Q&A: Malcolm Burkinshaw

Are you feeling confident about this year's show?

Yes, it’s so different each year, but this year the graduate students have created very slick, high-end pieces. This is the first sample collection the student does, so it will be at the height of their creativity.

How were these collections developed?

The students’ styles have been evolving and developing over a 4 year period. So, behind this collection are many many layers of sketch books, research books, working diaries, pre-collections… and it doesn’t come to a point where the collection stops, it just keeps on evolving.

Where do the students find their inspiration?

They decide on something they feel passionate about, and we find ways of pushing this concept further. Some students may be very conceptual, very avant garde, while others may be very commercial – we don’t put any weight on either end of the scale. This year, students have been inspired by a spectrum of themes, from the musculature of the body to the idea of a magpie hiding jewels.

How much does the show respond to current fashion?

It’s a core component of every project to do a contextual analysis, to look at the latest collections from designers the students identify with. But what we try to show is not what’s in fashion now, not what’s in fashion next, but what’s in fashion next next. And what you will see isn’t something you’d actually wear, but an idea to generate other ideas; it serves the same relevance as couture.

And what’s next for the graduates?

The students go on to do Graduate Fashion Week in London, which is the peak of the whole process, and a great way to launch their careers. Last year one of our students, Abyssinia Solitt-Davies, was selected as one of the top-ten designers, which was quite an achievement. At the point of graduation, the students understand the industry and the craft of fashion, and are ready to pursue this professionally.