Photo courtesy of Eventbrite

Every June and July, there’s abundant cause for great celebration: warm and sticky air, summer vacation, Wimbledon, ice cream, and of course, the next generation of college graduates.

Earlier this month, London College of Fashion (LCF) celebrated the class of 2024 with an impressive runway show at Protein Studios in East London. The renowned institution is home to several famous designers who have become part of our everyday lexicon, such as Jonathon Anderson and Jimmy Choo.

The event featured the final collections of 128 undergraduate students of the BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Menswear and Womenswear courses and attracted industry insiders, performers, and sustainability advocates into the audience. Notable attendees included Black Peppa, Aja Barber, and Dr. Brett Staniland, among others.With a focus on sustainability and inclusivity, the event underscored LCF’s dedication to facilitating a progressive and diverse fashion education, heralding a promising future for the fashion industry.

Backstage at LCF’s 2024 Undergraduate Runway Show // Photos courtesy of HypeBeast

The designs featured themes reminiscent of 70s rocker chic, 90s grunge punk, minimalist tailoring, and avant garde silhouettes that reflect broader social commentary. Take Jiayue Yu’s collection, which addresses the “self objectified representations and their impact on young women’s pursuit of beauty through invasive surgery” (@bawwlcf). Several designers, including Kristene Dzene (the show opener), Changhoon Jeon, and Sihan Feng, incorporated sports influences into the shapes, themes, and structures of their pieces.

While dark colors and neutrals dominated the show, there were instances of play with edgy fabrics like tartan, fur, and leather. Pops of color and sculptural artistry were also emphasized with the closing looks from Sophina Piccioni-Vero, Jiahao Li, and Stephanie Gu. Additionally, standout tailoring was evident in the work of several designers, including Kristene Dzene, Lucas Lee, Suyeon Cha, and Chen Hau.

Here are some of our favorite looks from the show:

Left: Kristene Dzene // Photo by Roger Dean
Middle: Lucas Lee // Photo by Roger Dean
Right: Chen Hau // Photo by Roger Dean

Left: Jihai Li // Photo by Roger Dean
Middle: Zihan Feng // Photo by Roger Dean
Right: Stephanie Gu // Photo by Roger Dean

Left: Boyu Wang // Photo by Roger Dean
Middle: Xiaoman Li // Photo by Roger Dean
Right: Ellie Willis // Photo by Roger Dean

Left: Clara Nicholson // Photo by Roger Dean
Middle: Alice Chittick // Photo by Roger Dean
Right: Samuel Thelwell // Photo by Roger Dean

Left: Zhenqi Mi // Photo by Roger Dean
Middle: Changhoon Jeon // Photo courtesy of Changhoon Jeon and LCF
Right: Suyeon Cha // Photo by Roger Dean

Left: Jiayue Yu // Photo by of Roger Dran
Right: Sophina Piccioni-Vero // Photo courtesy of Sophina Piccioni-Vero and LCF

One thing is abundantly clear from the LCF showcase: the future of fashion is, indeed, very bright, and we can’t wait to see what’s next on the horizon for this talented class of designers. The collection will be on exhibit until July 24th at LCF’s new location in East Bank, Stratford, offering everyone the opportunity to see the innovation and craftsmanship in person. For a virtual viewing of the collection, you can watch the full runway show at this link.

Article by Romi Bachar, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Bradley Duley, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine

The Future of Fashion: London College of Fashion Celebrates the Class of 2024