London Fashion Week - The Graduates

Situated in the aptly named Fashion Street Istituto Marangoni, the fashion, art and design school was the brainchild of fashion aristocracy Giulio Marangoni who established his eponymous educational centre of excellence in Milan in 1935 to teach fashion designers and creatives. Opening the doors of their East London school in 2003, when Shoreditch was on the cusp of transitioning from derelict to desirable, this was followed by the opening of further institutes in Paris, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Mumbai and Miami.

Swift was delighted to be asked to attend the Istituto Marangoni London School 2022 fashion show, where the ten students deemed to have produced the best bodies of work presented their creations on the runway to an audience of family, friends and fashion industry insiders.

These ten student designers all richly deserved their place on this stellar shortlist, and among those who particularly captured our attention was Ian (Ho Hong) Chang. His collection "The Golden Ticket" was inspired by the movie "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and specifically the Golden Ticket, the pass which allowed visitors to gain access to the fantastical factory. A concept that Ian wanted to explore because of its recollection of cherished childhood memories and the sense of exaggeration which permeates the film. An exaggeration that also saw him reference the voluminous bodysuits made by conceptual artist Daisy Collingridge and @itsmaysmemes, the online meme account where already super-sized garments are Instagram inflated to hot air balloon proportions.

These influences manifested themselves in a capsule collection which saw Ian drawing inspiration from those beloved streetwear staples, the parka and the puffer, reimagining them in inflated cocoon shapes. These exuberantly oversized pieces came in shimmering metallics and luxe leather, with trousers and gargantuan puffers also appearing in the richest reds and most beguiling burgundy. It was genderless luxury streetwear made with a sculptural synergy for the brave of heart and those who know that empathetic exaggeration can often be the key to becoming the best version of ourselves.

While Michiko Koshino was exploring inflatable clothing in the 80s and more recently, everyone from Moncler to Marc Jacobs has presented us with their interpretation of the inflatable puffer; Ian Chang's take on this recurring trend is one which he has imbued with his own distinct aesthetic. An aesthetic that shows a gifted young designer unafraid to reference the past as a means of signposting a bright future.

Another emerging talent is Bahraini Fashion Design and Womenswear student Zahra Husain whose top ten awarded collection is entitled "The Thread of Fate". Its stimulus was an ancient Japanese legend which explores the chaotic life journey of two predestined lovers linked together by an invisible red string. That string being the metaphor for a love that, while tangled and knotted, is never broken.

Taking the story of these fated lovers and the complexities and imperfections which ran through their relationship into her design process, Zahra has created pieces which feature those elements of knots and tangles. As a student with a passion for creating her own textiles and whose signature sensibility is to leave loose threads in all her pieces, these influences coalesced to produce an androgynous assemblage of pieces where neutrals shared runway space with bold browns and blues.

We were particularly drawn to a blue shirt with the most strikingly shredded sleeves, a sleeveless suit atop a billowing sleeved shirt and a fabric manipulation which revealed itself in textured technical excellence.

"The Thread of Fate" demonstrated a designer whose work spoke to us of an impressive maturity and commitment to craftsmanship which can only hold Zahra Husain in good stead for a career in the fashion industry.

With a global reputation, Istituto draws its student body from across the world, and this cross-pollination of cultures is one factor which attracted student Jessica Nozato to London. Bolivian with Japanese heritage growing up on her family's farm is the cultural touchstone which inspired a collection which drew from the workwear worn by the farmers in her region and the childhood memories of wearing her brothers' clothes for reasons of practicality and comfort.

This take on heritage has given her collection a distinctly durable feel which is married to her experimental and genderless vision. Re-envisioning that core utilitarian premise with the application of drawstring details cleverly affixed zips and snap buttons together with the most pleasing pockets and street-wise silhouettes has elevated these pieces from farm to fabulous.

The collection, presented in a predominately subdued and earthy palette, displayed commendable attention to detail and an assured grasp of fabric manipulation, which belies Jessica's short time in the industry. We were particularly enchanted with a funnel neck neutral quilt effect jacket with knee-grazing sleeves, an orange and blue jacket whose original genesis may have been the campfire but which screamed catwalk and a top with a super-sized statement pocket.

While Jessica's journey from Bolivia to Brick Lane may have been a long one, we are sure that the journey from this collection to an established place in the fashion industry will be much shorter.

Shanie Bellanger's collection entitled "The child that grew up in a nightclub" takes inspiration from her experience as a young child ' in her parents' nightclubs in France, where she witnessed the more experimental and subversive perspective of life through the clubgoers who inhabited the spaces by night. Shanie found this existence simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying, lending her an open-minded approach to life represented through her graduate collection's bold cuts and silhouettes. Shanie explained, "London helped me in so many ways; as a French designer, I had to break and forget all my French mindset and open my mind to something different. London is a cosmopolitan place with a different culture. The more you speak with people, the more you see possibilities to create."

“London helped me in so many ways; as a French designer, I had to forget my French mindset and open my mind to something different”

— Shanie Bellanger

Shanie delivered an accomplished aesthetic with references to the 90s combined with her contemporary interpretation of the era. Experimenting with symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes, she took further inspiration from the outfits adorned by the club kids of the time, aiming to bring back the essence of that period.

The collection featured highly textural and patterned pieces with paint-splattered fabrics, leather, patents, clever layering and cutouts complemented by slouchy clutches in bold palettes from bright yellow to cobalt blue. Shanie's work demonstrated a high talent level and an excellent commercial eye. A talented stylist seated next to us was already taking note. With industry insiders already primed to feature her pieces, we predict that Shanie Bellanger has a bright future ahead of her.

Noam Milly Anidjar Sussman also looked to her heritage for inspiration for her graduate collection, spending hours listening to stories from her grandpa about his days as a ship's captain back in 1956. Hearing tales of his journeys to distant lands like Africa and Israel, she studied old photographs of sailors, looking into the protective clothing they utilised, taking inspiration for a collection combining modular design with a utility feel.

The collection referenced lifejackets and sailing attire, where outerwear and trousers were oversized, featuring transparent materials, trenches, and puffers that felt part street, part futuristic. Focusing on the sailors' isolation, Noam considered their pared-down approach to nautical life and the minimal and adaptive wardrobes used over many months at sea. Many garments featured technical, adjustable, reversible elements and double-sided, waterproof and technical fabrics that created new clothes and accessories when layered together or worn separately.

The palette was bold in bright oranges and greens with lilac and white accents accentuating details, silhouettes and cuts. In continuation of the sailing narratives, Noam produced a textile with a hand-drawn print that detailed the storyline of her grandfather's anecdotes. The result was a collection with a bold contemporary aesthetic with a modular approach that cleverly addressed the environmental issue with many looks derived from the same pieces. With notable garments like a floor-length orange puffa, the collection was playful and expressive, skilfully combining heritage and contemporary to a striking effect.

Azerbaijani Fidan Akbarova brought us sustainable streetwear, creating a collection that explored the blurred lines between our reality and the virtual with garments that focused on the technological advancements of the modern world in the areas of A.I. and cybernetics. Considering how we utilise and take technology for granted in our everyday lives, the designer addressed our post-pandemic world. Examining online connections, Fidan's work embodies the sci-fi juxtaposition of robotics, the post-apocalyptic dystopia, and the escapism and extension of our reality through V.R.

This intelligently crafted collection draws on the idea of complex robotic mechanisms and the development of futuristic materials that represent a contemporary and sustainable version of 'the fur of the future.' Each garment was individually handmade using deadstock materials sourced from London manufacturers. Through this process of repurposing, the fabrics were reassembled as a reimagined wardrobe that is as modern in its design approach as it is in its consideration of the environment. With designs comprising bold patterns, layering and technical materials, Fidan's collection is contemporary streetwear that is functional and striking. If you are lucky enough to own a piece, we imagine you'll draw admiring looks, not only for your wardrobe but also for your ethics.

Arina Vartanova considered her nationality and heritage when she began working on her graduate collection. Hailing from Russia and feeling strongly connected to her country, she researched different aspects of the Soviet household. Examining Soviet cookbooks and their fabricated representation of reality, Arina was fascinated by the propaganda embedded within the pages, the juxtaposition of delicious recipes and the reality of the sparse choice of food available to the Soviet people. Taking this idea forward, Arina depicted this through bright, juicy fruits and brown "ugly" foods with clothes featuring bright and dark palettes with bold detailing on pockets and across arms and shoulders.

Arina explained that her focus has shifted with the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine. "I felt like I needed to speak up; therefore, I started looking at the soviet anti-war posters. That allowed me to stay in the same narrative and bring a different, meaningful side to the collection." Arina's collection delivers unique garments with a compelling message at the centre of their design. It is heartening to see a young designer who, as she works on her graduate show and looks to her future, is also mindful of the lives of others living in less privileged circumstances and, through her works, giving them another voice.

Undoubtedly, Istituto Marangoni mentors some of the brightest fledgeling designers we have seen. The young talents we featured here had a mere few minutes to catch their audience's attention. Still, the works of so many demonstrated intelligently, thought-provoking concepts and skilled craftsmanship that surpassed their years. With collection after collection of notable garments that left us, and the audience wanting more, we can't wait to see where these young designers go on the subsequent phases of their design journeys.

Many thanks to :

Ian Chang (Ho Hong Chang) @ivision__official

Zahra Husain @throughthreads

Jessica Nozato @j.nozato

Shanie Bellanger @shanie_bellanger

Noam Milly Anidjar Sussman @noamilly_

Fidan Akbarova @fiakai_

Arina Vartanova @arkivarka

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