W: Maximiliano Dubois
The Istituto Marangoni London Graduate Fashion Show 2023, aptly titled "DISRUPT/DISTORT," was a high-concept collision between East London’s gritty history and a tech-driven "phygital" future. Staged in an industrial-chic venue in Wapping, the show felt more like a multimedia installation than a traditional runway. As models moved past towering digital screens projecting Metaverse-inspired landscapes, it became clear that this cohort wasn't just designing clothes; they were building entire immersive worlds where the boundary between physical craftsmanship and digital identity ceases to exist.
The evening’s crowning achievement belonged to Hyun Jik Yoo, named Designer of the Year for his hauntingly sophisticated collection, Psychopathic Murderer, Jack the Ripper. Drawing inspiration from the dark local lore of Whitechapel, Yoo utilized an eerie palette of rough wools, felt, and organza to explore the psychology of a hidden identity. His garments featured ingenious drawstrings and interchangeable silhouettes that physically mimicked the act of "concealing and revealing." It was a masterful display of storytelling through tailoring—taking a macabre historical theme and refining it into high-fashion workwear that felt both relevant and deeply unsettling.
Sustainability served as the second major pillar of the showcase, but with an experimental twist that moved away from the "crunchy" aesthetic of the past. Anna Savchenko stunned the audience with her Not Broken collection, where she manipulated waterproof and water-soluble papers over layers of newspaper to resemble shattered glass. Similarly, Angelynne Viorenique Andersen opened the show with "beautiful mess" textures, using frizzled yarns and leather scraps to celebrate the process of shedding and regeneration. These designers proved that "responsible fashion" can be just as avant-garde and visually arresting as traditional luxury.
Ultimately, the 2023 showcase reaffirmed Istituto Marangoni’s reputation as a bridge between Italian heritage and London’s radical creativity. From Giju Kim’s oversized, patchwork "Don Quixote" silhouettes to Anna Savchenko’s pixelated futurism, the show was a vibrant tapestry of global perspectives. By the time the final model walked, it was evident that these graduates are prepared to enter an industry where digital fluency and ethical material choices are no longer optional, but the very foundation of design.
Collection: Rebirth of Don Quixote
Inspired by the Spanish epic novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, Giju Kim portrayed his vision and ambitions in fashion through the lens of the novel's protagonist Don Quixote, a middle-aged Spanish gentleman who dreamed of becoming a knight. Kim skilfully incorporated elements of traditional menswear tailoring and showcased his expertise in construction and fabrics—rendered in oversized capes, jackets, shirts as well as fabric layers symbolic of Don Quixote’s wounds from failure and disillusionment. This collection is an embodiment of a famous quote from the novel, "I know who I am and who I may be if I choose."
Collection: Psychopathic Murderer, Jack the Ripper
Yoo developed a collection that captures the enigma of London’s infamous serial killer, Jack the Ripper. Through skilled tailoring, oversized shapes and hidden details, Yoo created interchangeable silhouettes through the use of drawstrings, straps, and collars to simulate the murderer’s contrasting behaviours. Yoo also showcased his extensive knowledge of materials with a variety of fabrics and textures such as rough wool, tweed, felt, jersey organza and gabardine in a dark colour palette, evoking a chilling atmosphere.
Collection: Shedding
Drawn to the natural process of shedding as a vital process of regeneration and transformation for all living beings, as well as taking cues from the works of Canadian sculpture artist David Altmejd, whose works brilliantly embody the theme, Anderson sought to capture the essence of a beautiful mess by experimenting with various textiles, manipulating and weaving yarns, wool, and scrap fabrics together. The collection, in its vibrant splendour, reflects the transformative power of shedding and celebrates renewal and metamorphosis.
Collection: Sufiana
In his research, Rudraksh explores Hinduist beliefs from his cultural background and Islam’s Sufism. The collection aims to move beyond prejudice and preconceptions by looking back at the origins, using fashion as a bridge between Hindu and Islamic communities.
Collection: Ups and Downs
Natalie wondered what mountaineers dream about to envision a collection that intertwines the world of mountaineering with the ethereal realm of lucid dreaming.
Collection: Not Broken
Anna focused on using paper materials to apply the concept of sustainability to fashion. She got inspired by the concept of resilience over fragility to overcome struggles and conflicts. The garments were crafted by manipulating waterproof and water-soluble papers over layers of newspapers draped to resemble shattered glass windows.
Collection: Vintage Toy
Jiaxi refers to her childhood innocence and her passion for vintage toy collecting and assemblage, bringing a deconstructing combination of fabrics and shapes to the design.
Collection: On Wednesday, We Wear Black
Fictitious Dictatorship was the inspiration concept of the collection. Hamootal worked on the personal level of her childhood diagnoses of ADHD and Dyslexia and strains with the discipline interpreting it as a design development method.
