Central St. Martins

I was looking through a list of the Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear shows when I came upon Central St Martins in the listings. The London-located college is one of the most revered and distinguished institutions for art and design, producing an endless list of notable alumni, from which come many of today's greats of the art world. Among the many names are Stella McCartney, John Galliano, Zac Posen, Alexander McQueen, and Phoebe Philo, to name a few. (Not to mention the numerous graduates known today for their music and acting talents.)

I decided to feature the Central St Martins graduation show because the works produced are really quite fascinating. The high level of competition in the school forces its students to create remarkably unique pieces. There is so much talent to be found that designers have to concoct creations that are more like works of art in order to get attention. This is why it is always so intriguing to look at the products of these efforts and why the school produces so many successful designers: because the garments are unlike anything else in the fashion world.

Rejina Pyo's sculptural pieces are like works of art rather than garments. I love the use of such a strong color in this look: a mix between blue and purple that is not quite either shade.

 

I love the way Myrza de Muynck emphasizes contrasting elements in the look on the left to create a successful, unique, and highly wearable outfit. The silhouette is sporty and is common for something one might wear to the gym or over a running outfit, but the print and color are soft and more feminine. The shades of blue together with the way they are assembled in the print reminds me of a pool, which reminds me of vacation in the summertime. This gives off a more relaxed vibe than any old gym suit does.

I love the pearly pink pants in the look on the right: totally unexpected, but so fun and actually something  that can be worn with ease! The detailing on the jacket is really beautiful and quite reminiscent of the look on the left in some ways. It also has a slight Oriental feel to it.

The shapes of Helen Bullock's designs are not the most flattering for the normal women of the world and would garner some strange looks from people on the street, but I love how Bullock plays with combinations of patterns and bright colors. The floral patterns are dainty and feminine, but the bold colors are anything but and even out the outfit. I could easily see this juxtaposition placed on to a more comfortable silhouette, on which it would be extremely fun and wearable.

The looks in Jenny Postle's collection share the same colorful, geometric-style pattern and many of the pieces are made out of a thick, knit material. I love the mixing of materials and the jumbled mess of color and print, yet the slightly off-kilter resemblance makes everything work. The looks have an interesting, vintage-y art-deco feel but have a more sophisticated vibe than the ultra-bright clothes popular in the mid-to-late-20th century. I love this contrast because a lot of the collections in this graduation show have a more modern feel to them, so this collection really sets itself apart from the pack.

Also, I love how this show includes colorful garments for men. Usually menswear is boring and filled with neutrals, but I especially love this jacket by Pietro Franch, which adds an unexpected burst of color.

Many of the collections in the Central St Martins were lacking in color, but every collection was completely different from any other collection in the show. These design students really produce top-notch work with amazing craftsmanship and the designs are truly one-of-a-kind. It's easy to see why Central St Martins gives birth to so many household names in fashion.
Obviously I haven't highlighted all of the collections of the show. (There are over 200 looks in the entire graduation show!) To view the show in its entirety, click here.
All images in this post from style.com, except Jenny Postle images from elle.com

xo