Central Saint Martin’s annual graduation show has always been a prestigious happening within fashion history, with many of the most progressive designers today  emerging out of this art and design school. The process that takes place in the final year of fashion design study involves an internal show, exhibiting everyones final collection which is judged by industry professional of which then roughly a quarter are chosen to go on and show to the press. These photographs were taken backstage at the internal show before the forthcoming runway show next week. As expected extravagance, theatricality and boundary pushing examples of sartorial design were celebrated and exhibited on the day.  In a world where fashion designers have to focus their energy on making their creations marketable and accessible to a wider audience, graduate collections like these show a freedom where fashion can be created without those pressures. Below are a few of the most eye catching and original examples.

James Theseus Buck‘s collection created bizarre textile combinations of fur and melted beads adorned upon boxy Chanel suits for men which were only more exhilarated by them being worn by the likes of the iconic Andrew Logan and drag performer Jonny Woo.

Ed Marler created an opulent but totally trashy collection worn by a mixture of models and characters from London’s club scene. Marler specially printed a bandana print onto pink silk and his bejeweled football socks exaggerated his already over the top but excellent hand sewn garments.

Lucy Macdonald carefully shaved a face into this fur jumper which is as simultaneously subtle as it is humorous.

Knitwear student Matty Bovan time consumingly hand wove every bead into each pieces and would then crochet jelly yarn into flowers to create this collection. Considering that the materials used are so heavy and the colours so varying the silhouette he has created is utterly feminine. What may seem overwhelming in the difference of colours, textures and techniques used confidently really completes a solid and unique collection.

Sarah Levay‘s carefully tailored men-wears collection played with classic shapes, subtle details and and a colour way of navy blue and a deep red.

Very sexy, chic and simultaneously completely wearable Linda Engelhardt‘s clothes turned her models into intense and totally alluring women while they walked down the catwalk to Patti Smith’s Horses, chewed gum and nonchalantly held their handbags underneaths their armpits.
All photographs by Reba Maybury

Photographer: Hiroshi Manaka (tiimu)

Creative Direction / Styling: YOON (AMBUSH®)

Art Direction: YOSHIROTTEN (Ralph)

Hair / Makeup: Sachiko Omori (Shima)

Models: Takeshi Uematsu (Donna),  Saki Asamiya (Image)