by Sarita Rai
Innovative fashion designs by two creative fashion students will be revealed on the London Fashion Week catwalk later this month.
Flatmates Aysha Simpson and Kimberley Phillips are both studying BA fashion design at De Montfort University in Leicester and are amongst 15 undergraduates chosen as finalists from across the UK for the reputable 2013 FAD competition.
The catwalk final will be held at the Fashion Scout showcase in Freemasons’ Hall, Covent Garden on February 19 where the anticipated show will see the young and talented designers compete for important funding and industry placements with leading fashion brands.
Aysha, 22, originally from East London, said: “I’m really excited to see my designs come to life and be shown on a real catwalk during fashion week.”
The student’s designs are based on ‘The Future Optimism’ brief that challenges the aspiring designers to visualize significant developments in society over the following decade and design two positive and inventive outfits to portray those changes.
Their inspired designs will be judged by a panel of top fashion industry experts including the iconic fashion journalist Hilary Alexander.
Kimberely, 22, from Leicester, created a captivating animal inspired theme. She said: “I kind of looked at the recession we’re in today and how people want to put a smile on their faces. My designs are a sort of play on animals wearing human clothes.”
This is the twelfth year that charity FAD has run the competition which aims to challenge fashion students to think outside the commercial box and encourage them to look at art, culture and broader social trends in research and in their design work.
Defined by Vogue as an ‘undeniable springboard’, the FAD competition has an impressive track record of showcasing young talent from a wide range of institutions and backgrounds. Past finalists have gone on to win top accolades at Graduate Fashion Week and work for the likes of admired labels such as Vivienne Westwood and Paul Costelloe.
