Catwalk review: FAD Competition

With names on the front row like The Telegraph, WGSN.com, Elle UK and Look magazine, and with Grazia girls dotted about the place, the pressure was on for the fourteen design students chosen to send their work down the catwalk. The brief was simple: two outfits each, based on retro-futurism and space tourism. The garments had to enhance and respect the wearer and, of course, look like the cat's pyjamas (not literally). After a sensational show full of immense structure, a library of fabrics and all manner of shapes, colours and styles, one winner and two runners up were chosen and announced.

In third place was Birmingham City University's Camilla Kennedy, with her incredible pyramid-structured silver coat and simple red jersey jumpsuit, cinched in at the waist with a wide, black padded PVC belt.

Felicity Bagget's menswear came in at second place, being both highly wearable and imminently intersting to behold. A white coat with a high collar and masculine structure stood neatly next to some beautiful grey tailoring, fulfilling all of the brief's criteria.

The eventual winner, Anna Belen Merono (Nottingham Trent University) was announced by Dolly Jones of Vogue.com and Paul Costelloe - who gave a touching and funny speech about what it means to be a designer. Her uber-futuristic designs wowed the judges with their simple lines and lovely prints. First up was a clean black and white number, knee-length and with long sleeves. It skimmed the outline of the body, carefully concealing what was underneath and barely hinting at a hidden sexuality. The second was a floaty acid-coloured dress partly covered by a black armour-esque shoulder piece. Her collection both drew attention to and protected the wearer and wouldn't have been out of place on any number of high-profile catwalk shows. The perfect blend of science and art. If the award speech was right and these designers are "people of the future", then it's a future that Fashion Scout is very excited about indeed. Emma Hopkinson

Images: David Coleman
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