Degree Show 2024: Final-year fashionistas showcase catwalk couture

Students from BA Fashion, Textiles, Footwear & Accessories at the University of Northampton presented their final year collections to industry heavyweights last week on the University’s very own purpose-built catwalk.

With collection inspirations ranging from Portuguese folklore, inclusivity, alternate realities, motherhood and Spanish heritage, this year’s catwalk was one not to be missed.

Students showcased their striking collections which worked with a range of hand printed textiles, sculptured leather and included award winning textile designs printed by Italian manufacturer, Kornit Digital.

The University of Northampton’s Head of Fashion, Leather and Foundation, Vicki Dean reflected on the success of the event: “As the Fashion team, we feel empowered to provide an inclusive culture which celebrates diversity and heritage – and it was incredibly heartening to see this run through the veins of so many final-year collections designed by our 2024 graduating cohort.

“We are extremely proud to be at the heart of educating this next generation of leather, fashion, textile, footwear and accessory designers as graduates who are uniquely positioned to promote and market these globally important sectors.

“The designs which premiered on our purpose-built catwalk challenged the boundaries and conventions of fashion, and I am confident this will not be the last we hear of these students as they launch into their careers as industry professionals.”

Below, we hear from two students who showcased their work on the 2024 catwalk.

Mellonia Gray: I AM A PLANKTON

“My passion for fashion is inspired by art, nature, and architecture. I love avant-garde fashion and sculpture, and I enjoy exploring silhouettes using both conventional and unconventional materials to create sculptural pieces that are wearable and suited for exhibitions.

“I love pushing the boundaries of shape and materials. In my final creative collection, I’ve pushed the limits of silk organza by using it as a base to support heavier materials like leather. My work challenges fashion norms with daring shapes and innovative combinations.

“I aim to start my own brand soon, continuing to explore the limits of fashion while telling meaningful stories and being a voice for the voiceless.

“I AM A PLANKTON” is a personal project inspired by my life experiences. While studying fashion at the University of Northampton, I became pregnant with my fifth child. Balancing motherhood, marriage, and studies was extremely difficult. This struggle led me to appreciate the immense efforts mothers and wives put into sustaining their families. Coming from an African background, where being only a mother or wife without a career is often seen as a failure, I wanted to honour these undervalued roles.

“I have drawn inspiration from planktons, which are essential yet overlooked in their ecosystems, much like mothers in my society. Planktons sustain the marine ecosystem and are major the sources of oxygen, paralleling how mothers sustain families.”

Isabelle Stevens: Being Human

“As a Fashion Designer, I thrive when faced with challenges as I enjoy the problem solving process to get a high quality outcome. I have always been inspired by construction and structure of clothing making this a big part of my designs.

“In the past two years I have researched and designed garments with accessibility in mind – my ambition is to revolutionize streetwear by making it accessible as clothing should not limit anyone. My garments help give individuals their independence back due to the functions that I incorporate into each piece. Allowing everyone to express themselves in what makes them feel comfortable.

“Growing up I have witnessed family struggle due to limitations with mobility, whether this is pain in the legs making it difficult to walk, get dressed and move around. In the hands were trying to do fiddly tasks is a challenge for example doing up buttons and general movement hurts. This made me realise that a simple task of getting dressed to one person can be a massive challenge to another.

“The concept of Being Human has the focus on investigating the limitations that people may face with getting dressed and the struggles each individual human has whether that is physically or mentally day to day. The aim is to help solve an issue of a lack of fashionable practical and accessible clothing in the industry.”

Find out more about studying Fashion, Textiles, Footwear and Accessories at the University of Northampton.