The Royal College of Art Exhibition at the V&A.

There was a exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum I went to back to 2010. This was showing graduate's MA final collections. This exhibition was about final design process. It's said that every year, about 3000 graduates enter the fashion industry and working against the odds, they enter a competitive industry where skills and ideas are imperative to success.

The show displays the work of 2008 fashion graduates, many who now work in the fashion industry. This reveals the aspects of student's important design process: research, development and the technical skill.

I was going through my old Dell computer when I found my old file of these pictures I took at the V&A! I really loved this exhibition, it really inspired me. I was in my foundation in Art & Design: Fashion Textiles in 2010, and it was interesting to see the design process - how you'd start an idea, find your design identity and develop technical skills leading to the final collection. I especially loved the detailing of the garments, I thought they were beautiful :') I love embellishments.

             

Gorgeous lace detailing and beautiful trimmings. 

         

Inspiration and samples in student's sketchbook. 

A student's sketchbook work

 

This boxy dress (right) was my favourite piece from this exhibition!

Beautiful prints. 

Gorgeous shoes, aren't they?

 

 

There are four main elements, which are:

Concept - A cohesive and exciting catwalk collections needs a strong central idea. This will influence the colour, cut, decoration, materials and function.

Form - In transforming their designs into 3-D garments, fashion designers enter a problem-solving stage. Traditional methods of making, as well as innovation and experimentation with materials, cut and construction, are vital to this process.

Technique - In creating their collections RCA fashion students have to develop their skills. They attend lectures and workshops in subjects such as dyeing, sewing, computer-aided design, knitwear construction and tailoring.

Detail -  Detail, whether hidden, decorative or functional is an essential aspect of fashion design. Customised fastenings, decorative stitching, jewelled embellishment or a delicate print can make a garment truly unique.


Source: V&A: Royal College of Art