From weird and wacky to highly original and stunningly technical, the work of young fashion designers from the University of Huddersfield will soon be on the catwalk in an end of year show. Hilarie Stelfox reports on the creations of this year’s graduating fashion students

NEXT week’s graduate show by Huddersfield University’s fashion design students will have audiences on the edge of their seats.

Inspired by everything from oriental origami and deep sea fishermen to explorers and historic plagues, the final year collections to be seen on the catwalk will showcase both the technical skills and the creativity of the 65 students on three fashion courses – fashion with marketing and manufacture, textiles, and communication and promotion.

In an increasingly difficult jobs market, the graduate show is important for students who need to get their work noticed and is attended by industry representatives.

Huddersfield claims an annual 75% to 80% success rate at finding industry-related jobs for graduates.

Senior lecturer in fashion marketing Stephen Wigley said: “We hope that our courses equip students well to find employment. They are not just studying design, they look at other areas as well.

“There is some good news for students because quite a lot of fashion companies are bringing manufacturing back to the UK, so there will be opportunities.”

Subject leader Kevin Almond says that despite the recession, the fashion industry has remained buoyant.

“Current graduates are being interviewed for positions at Abercrombie and Fitch, Marks and Spencer, Jack Wills, Christies, Max Mara in Italy and other fashion companies,” he explained.

“Our fashion courses are extremely popular and have been heavily subscribed to this year, so competition for places has been extremely high.

“We anticipate the applications for 2012 will also be high. This is due to the global reputation of our fashion courses which produce high calibre and diverse students for a breadth of job opportunities in the fashion industry.”

The university, which established its first fashion course 15 years ago, is one of a small number of elite educational establishments to be a member of the British Fashion Council’s Colleges Forum. The BFC organises the annual London Fashion Week which showcases the best of British design talent.

Today, Huddersfield has one of the country’s leading fashion departments.

In the beginning there were just 30 students, but today there well over 300.

Most students take a year out to work in industry and through this placement scheme often find jobs to go to at the end of their studies.

“It is one of our strengths,” said Stephen.

Some, however, organise a placement after graduating to ease their way into the world of work.

Laura Tomlinson, 22, whose final collection, themed around ‘Superstition’ was chosen for our photoshoot, plans to take up a placement in London where she will hone her millinery skills. She is a fashion with textiles graduate.

“I based my menswear collection around creatures linked with superstition, such as ravens, serpents and black cats,’’ she said. “I am interested in historic periods.”

With her textile background, she focussed on creating animal-inspired fabrics and designs, such as the dramatic, layered, ‘feathered’ garment pictured on this page.

Student fashion is often closer to art than simply something to wear.

Katie Webb entitled her collection Plicatrix, the Latin name for ‘one who folds’, and based it on origami paper-folding. It is technically accomplished and labour intensive.

Katie, 22, is a fashion with manufacture, marketing and promotion graduate and spent her year in industry with Caroline Charles in London as a production assistant.

One of her folded gowns was a finalist in the Fashion Star competition in Kingsgate this spring.

Inspirational themes are as varied as the students themselves.

Poles apart from the structured paper-folding of Katie’s dresses, 21-year-old Melissa Roby chose traditional fishermen and the Liverpool Docks as the basis for her collection, The Abandoned Boat.

The resulting soft, casual womenswear, finished with hand embroidery, has a faded, distressed look.

Melissa spent nine months working as a design assistant at the Juice Corporation but has yet to decide what to do after graduation.

Campbell Dunn, 23, a fashion with manufacturing and marketing graduate, themed his collection around exploration of the unknown.

Entitled Anti-arkitos (Latin for the opposite of the Arctic), it comprises men’s outerwear.

Campbell, who is originally from Scotland, said: “It has a heritage feel to it with heavy waxed cottons, parkas and jackets.’’

As well as preparing his garments for the end-of-year show, he has been working on an evening dress for the Scottish Fashion Graduate of the Year Awards. He is a nominee in the awards.

Campbell was fortunate to have three work placements in London during his course – for Burberry menswear, the Unconditional label and DS Dundee – and is aiming for a career in design.

If you’d like to see the work of our featured students and many more, tickets are on sale now for the show.

The 2011 Huddersfield Graduate Fashion Show is at the Lawrence Batley Theatre on Thursday, June 16, at 7pm and 9pm. Tickets are £12 from the theatre box office or by calling 01484 430528.