We catch up with three emerging designers who have caught our eye ahead of their showcase at the forthcoming Graduate Fashion Week

With Graduate Fashion Week fast approaching, if the standard across the board is anything like last year, we have a lot to look forward to. Uniting the work of over forty universities with twenty-one catwalk shows, this year’s showcase is to be host at a new venue – East London’s Truman Brewery.

With long standing supporters and speakers including Hillary Alexander, Fashion Scout, Fashion Monitor and Company Magazine amongst many others, GFW is not only a chance to see the talents of over 1,000 graduates, but also an opportunity to obtain first hand advice from industry insiders.

Here we catch up with three of the emerging designers who have caught our eye:

Chloe Woodgate: Colchester School of Art

“My collection has taken inspiration from 3 diverse starting points: Buddhist Mandala, African tribal patterns and the Cornish Landscape. One of the biggest influences throughout my collection has been the processes of knit, crochet and macramé which have allowed me to develop my own stitch patterns and creativity.”

Lauren Lake: Kingston University, London

“My collection was inspired by the expeditions of Scott of the Antarctic (Robert Falcon Scott) and my outfits are based on the clothing he and his team wore. I have done a lot of research on his expeditions and I’ve taken the main aspects of their clothing and created a collection people can wear without the need to go to the North or South Pole! My audience is young, eccentric and obsessed with pink!”

Lavinia Cadar: UCA Epsom, University for the Creative Arts 

“I’m inspired by contemporary art and world cultures. The audience for my collection would be in London! I love the quirky, fun and free sense of style you find here.”

Photography: Trisha Ward

Styling: Natalie Hartley