Local shoe entrepreneur helps choose the next generation of fashionistas for this year’s Graduate Fashion Week

A local shoe designer and University of Northampton graduate returned to campus last week to help select the next generation of fashionistas to showcase their work on the catwalk at this year’s Gradate Fashion Week.

After completing her MA in Design, Kirsty Ronnie launched her own footwear brand called Ronnie Northampton which makes contemporary shoes for men and women using traditional manufacturing techniques. She joined a panel of judges from the University’s fashion department and was a key influence in deciding which 16 students will be representing the University of Northampton on the catwalk this year.

The students were invited to present their final year collection from concept to design and were judged on a number of criteria, such as creativity, technical excellence and individuality.

Kirsty commented: “All the students at the University of Northampton showed a wonderful approach to colour, and impressed me mostly with the showcasing of so many cross disciplinary skills and the well-thought out juxtaposition of materials. With some of the collection concepts and storytelling taken from the spectacle of bullfighting, the introduction of the 5p shopping bag, the space race and South American subcultures, makes for a very varied and intriguing catwalk collection.”

Local girl, Katy Frost was one of the students chosen. The 21-year old is studying on the BA (Hons) Fashion programme and has created a collection of garments based around the theme of abandonment and feral children. (Pictured)

Katy said: “I couldn’t believe it when I received the email telling me I had been selected for Graduate Fashion Week. We all rang each other screaming with excitement.”

One of the students representing the BA (Hons) Footwear and Accessories programme is 22-year-old Tiffany Ruff. With an influential mix of religious architecture and lavish 80s club, Tiffany from Chesham in Buckinghamshire, has used rich jewelled tones and ornate detail in her shoe designs.

BA (Hons) Textile for Fashion) student Gabi Taylor took inspiration from a photo showing three fashionistas in New York posing beside a man sleeping on the streets for the prints for her final collection. Her hand-woven pieces and use of silk and wool have deeply portrayed the homelessness theme.

Dr Julie King, Head of Fashion at the University of Northampton, commented: “We have an amazing range of collections to represent the creative excellence of the University of Northampton students at Graduate Fashion Week this year. We are all anticipating another incredible and diverse catwalk show.”

Graduate Fashion Week has been firmly established as the world’s leading event for fashion graduates and this year takes place between Sunday 5 to and Wednesday 8 June at the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch. The University of Northampton’s Catwalk Show takes place On Monday 6 June at 3:30pm.

See examples of what will be shown on the University of Northampton’s catwalk show