its a wrap.

the uk's graduate fashion week 2009 ended wednesday with a gold prize and all.

personally, i wouldn't mind wrapping myself and the boy in a few of these garments for all sorts of fun occasions. from chilly winter day hangout gear to afternoon tea or a night out swaying to the beats...i would love to procure some elements of these exhibitions and here are my final loves and impressions from them.

i mention the boy because it seems from this post, and much of the photos that i found (all of these come from fashion156) that menswear was a fantastic focus for quite a few of these grads. huzzah for interesting clothes for the boys.


april schmitz from uca epsom made quite a collection of futuristic streetwear ensembles and armor for the casual lady. one of the outfits has fantastic koala bear ears shoulders that could certainly pose pretty on many a shoulder of outfits. the circular cutouts and sexy silhouettes reminded me of barbarella, a favorite on my cult status movie list. the opening scene is a must-see if you don't catch my reference.

like some of the most beautiful combination thriftery i have ever seen, lucie vincie from uca epsom has constructed a fantastic multitude of menswear desires. though the boy has great taste, these silhouettes are something i would love to turn him on to. for those who know me, they know how much i hold true to solid colors -finding patterns personally difficult to please. however these ecletically satisfying patterns would be a welcome addition to my cloth rotation. vincie clearly was influenced by the current s/s 09 trend of "native" patterns and materials (perhaps the sketches were dreamed up whilst wrapped up in a navajo blanket...)

this delightfully playful mens sportswear collection from susanna mensah at uca rochester was the first to be sent for opinions across the pond to the boy in oz. an a-ok response came back. honestly, i want these pants. since we can wear the same pants, i want to share these pants. now. though i'm not thrilled with the shutter shade styling, i understand the need to appeal to a wider audience with this casual sportswear. otherwise, the cut and fit might be too much for a mainstream, shutter-shade donning public. the offer still stands though, we wear size 28 together, fyi.

on the mens side of futuristic shoulder-wear rachel lucy wakefield from the
university of salford created some gorgeous armor for the mens. yes the menfolk get some garments too with sculpted, angular he-man cartoon-like body shields. very cool. the zip-front jackets with inserts and steel colored ties make the collection appealing for everyday use.

this final set of breezy pastel beauties comes from francesca samm of nottingham trent university. this collection is the epitome of easy daywear for me. the silhouettes are simple. the styling is pared down. and the fabrics are the kind of knitwear that i would find myself grabbing off the hanger day in and night out because of the uniqueness these shifts posess for everyday and nightwear (glow in the dark details would certainly match my watch and be perfect for techno darkness). i'll take them all for layering, singular, and multi-purpose use.

wrap me up. i am interested to see where these ideas and grads go.

good luck to them.

a week's worth.

exciting and fun times london must be having right now.

as graduate fashion week 2009 is officially underway -day one having zoomed by already. as i

am about to kick off a beach week this week. i thought i would leave some of the only quality images that my tired little searching mind could find online this evening. however, these graduates have some serious exciting garments to peruse. there are definitely some garments and ideas that would be awesome to see built upon in future collections and explorations.

as these are only from a few good sources, i apologize for the lack of breadth:::

this first set that struck me is by iwona pilch from middlesex university in london. i liked this

because it resonates very soundly with my own interests. anthropologically speaking, iwona cites the "second skin" of ritual body modification, most notably scarring, cutting, and tattooing as the force behind her delightful structural and fun pieces. these garments are something i would really love to own/borrow/explore/all of the above.

this black on black leather theme is roxanne pitteway from northampton university's doing. leather seemingly always has an s+m naughty connotation involved, yet pitteway forms the material into hoods and structures in the rear -not a sought after place. these pictures make exoskeletons very desirable in the way that she has executed them here. an exoskeleton hood?the possibilites of mixing and matching with such a nice exciting piece as this is making my mind run away with itself.

this delightful, stark set of three from anna rose underdown couldn't possibly go under my radar. i just wish that there were more and better detailed photos of this set. underdown notes the importance of "women's underwear, youthfulness, sportswear, and luxury" in casting her designs. but, i really love how the structure of a breastplate along with long underwear makes for very appeasing bodywear. yes! vpl on a whole new level. more please.

as for these four photos from katie hildebrand's (kingston university) runway exhibition...there is not much to explain. the styling is amazing. the knits are fantastic -does anyone else want a knit helmet as much as i do? the prints are stunning, interesting, and appealing even to a person who notmally finds it hard to want them in the personal wardrobe. but, truly i love every look for different reasons. from the dress, to the helmets, to the jumpsuit, to the coat, and the leggings everything is spot on in fit, color, and look.

that's all for now before i head off to the grand strand for some much needed sunshine and fresh air. will be reporting from a hammock with a daiquiri in hand next time you read a post.

cheers.