London is typically where the most talented names in fashion come to hone their craft. The rite of passage? Central Saint Martins’ MA in fashion, of course.
With a power-alumni that’s virtually impossible to match—Phoebe Philo, Alexander McQueen, Riccardo Tisci, Stella McCartney and John Galliano (to name a few)—the prestigious programme is a crucial source of top-notch creative brilliance, responsible for launching the careers of some of the most influential names in the business. And every year, the industry eagerly awaits the CSM graduate collections and, against the limitations and restrictions of the global pandemic, the class of 2021 have continued to blaze the trail.
From Ru-yenn Kwok’s voluminous witchy creations and Chloé Nardin’s subversion of Parisian-chic cliches to Connor Baxter’s larger-than-life fabric interpretations of musical instruments (yes, the look is really the size of an actual piano), this year’s superstar grads have delivered some of the most electrifying creations to date. Here, Vogue shares 16 of their mind-blowing designs.
1 / 16
Andræj Gronau, MA fashion, knitwear
“My collection is about dressing the type of boy who feels abnormally normal being abnormally dressed, turning everyone into an almost naive, childlike alternative of themselves.”
2 / 16
Sól Hansdóttir, MA fashion, womenswear
“I wanted to create a collection that’s about being comfortable with staying in the realm of irrationality, without the fear of the unknown. It’s these three theories of evil which I am constructing everything from.”
3 / 16
Torishéju Dumi, MA fashion, menswear
“I’m inspired by the imaginary line between fear and order.”
4 / 16
David Weksler, MA fashion, textiles
“My collection is titled Bgadim lé Bogdim, which in Hebrew means ‘clothes for traitors’. It’s a post-apocalyptic fantasy, sort of a parallel reality where we visit these desert dwellers who are up to no good. A Jewish futuristic narrative.”
5 / 16
Adam Alaoui Elyassé, MA fashion, menswear
“My collection is a conversation of dual identity in the diaspora of African and British heritage.”
6 / 16
Lucile Guilmard, MA fashion, womenswear
“My collection is self-inspired, regenerates itself and is auto-sufficient. Just like me.”
7 / 16
António Castro, MA fashion, textiles
“My show is based on a Portuguese winter solstice ritual. I cross over this pagan tradition with ideas around gender and my interest in haute couture, artisanal versus mechanical processes, slit dresses and Zoom virtual backgrounds.”
8 / 16
Ru-yenn Kwok, MA fashion, womenswear
“It’s about power dressing for women without referencing the male wardrobe.”
9 / 16
Daniela Meichelböck, MA fashion, womenswear
“My collection is an examination of waiting. Each look documents the subtle and personal detail of an entirely mundane moment.”
10 / 16
Connor Baxter, MA fashion, textiles
“My collection entitled I check in, I check out. Your bags are ready, you are checking into a fantasy, one that distorts the surroundings and escapism where our environment and objects become nothing but ghostly shelves. You are now checking out of a reality that no longer suits the purpose for growth. Your room is ready, enjoy your stay.”
11 / 16
Chloé Nardin, MA fashion, menswear
“I wanted to tell a modern story of France. To try to step up from the Parisian-chic cliches and come up with a product that really communicates heritage and craft, but at the same time is born in urban culture. Bringing romanticism to sportswear.”
12 / 16
Horace Page, MA fashion, menswear
“I was inspired by the idea of a country manor falling apart and the clash of that and the things in it being repurposed by someone in the city.”
13 / 16
Jimmy Howe, MA fashion, menswear
“Traditional masculinity is just as destructive as prescribed femininity. Environmental altruism and selflessness make men feel less macho, and they fear that ‘green’ actions will brand them as ‘feminine’. Emotional responsiveness makes men uncomfortable as they fear the prescriptions of their masculinity would unwind. Men who care are essential in our world.”
14 / 16
Ranura Edirisinghe, MA fashion, knitwear
“My work hopes to revitalise a historic Sri Lankan craft through an exchange of design education, working with artisans to create a sensorial-textural experience through an assemblage of tactility and print.”
15 / 16
Vivien Canadas, MA fashion, womenswear
“My collection is called A Sip Of Fresh Air, from the heart of the city, an escape to a fantasy countryside.”
16 / 16
Luke Derrick, MA fashion, menswear
“My collection seeks to rebuild our understanding of formality and luxury in the post-Covid era.”
