Well its all over for another year, but what a year it was. With a venue change, sunshine and wall to wall new talent.
I am going to give you the lowdown on what went on and some of the best bits at GFW 2014.
Firstly the location change. Usually GFW is held at Earls Court which by no means is a bad venue. It is a large space that is very bland, so the perfect backdrop to customise and create a great fashion space. The only downside being the location of Earls Court, not really a fashion district in London.
This year GFW was held at the Truman Brewery. Located in the heart of Shoreditch and just off the famous Bricklane. On the weekend the whole area is filled with market stalls selling street food, antiques and clothing. A mecca for anyone interested in Fashion. Many new fashion brands/agencys etc are now based in Shoreditch making the Truman Brewery an even better location to attract potential employers.
With the bustling streets outside the old brewery the inside was transformed form a warehouse into a vibrent, talent filled space.
Each university is allocated a space to customise as they wish to best showcase the students work and represent the university.
As you entered the building life drawing classes were being held by the London Colllage of Fashion. Next to them was the University of Salford stand. Very simple and industrial looking allowing the work to speak for itself. Old wooden sleepers had been fashioned with scaffolding to create a huge desk space with matching benches. Portfolios were laid out and it allowed viewers to sit down and look through the work. The only branding was an eye catching neon sign on the wall.
Once inside the wear house there were so many stands each trying to show individuality. One that really stood out was the Manchester University stand. It had been designed by a past employee of Paul Smith. It was very clear this stand had been created to a very high standard. The whole floor was covered in wood chipping’s, all work was displayed in glass cabinets or on a single wooden shelf running the length of the stand. In the centre of the stand was a large glass table with computer screens laid into the top to showcase students digital work. It was so eye catching and looked extremely professional.
Not all the stands were occupied by universities. George for Asda also had a stand. They held talks on careers in buying and merchandising. Very interestingly they had 3D printers on display actually printing off small plastic models.
Over all I think this may have been one of the best GFW years. The change of location and standard of work on display has really made the event. I am excited to see how they will top it at GFW 2015.