Ten exceptional students selected by Institute Marangoni London presented six designs engaging the theme of DISRUPT/DISTORT, with collections inspired by everything from Jack the Ripper to mountaineers’ dreams, meet the standout designers who presented their visions at Istituto Marangoni London’s latest graduate show.
Angelynne Viorenique Andersen begin the runway with frizzled yarn designs, billowing leather, and blistered knitwear. Anna Savchenko delivered cutout pixilated garments taken from the future, while Giju Kim’s haunting menswear saw patchwork suiting grow floor-length arms and denim uniforms filled with rounded shoulder pads.
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.
