Condé Nast College x Portsmouth University – Ones To Watch

An explosion of creativity, Condé Nast College’s Diploma students team up to style Portsmouth’s Fashion and Textile students final graduate collection at CNC London.

This April, Portsmouth University’s BA Hons Fashion & Textiles students visited the Condé Nast College of Fashion to collaborate with the CNC students to shoot their collections.

For two days, the ground floor of the Condé Nast College was taken over by clothes rails, make-up equipment, hair stylists, models and photographers, as students from Portsmouth University arrived to have their final graduate collections styled by the CNC Diploma students.

The Condé Nast College Vogue Fashion Diploma students each took on the role of stylist, working one-on-one with an allocated designer, and a number of different models depending on the day of their shoot. Every collection was given a specific time slot in the studio, at which point the models would have hair and make-up done according to the look of the designs. Once prepped and ready, the stylists and photographer directed the shoot, guiding the models to ensure that they captured each look in its best light.

Over 8 collections, in both menswear and womenswear, no two designers were even slightly comparable in their creative vision, although an inventive use of colour and bold cuts were the consistent characteristics.

Rose Dutton’s collection, inspired by patchwork children’s stories, presented an eye-catching display of womenswear pieces made from neoprene, in bright pink, blue and yellow. Sidnie Brennan channeled her love of all things boho into a different kind of patchwork look on long dresses, with contrasting geometric patterns, and Lauren Chivers’ palette consisted of soothing blue tones against white, to create a look that is evocative of a shoreline.

Fiona Grafen’s collection is a nod to the dark and daring glamour of the 80s, à la Adam and the Ants; in total contrast to Petra Saleh’s summery pastels and bold, bright designs, paired with a pale pink visor for menswear and womenswear alike. Joshua Hansler’s designs are all about expressing support for the LGBT community, and are memorable in the very best way – no one will easily forget a candy pink biker jacket or an oversized fur coat in cobalt blue, which would guarantee an excellent entrance in any situation.

Come the end of the second day of shooting, the bottom floor of the college was emptied of all of the students’ designs; the clear, white room that remains a reminder of the colour that permeated every collection. The distinctive character that carried each one is a clear indication of the creativity of the Portsmouth students, who are sure to do well – watch this space.

Find out more about the Vogue Foundation course