Wednesday at AFW 08

One of the joys of Alternative Fashion Week is that you can always expect the unexpected. Day Three was no exception as even more latex made it to the mainstream with Chelsea College of Art MA Fine Art graduate Pandemonia’s ‘Elastic Reality’. It was a real life catwalk cartoon; media icons throughout the ages realised in rubber. Medusa sidled along in skin-tight scarlet, brandishing a sinister looking snake. A gold hooded mini gave that unmistakable Grace Jones silhouette and a Roy Lichtenstein-esque cartoon lady, complete with inflatable speech bubble and pink pixellated skin, stole the show. Pop art meets latex fetish, only at Alternative Fashion Week.

Also looking back to an era gone by was Ellie Savage, a Northampton graduate with an archivist’s eye. Hers was a collection of authentic 1950s garment patterns – flared New Look skirts and playsuits seen on Hollywood stars of the Golden Era – but with subtle graffitied love letters featuring as a print. Great styling touches finished off the look – a vintage radio carried as a handbag and neat suitcases collaged with giant stamps.

Time traveling even further for inspiration was Fannie Schiavoni who looked to the Art Deco movement. The London College of Fashion graduate took tessellated shapes and origami fabric folds to form sleek, well-cut and wearable garments in muted charcoal with dashes of peacock blue. Valentina Shelik Abdi also looked to origami for inspiration, planting concertina brown paper caps to finish off her outfits. With garments made from recycled clothing and organically grown cotton, Valentina has joined the ethical explosion that has stormed Alternative Fashion Week. Using rough and ready knits in tomato reds and mossy green and cinching them with tan pleated halter waistcoats, the look was Arthurian maiden crossed with 1930s party girl.

Colchester School of Art and Design never fail to put on a great show and instigate some whoops from the gathered crowd. So when we heard Beth Ditto of The Gossip had set the 2nd year Fashion and Textiles students a brief to come up with something new for the larger ladies, we knew we were in for a treat. The clothes were usual Colchester fare – textures galore, rainbow colours and bold statements. A beautiful bird print made an appearance on a mint green jersey all in one and lashings of sequins and metallic leggings added a bit of sparkle. In keeping with the brief, all models were big and busty ladies with a lot of attitude – Beth Ditto and The Body Gossip sofa would definitely approve.

Words: Selene Pearson
Photos: Paul Tait