‘Shipwreck’ inspiration for fashion show
The University of Northampton Graduate Fashion Show 2007 highlighted the impressive work a group of students has carried out using leather and footwear.
Third-year student Natasha Carter, who will graduate from the university in July, contributed, perhaps, the most eye-catching collection of footwear to the show, which took place at the end of the June.
Her collection involved flowing silk garments and, most notably, distinctive shoes with elongated toes. A key component of the overall effect was spats across the top of the feet. Ms Carter later explained to www.footwearbiz.com that the theme of her collection was ‘shipwreck’. Flowing trouser-legs and trailing accessories gave the impression that the wearers had just emerged from the sea.
“I was thinking of the 1700s and 1800s for this,” she said. “But when it came to the shoes, the style at that time was for square toes. Having decided to go with the spats, I realised a square look wouldn’t work, so I designed a last myself that allowed me to create the long-toe effect.”
At the end of the event, footwear firms Church and T&A, as well as the Leathersellers and Cordwainers companies presented a series of special prizes to students.
The Leathersellers award is a series of bursaries to second-year students aiming to use leather as part of their final projects in the third and last year of the course. The money should allow these students to travel and attend some industry events in the search of contacts and inspiration.
Names to watch out for in years to come include those of Nicola Hassell and Jodi Parchment, who took several prizes each on the night.
