop-art with youthful fries and rubix cubes to a pink plaid collection, clashing lady-like checks like Blair Wardolf on acid.
Som Kerdsiri’s bright paisley prints lit up the catwalk, edged with cowgirl-style fringing for a flirty rodeo vibe. Print was also used to create an optical illusion with Holly Lord’s semi sheer netting, pleated over metallic to create the impression of full feminine skirts.
Whilst most collections were aimed at the AW16/17 market, Lyndsay Welch took her collection a season further with a camouflage and dusky pink assemblage, models strutting round the catwalk in the clockwise direction, the stray from the norm a strong feminist statement.
Edinburgh’s students showed their Scottish heritage with their use of sustainable fabrics, including a shredded ethical coat and closing the show, a menswear collection truly embracing heraldry to the soundtrack of Charlie Chaplin in the Great Dictator.