GFW 2015: Kayleigh Walmsley, University of East London
The third in my series
of profiles from the very best in graduate fashion is University of East
London menswear designer, Kayleigh Walmsley who was part of the 25 strong
Gala showcase during the recent Graduate Fashion Week.
Her streetwear collection made a statement on the Truman Brewery
catwalk combining fashion and politics, drawing inspiration from her
Liverpool roots and the importance of football in the city, with sequin
tracksuits and latex football shirts.
After her graduate fashion week show, FashionUnited spoke to the
menswear designer about the inspiration behind her bold collection, labels
she admires, and her plans for the future.
Tell us about your graduating collection – what was the
inspiration behind it?
The inspiration behind my collection was a combination of gender
expression and hooliganism, the gender expression was an interest of mine
and the hooliganism was something that was personal to me. My aim was to
focus on feminine fabrication, so this could coincide with the form of
gender expression through menswear it was to initiate a form of dress and
how we express ourselves through being a part of a tribe or group for
instance a hooligan or gang. As well as gender expression, how we express
our gender through being the opposite sex, and live in a society that deems
dresses appropriate for woman, but not for men.
The hooligan side was something that took over through my collection,
being from Liverpool I combined fashion and politics, drawing inspiration
from the Hillsborough disaster from the 80’s. This was something that was a
part of my life growing up as my dad was involved in the disaster and was
and still is a big Liverpool fan, so I wanted to introduce this through my
collection and research to build a scouser proud collection that had use of
depth mixed in with football derived streetwear to denigrate what happened
and in particular the Sun newspaper’s controversial coverage of the
disaster.
What are the signature piece/pieces?
The printed sequin tracksuits and latex football shirts and coat.
Did you have a specific audience in mind when designing your final
collection? Who is your target customer?
When I think about the guy wearing my clothes I feel, he is someone who
is fun, outgoing and care free, very flamboyant and not scared to express
himself in how he dresses. Middle-aged professional who likes to stand out
from his mates of course in a signature sequin tracksuit and most defiantly
confident.
Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey
As well as university, have you completed any work experience?
As well as studying at the University of East London I’ve also
undertaken work experience for design houses including as PPQ, Christopher
Kane and Redeem.
What do you plan to do now that you’ve graduated? What are your plans for your career in the future?
Take a long holiday! Work for a well established design label.
Where do you hope to see yourself/your label in five years time?
Always had an interest in taking a Masters Degree, but other than that
having a successful career, working for a well established label, doing
what I love most.
What was your Graduate Fashion Week experience like?
Amazing all the tears tantrums and stress was defiantly worth it. I got
selected for the gala show which was amazing being apart of the best 25
designers from 1000 was a surreal experience, I was overwhelmed by the
whole experience, and the feed back I received was great.
What designers/labels do you most admire? Who would you love to
work or collaborate with?
Most admired designers for me would be Martine Rose I feel I relate to
her as a designer being drawn to both strange and beautiful when the two
collide it’s a combination between feminity in a masculine aesthetic. For
menswear that what I’m most intrigued by, she would be someone I’d love to
collaborate with and of course Christopher Shannon with him being a fellow
scouser!
What advice would you give to aspiring fashion
designers?
Work hard and go with your instincts!
Images: Kayleigh Walmsley