Top fashion industry names are front row for Leeds Beckett catwalk show
The Editor
Leeds Beckett Fashion students presented their final-year collections at Leeds School of Arts in front of top fashion and luxury brands, including Burberry and award-winning Yorkshire brand Cunnington & Sanderson.
The RUN graduate fashion show was the finale of the LEEDS2023 programme from Leeds School of Arts and highlighted the industry-standard teaching, research and practice within the university’s fashion course. The graduate fashion show saw students presenting their end-of-year collections within a professional and industry-standard setting.
A panel of judges from key names in the fashion and luxury industry, including Burberry, Cunnington & Sanderson, and Yorkshire Post Fashion Editor, Stephanie Smith, awarded four prizes to students at the show. The prize for the Most Technical Collection went to Lottie Blankstone, for her designs inspired by cultural Judaism. The prize for the Most Creative Collection went to Ali Gohari whose collection covered themes of imperfection and life experience. The prize for the Most Responsibly Designed Collection went to Kiera Tarpey for her collection designed entirely from upcycled and sustainable materials, including recycled sports equipment. And the prize for the Most Inclusive Collection went to Lori J Briggs, for her commitment to diversity and inclusivity through her designs.
Sam Hudson-Miles, Head of Fashion at Leeds School of Arts, said: “We are incredibly proud of our final year students and the high standard of work they’ve shown. The RUN graduate fashion show was a key opportunity for them to meet key names in the industry and build their network, as they work to develop successful careers in fashion.
Our Fashion course is renowned for its high employability rate, with 100% of our graduates working in the industry or being in further study 15 months after graduating. We are one of the best Fashion courses in the North, and pride ourselves in actively creating opportunities for students to engage with the creative sector in Leeds.”
Matthew Cunnington and John Sanderson, co-founders of award-winning Yorkshire brand Cunnington & Sanderson, said: “The RUN graduate show offered a great insight into the future of fashion in Leeds and the North. We were excited to see the unique and innovative talent at Leeds Beckett University and would like to congratulate the four award winners on their outstanding collections.”
Leeds School of Arts is a key educator of artists and creatives who go on to enrich and transform all sectors of arts and culture with their limitless ambition and innovation. Their talented students are actively making a difference across art, design, fashion, music, theatre, film, architecture, and creative technologies. The expert support of their academics, who are renowned regionally, nationally, and globally, allows their expertise and individuality to shine on a prominent stage.
RUN is an exciting line-up of events overseen by internationally acclaimed Yorkshire designer, and Leeds Beckett University Professor, Matty Bovan. RUN is a fashion-first for the city which opened with a photoshoot takeover of Trinity Leeds and saw Professor Matty Bovan present his inaugural performance.
