GFW International Catwalk Show

GRADUATE FASHION WEEK GOES GLOBAL!

Graduate Fashion Week is thrilled to announce that for the first time ever it will be hosting a catwalk show of collections from international universities, as part of its showcase of this year’s best up and coming graduates.  The show will take place on Monday 7th June at Earls Court 2 and is a very exciting new development for the event.  It will feature the work of students from Amsterdam Fashion Institute, AMD Munich (Akademie Mode and Design), Academy of Art and Design Institute Switzerland, LASALLE Singapore and Saint-Petersburg State University of Technology and Design. 

In addition, the River Island Gold Award pre-selection judges will attend the show and be looking for three students to shortlist for the newly created International Award.  The chosen three will have their collections featured in both Gala Shows and one student will be presented with the first International Award at Gala Show 2 on 9 June (also at Earls Court 2).

“This is a very exciting new development for Graduate Fashion Week.  In recent years more and more of GFW’s member universities have set up faculties overseas (e.g. UCLAN in India and Northumbria in Hong Kong).  The exporting of British fashion education has become an important tool for our universities to raise funds and their profile on an international scale.  We hope that by introducing international universities to GFW, we will help raise the profile of their courses in the UK, and providing UK graduates an opportunity to consider doing an MA overseas.”

June Barker, Director Graduate Fashion Week

What the International Universities say

“The fashion design department of AMFI aims to be a department committed to meeting the needs and ambitions of students by providing an internationally focused, and challenging academic programme.  The learning is underpinned by creativity, enterprise, quality, and the requirements of the fashion industry.  AMFI is the only university in the Nederland’s which concentrates totally on fashion and has three departments - Design, Branding and Management. 

AMFI has a strong international profile.  Each department has an international ‘stream’, taught fully in English.  20% of AMFI students are international, and come from all over the world.  Therefore, Graduate Fashion Week is an important event for AMFI to be involved in to deepen and widen our international profile and to share good practice with colleagues from British Universities.”

Leslie Holden, Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI)

“Graduate Fashion Week is a very interesting creative symbolic and important event.  Participation in GFW gives new opportunities and opens the door of the fashion world for Russian students.”

Liuba Rubenyan, Saint-Petersburg State University of Technology and Design

We hope taking part in GFW will give our students the opportunity to make contacts between universities and with English employers.  Switzerland is neutral, we are not part of the EU community, but for us it makes sense to see what is happening around us and form opinions about this.  This is also a great opportunity for our students to make contacts and ultimately find work.  We love to have students from abroad and hope the event will also help open the door to attracting more English students.”

Francoise Payout, Academy of Art and Design Institute Switzerland

"The world is increasingly interested in Asia for unique and creative propositions.  Design is becoming important for Singapore to remain globally relevant and competitive.  To stay ahead and develop the creative potential of young talents, LASALLE College of the Arts is committed to dialogue with the creative industry and similar design institutions internationally.  In showcasing contemporary and innovative Asian designs at Graduate Fashion Week, we hope to establish links and relationships with partners.  Participation in such a prestigious event is a valuable learning experience for our students and positions our Fashion Programmes amongst the best in the world."

Ginette Chittick, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore

“Graduate Fashion Week is the most important international platform for the AMD in 2010.  Our students are delighted to receive this unique possibility to present their graduate collections here.  It is a high privilege to be among the best fashion designers from the UK and an opportunity to share and to learn from each other."

Ali Ansari, AMD Munich (Akademie Mode and Design)

Showcasing the very best talent from the UK’s premier fashion and design universities, Graduate Fashion Week has become one of the most un-missable events on the calendar for both the international fashion contingent and the general fashion loving public.  This year the event celebrated 19 years of British trained fashion talent passing through its doors.  Graduate Fashion Week 2010 June 6th-10th. 

As a registered charity Graduate Fashion Week is entirely dependent on sponsorship.

For further information please contact Fi Cuningham or Tanya Shaw at SCPR