It was so hot at the Graduate Fashion Week in every sense of the word. It was especially hot sitting at the front of the catwalk! While the spotlights were trained on the models and Gok Wan, they managed to encompass us too. Luckily our goody bags included a bottle of cold chocolate milk; unluckily (for those sitting around us) I cooled down by taking off my dress… Aubergine silk is far too warm against skin under the glare of the super-troupers.
It was an awesome show with fashion graduates from around the country presenting their capsule collections in the hope of securing a £10,000 prize and – better still – a plum job in the fashion industry. I love being there! The energy level is so high and the students’ excitement rubs off on everyone.
The champagne is always flowing in the VIP suite, but this year was the added bonus of a delicious looking buffet. It was so nice I tweeted it. Being the first person to greedily help myself to a plate of perfectly pink, cold roast lamb and a beautiful pale green salad of avocado, asparagus, peas and edamame, I thought it polite to take a restrained portion initially then creep back for seconds after other people had eaten. Only that didn’t happen.
Within seconds of sitting back down, two official and very cross looking waitresses marched in with a large trolley and methodically removed the platters with lightning speed. As they prepared to march back out, one reported into her walkie-talkie, “This buffet was taken to the VIP suite by mistake instead of to the judges’ room. We’re on our way!!” And off they scooted, glaring at my half-filled plate with unbridled annoyance. It was like Stringfellows all over again – only this time I didn’t put the food back. (Didn’t tweet that!)
I had the good fortune to bump into fashion designer Jeff Banks, whose clothes graced my wardrobe throughout the eighties. There was a branch of Warehouse at Oxford Circus that I had to pass to get to the station, and the knitwear collection had a habit of calling me in. In the nineties he worked with my mum, creating the Thomas Burberry collection. Marion remembers him sending my mum a huge bouquet but I’d forgotten that. He remembered though!
Congratulations to all the Graduate Fashion Week participants, finalists and, of course, the winners – especially the winner of the George Gold Prize! That talented lady, Hannah Wallace, wins a nice wad of cash and will have her collection on sale later this year in Asda. (Thank you Mark, for the invitation. (See, I can spell your name right!))
Another talented lady who deserves a mention this week is Oli’s friend Rebekah Miron Clayton. An emerging scriptwriter and poet, Rebekah’s work has been selected by a panel including Quentin Blake to be published in The Mays Anthology 2015! It’s a huge achievement for a university student with a packed timetable, especially during exam season!
Agnetha said, “I was sick and tired of everything when I called you last night from Glasgow. All I do is eat and sleep and sing, wishing every show was the last show.” I sometimes feel like that’s all I do too, but replace eat with work for a more accurate scenario, and make it ‘sing badly’ for complete authenticity. And I always crave the next show. (So nothing like that at all, really…)
I have no plans to visit Glasgow but I’ll be working in Edinburgh this week, then staying with Marion in the beautiful Scottish Borders. If you’re north of Hadrian’s Wall you might see me there. Or, as always, you can see me here: @WeekendWitch.
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