Ravensbourne's Jessica Au takes Gold at River Island GFW Gala

Last night the UK fashion industry's cognoscenti decended on Earl's Court 2 for the Graduate Fashion Week Gala, the 17th annual awards ceremony for graduating fashion students. Caryn Franklin, probably one of my formative fashion inspirations, hosted the event, at which River Island CEO Richard Bradbury confirmed a further year's sponsorship of GFW - confirming my earlier blog at the beginning of the week (you heard it hear first, fashion punters!).
Ravensbourne, which had gained plaudits for its show on Sunday, scooped two awards in the form of Jessica Au, who won both the top accolade of the River Island Gold Award and the Zandra Rhodes Catwalk Textiles Award for her menswear collection of wool and satin tailored suits and separates printed with clashing, blown-up floral forms in pinks, purples, reds and whites - kind of a radioactive Paul Smith pushed to its limits.
The winner of the Womenswear Award was Nabil El Nayal, from Manchester School of Art, whose monochrome collection of voluminous Victoriana nightgown, blouses and dresses, as well as high waisted tux trousers in chiffon, satin and cotton had been my personal favourite at that college's show.
Ria Thomas, of Nottingham Trent University, picked up the Pringle of Scotland Visionary Knitwear Award, and quite rightly so - her open knit dresses in sea blue-greys and cream were ultra-sexy, body conscious and innovative, and felt v. pleased with myself for having picked out another winner.
The Menswear Award went to Domingo Rodriguez, who had played with textures and transparencies in his slim-cut tailored collection in black and grey chiffon, knit, leather.
Notably, this year the British Fashion Council came on board as a sponsor, presenting the BFC Creative Cutting Award, developed to encourage technical skills among fashion students - this was won by Tim Rhys Evans, Manchester School of Art, whose toile and final piece was brought on stage to demonstrate his working method.
The fashion promotion and media awards continue to go from strength to strength, as the work entered gets better every year, and the winners are (deep breath!!): Strategic Marketing Award - Thomas Hopkins, University of Central Lancashire; Creative Marketing Award - Emily Bell, Northumbria, Fashion Marketing; Dalziel + Pow Stand Design Award - Northumbria, Fashion Marketing; Jon Adam Portfolio Award - Poppy Diver, Kingston; Society of Dyers and Colourists Award - Laura Fauvel, Ravensbourne; Mulberry Accessories Award - Sarah Kennedy, Northumbria, Fashion; Fashion Innovation Award - Thomas Rothery, Manchester School of Art; National Magazine 'First Word' Journalism Award - Jennifer Weibking, UCCA Epsom (which delivered all the nominees in this category!); and Media and Design Award - Lesley Schofield, University of Salford. Phew! Make a note of those names and these should be the names we are looking out for in the future. I made a note of Thomas Rothery's details, as his collection was ultra-bike friendly, and perfect for the bike catwalk show being planned later this year (the one I was wittering on about yesterday).
A key focus of the GFW team has been to underscore the professionalism of graduates' work, making sure that the global industry sits up, takes notice, and gives as many a job as possible. Certainly, last night's show exuded professionalism, and I have no doubt that each of the 16 design finalists have every chance to make it, as do the finalists in the fashion promotion and media awards, which were presented before the catwalk show. Before this, the potential of the finalists was highlighted with a mini showcase of former GFW graduates' work, with a look from the collections of: Julien Macdonald - 1993, Brighton; Amy Molyneaux, PPQ - 1999, University of Central Lancashire; Thea Bragazzi and Justin Thornton, Preen - 1993, University of Central Lancashire and Winchester, respectively; Richard Nicol - 2002, Central Saint Martins; Giles Deacon - 1992, Central Saint Martins; and Christopher Bailey - 1991, Westminster (he was the first ever GFW Designer of the Year, factfinders!). I really, sincerely hope that some of the names who won yesterday might be in a position to take place in a similar showcase, five, 10, 20 years down the line.
At the champagne reception and the aftershow party, the space was a buzz with positive feeling about the direction that GFW is heading, and also the new venue and iniatives at the event; no doubt it will continue to evolve on the same trajectory.
\\\\ PS. note for diary - bit premature possibly, but - next year's Graduate Fashion Week is set for June 7-11, 2009, same place.