New design talent at Graduate Fashion Week: part 4

Eileen Pang is from the Liverpool John Moores University and has focused on Womenswear. The main inspiration behind her graduate collection is ‘Tribal Futurity,’ – how she sees the distant future being. How far can technology advance

before humans are over consumed by it? So, modern technology and architecture is fused with African tribal culture – clean lines worked against structural curves to achieve a powerful look.

Look out for: traditional methods and techniques, different weaves, structural silhouettes like triangular shapes around the shoulders, multi layered fabrics of neoprene, wool, felt, muted colour palettes of white and beige.

Ambitions and goals: ‘To study for an MA – possibly the Artefact course at London College of Fashion – and then to be successful in starting my own line and business.’

Pang says ‘I’ve heard so much about GFW but never actually been so not knowing what to expect is simultaneously exciting and nerve wracking. However the thought of beautiful women striding down the catwalk in my designs for everyone to see has kept me going through stressful moments. Raising the money to get myself to GFW has been an event in itself – obviously I want to get everything perfect and show both my best garments and portfolio work – and there never seems to be enough time to make it happen. Trial and error has taught me a lot; to buy more fabric than one thinks one needs (I ran out), that an all white collection is impossible to keep clean from dirt or models make up and to stick to good ideas and expand on them, rather than continuously thinking I can come up with a new and better one! I am nervous about people seeing my collection – I really want them to like the whole thing rather than just one piece – but ultimately I do feel lucky to be showing at all as only 15 graduates from the 24 on my course have been selected to.’