2016 leaver Alice Morell-Evans has scooped the top prize at the BA Fashion graduation show at the prestigious Central Saint Martins.
Grayson Perry and Madonna were in the front row to watch models sashay the student designs down the catwalk and see Alice announced as the winner of the coveted L’Oréal Professionnel Young Talent Award.
This show is closely observed by people in the fashion industry, as the place to spot the designers of the future. Vogue describes Alice’s collection as “pushing the possibilities of knitwear, crochet, textiles, and drapery well beyond normal categorization”.
Women’s Wear Daily carries a fuller assessment of Alice’s work:
“She presented three intricate and culturally rich looks that redefined the limit of knitwear design with deeply personal references and a sustainable approach.
The headpiece in the first look was crocheted around her great grandfather’s chandelier. The gloves are made of waste yarn ends of Melin Tregwynt blankets. All the buttons in the collection were collected by her grandmother, while the third look was made almost entirely from paper yarn, waste leather scraps, antique tablecloths, and yarn scraps with horse brass joints.
Morell-Evans told WWD that her collection, which started with the idea of “restorative nostalgia and distortion of memory,” and “to emulate a sense of familiarity through clothing and touch,” aims “to communicate the memory of safety, order, comfort, and familiarity of my grandparents’ home but with the wildness of the grey mare ‘Mari Lwyd,’ causing havoc.”
Upon winning the grand prize, the Welsh designer said she is excited to “cultivate and grow” her collection. “I love putting the craft back into fashion and I’m excited to grow this idea much further,” she added.”
Alice recently came back to School to talk to current art and textile students – the Art Department was absolutely thrilled to hear of her award and will enjoy following her career.
