Graduate Fashion Foundation is proud to announce our collaboration with the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s GREAT Britain Campaign on a fun video featuring 16 graduates and students from GFF member UK universities.
The GREAT Britain Campaign, the UK Government’s major international marketing campaign, has today unveiled a new initiative celebrating the enormous wealth of fashion talent nurtured by UK universities. Shot in the iconic Locarno Suite in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the video features a dozen of the country’s top young designers, models, stylists and hair and make-up artists.
The legendary Dame Zandra Rhodes, Lifetime Patron of GFF and Hilary Alexander OBE, Graduate Fashion Foundations President, both play cameo roles in the piece which encourages brands to look to the UK for their next generation of hires.
Liz Truss, Secretary of State for the Department for International Trade, said: "The UK is a global leader in the fashion industry and our talented students are the future of this sector. The industry is booming, creating 890,000 jobs and contributing £32 billion to the UK economy. There is no better place in the world for businesses to unearth the next generation of stars."
The video will be promoted across the government’s international network in over 140 countries and will be deployed throughout 2020 at major fashion events and trade conferences.
Hilary Alexander OBE, Graduate Fashion Foundation President, commented:
“Graduate Fashion Foundation is extremely proud to be working with the GREAT Britain Campaign on such a creative opportunity, showcasing 16 exceptional young talents. Each year Graduate Fashion Week sees over 3500 exciting and innovative fashion creatives take over the Truman Brewery and the GFF, as the charity behind the event, continually looks to highlight their talent throughout the year. This video campaign is a great opportunity for six of our final-year hair and make-up students and ten select fashion and styling graduates to work with industry and showcase their talent to the world. These young creatives are at the forefront of a generation who will revolutionise the way we design, manufacture and wear our garments. Whether it is addressing the world’s plastic crisis or exploring new scientific techniques, our universities and students are setting the standard for a sustainable future.”
Graduate Fashion Week, now in its 27th year, is the recognised showcase for upcoming stars in design, creative direction, marketing, communication, photography, illustration and all aspects of the modern business of fashion, from close to 90 UK and international universities. Attracting headhunters, recruiters and talent scouts, it operates as a global launch-pad for thousands of fashion graduates, bridging the gap between education and employment in the fashion industry. The charity’s patrons include Christopher Bailey MBE, Victoria Beckham OBE, Dame Vivienne Westwood DME RDI, Nick Knight OBE, Nadja Swarovski, Diane Von Furstenberg and Dame Zandra Rhodes.
About the Participants
All design graduates selected to feature within the video are from the Best of Graduate Fashion Week catwalk show, featuring the top 28 collections from 4-day event.
Allison Orr from Northern Ireland is a 2019 Fashion Design graduate from the University of Central Lancashire., Allison’s collection is created entirely from plastic bags, using knotting and melting techniques to create feminine garments.
Chun-yin Chan from Hong Kong is a 2019 Fashion Design graduate from Manchester Metropolitan University. Chun-Yin created his textured menswear collection using layers of transfer prints, screen-printing and machine embroidery. The collection heavily features denim, with an urban silhouette.
Jiaru Zhang from Beijing, China is a 2019 Fashion Design graduate from Sheffield Hallam University. Jiaru took inspiration from her grandmother by combining Chinese elements according to her understanding of British culture.
Mariah Esa from Leicester is a 2019 Fashion Design Graduate from De Montfort University. Mariah’s collection, created from waste clothing labels, won the People’s Choice Award at GFW 2019 and has gone on to showcase at LFW.
Phoebe Constable from Chichester is a 2019 Fashion Design graduate from Norwich University of the Arts. Her menswear collection experimented with creating innovative bio plastics that look to redefine fast fashion. Phoebe is aiming to make sustainable fashion relevant, colourful and creative.
Rosie Baird from Fife, Scotland is a 2019 Fashion Design graduate from Edinburgh College of Art and scooped the Catwalk To Store Award at GFW 2019 with her Scottish-heritage-inspired tartan collection.
Sally Mankee from Sittingbourne is a 2019 Fashion Textiles graduate from University of the Creative Arts Rochester. Her vintage inspired printed collection went on to show at LFW.
Sophie Robinson from London is a 2019 Fashion Design graduate from University of the Creative Arts Epsom. Her collection features colourful hand crocheted dresses and hand painted outwear.
Savannah Smith from London is a 2019 Fashion Design graduate from Nottingham Trent University. Her menswear tailoring collection features graphic prints and sharp suiting.
Aoife Malone from Belfast, Northern Ireland is a Fashion Communication graduate from Heriot Watt University and won the Styling & Creative Direction Award at GFW 2019 for her styling project exploring action topics in Northern Ireland.
Hannah Stote from Devon is a 2019 Fashion Knitwear Design graduate from Bath Spa University and scooped the Fashion Knitwear Award at GFW2019. Her collection made entirely from waste knitwear and British wool has gone on to show at LFW.
Katie Weldon originates from Northampton and is currently in her final year at Solent University, studying BA Make-Up & Hair Design.
Kiera O’Brien originates from Farnborough and is currently in her final year at Solent University, studying BA Make-Up & Hair Design.
Evangaline Hutchinson originates from Country Durham and is currently in her final year at Solent University, studying BA Make-Up & Hair Design.
Freya Paxton originates from Maidstone and is currently in her final year at Solent University, studying BA Make-Up & Hair Design.
Oonagh Bottaico originates from Stanstead Mountfitchet and is currently in her final year at Solent University, studying BA Make-Up & Hair Design.
Lois Ford originates from Bishop’s Stortford and is currently in her final year at Solent University, studying BA Make-Up & Hair Design.
The film was produced by DUCK Productions who tackled the brief by developing a circular concept with a central roving camera. Keeping the action within one space in this way allowed Director Becky Hutner to maximise the time on-site to rehearse ten detailed scenarios that she developed in tandem with the young creatives.
Meanwhile, Director of Photography Curt Taylor came up with an innovative lighting approach for this Grade I Listed Building, which included a pole-mounted Jem ball key light, lightweight Astera tubes and period lamps.