Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show 2011

On Tuesday, Mr Man and I visited the degree show at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee. The areas I paid most attention to were Textiles and Jewellery/Metals. Below are some photographs of the work compiled and created by some very promising textile and jewellery designers.

Josey McWilliam’s kooky insect prints are really interesting – the sheer fabrics made things pretty, while the winged bugs gave a darker, edgier aesthetic. The insect print showed a lot of potential for McWilliam to set major trends. It’s most likely she created her textiles collection ahead of the fashion world’s fascination with bugs, etc, and what I particularly liked was that the textile derived from the concept of Lewy Bodie Dementia, and the side effects of such a condition which include hallucinations, often of people or animals. McWilliam clearly relates to aspects of life that can be difficult, but through this she creates something quite beautiful.

Marion Lean has a grungy vibe to her graduate collection. The rubber fabrics teamed with her printed interpretations of cancerous cells made for a striking and intriguing selection of designs. Lean’s work reminded me greatly of Gareth Pugh’s initial collections, where he used impractical fabrics and incredibly unusual, if a little strange, elements and accessories. Pugh was noticed for his individuality and novel creations, which later he developed into wearable pieces in order that his line would sell (designers need to make a living, after all) and Lean’s graduate collection is very reminiscent of such innovative and considered pieces, but I wonder if many of us would really wear a pair of rubbery cycling shorts. However, this could possibly be her breakthrough into high fashion, which could then make way for a more mainstream design future.