The Westminster fashion grads to watch

Yesterday's show at the University of Westminster marked the beginning of this year's graduate season. Seventeen final year BA fashion design students exhibited their creative talents – presenting multi-textured barbie girls, anarchists in oversized coats and angelic boys set for their holy communion in white lace tunics. We picked some of our favourites below.

KATE BRITTAIN

Initial reaction: 

A tribe of women draped in sunset colours. 

Knitted together: 

Models dressed in boxy, flowing garments with wide funnel necks – in a select palette of mustard yellow, cranberry red and pristine white. Treated leather was combined with wool yarns chunkily knitted and crocheted together to create pieces with trailing, uneven hems.

LUCY JAMES 

Initial reaction: 

Dwellers from a dystopian land à la Margaret Atwood. 

How it was worn: 

Oversized coats in a foreboding black and somber grey palette were shredded at the hems and layered over loose fitting, ragged trousers scrunched at the ankles. A select few models wore black card masks which obscured half of their faces, with linear features eerily drawn over the top in white – finishing off the general sense of anarchy and destruction. 

CHLOE MCDONALD

Initial reaction: 

Biker girls in blood red, origami-style leather jackets. 

Leather lovers: 

Different variations of the 80s leather jacket, angularly reinterpreted. Whether longline, oversized or sleeveless, the hem of McDonald’s leather jackets crossed over, whilst large pockets were randomly placed. The standoffish biker look was accentuated with graphic biro-style sketches and a deconstructed camouflage print – finished off with thick belts and overt zip detailing. 

ROBERTA EINER 

Initial reaction: 

Come on Barbie, let's go party in baby pink, aqua and sea blue. 

Atmosphere: 

The Chainsmokers' “#SELFIE” song provided the soundtrack, as a set of blonde haired models took to the runway clad in multi-textured knit cardigans and reimagined varsity jackets – one had a top half completely comprised of candy floss coloured lambswool. The sequinned slogans “Cheerleaders” and “Calling all GIRLS” were emblazoned across backs, matching the sequin open toe T-bar shoes with bow detailing. 

MILENA KONAKCHIEVA

Initial reaction: 

Queen Amidala-style robe dresses reinforced with wooden structures. 

Hand bags: 

The base materials were naturalistic – with prints reminiscent of William Morris’ flowers and textures resembling withered leaves. Sweeping dresses had skirting made out of pleated fabric layered with wooden strips. The front of one dress was made to look like the opening of a wooden handled bag. This motif was continued, as wooden handled bags were also affixed to the ends of sleeves and served as unconventional, oversized pockets.

CHARLOTTE SCOTT

Initial reaction: 

Playing Tetris IRL. 

Silhouette shape: 

Jackets and trousers were decorated with horizontal and vertical stripes, in some cases creating a Trompe l’oeil building block effect. Flat structures made up of spliced geometrical shapes – stitched to look 3D – were placed on to the front of collared jackets, continuing the illusionary, asymmetrical theme. 

ROBYN PRIESTLEY 

Initial reaction: 

A procession of streetwise choir boys in crisp white tunics.

Pious pleats: 

Translucent and silken white fabrics gathered together to create high necked tunics, oversized zip jackets and longline culottes. Delicate balloon sleeves, ruched neck and cuff detailing and hems decorated with lace pleats gave the looks a graceful, feminine edge.