Every June, talented students in their droves – freshly graduating from the likes of Fashion Design, Creative Direction, Marketing, Communication, Photography, and Illustration – are brought to our attention and presented with an opportunity to kick-start their careers during a four-day event. 

Supported by a board of Lifetime Patrons that includes Christopher Bailey, Victoria Beckham OBE, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Nick Knight OBE, Diana Von Furstenberg and Nadja Swarovski – and with additional Global Ambassadorial support from Julien Macdonald, Caryn Franklin MBE, Holly Fulton, Gareth Pugh and Henry Holland – Graduate Fashion Week provides ample possibilities for up-and-coming talent and enables new designers to meet and mingle with industry contacts, recruiters and brands.

Ahead of this year’s showcase, we spoke to three graduates whose ethically-minded and thoughtful collections are setting them up to follow in the glittering footsteps of GFW alumni Stella McCartney, Julien Macdonald and more.

Meet the new generation…



Evelyne Babin – University for the Creative Arts, Epsom

Tell us about the concept of your collection.
My collection is based around two native dynasties in East Africa: the Chagga people who live near Mount Kilimanjaro where I was born, and the Swahili people who are settled along the East African coastline on the island of Zanzibar, where I worked before coming to the UK.

I get inspired by sentimental memories of the landscapes – the music, the colours, the smells of Tanzania and its neighbouring countries – and it’s my desire to share this passion for my home with the rest of the world, giving the West an insight into the arts and crafts of the various and diverse cultures of the African continent. 

You champion an ethical design philosophy. What does this look like in practice?
Maintaining an ethical stance is a very important aspect of my design ethos – particularly when it comes to manufacture and business. I’m hugely passionate about improving the quality of life and income for women in urban and rural areas throughout Tanzania and, in starting a fashion business, I want to inspire and give opportunities to younger generations.

What is your hope for the future of fashion?
The current fashion landscape is heavily farmed and, as with farmed soil, will bleed due to over-production. I hope for a slower, fairer and less wasteful approach.



Elizabeth Hargrave – De Montfort University

Tell us about the concept of your collection.
The ethos of Russian constructivism plays into everyday life, but isn't acknowledged. The most basic everyday objects are designed for a purpose and because of necessity. Russian constructivism looks at these objects, emotionally and psychologically, as an active participant in social life – in my collection, the ‘social use’ value is projected onto these pieces of art. Fast fashion dilutes society’s connection to objects, because people are overloaded with unnecessary, emotionless pieces of art.

You champion an ethical design philosophy. What does this look like in practice?
My ethos is that objects must add to society by partaking in a positive influence. Using organic, naturally dyed fabric that’s produced under fair working conditions embodies exactly this. A sustainable, ethical and environmentally stable approach influences a positive outcome for the future. 

What is your hope for the future of fashion?
Creating this collection has opened my eyes to just how far away the fashion industry is to a sustainable ethos – as well as the negative impact it has on society and the environment. I can only hope that, in the future, the fashion industry will no longer be the second largest polluter in the world and will offer more ethical and sustainable options. I don’t want to be part of the negative effect that fashion has on society; profit value should reflect labour value.



Sarah Seb – University of East London

Tell us about the concept of your collection.
Creating original garments through vintage is a way of preserving and giving life to history; there are so many wonderful pieces out there with their own story that are yearning to be used and for their tales to be told. Old clothes shouldn’t be seen as rubbish, but as a canvas for each individual’s self-expression. I love the feeling of giving something a second life and keeping it from going to the landfill, and I design with this approach in the hope of influencing others to apply the same mantra to their everyday life or brand.

You champion an ethical design philosophy. What does this look like in practice?
Through making the conscious decision to utilise and upcycle second-hand materials and vintage clothing, I’m helping to reduce the amount of discarded clothing and put a stop to any form of new production or resource. It’s vital that the already accumulated waste is dealt with instead of using more resources and causing damage in the name of ‘fashion’. There needs to be an alternative and I believe that this is the answer.

What is your hope for the future of fashion?
Contemporary society glorifies speed in every way; everything has to be fast, and fashion panders to this demand. The rise of ‘fast fashion’ has led to a huge increase in the accumulation of waste and environmental damage, and it continues to put countless lives at risk via cheap, unethical labour.

The future hangs on the choices we make today, and where we choose to go from here. Sustainability is an extremely complicated subject, but if we all try to make a little difference in our personal lives, then great change is bound to happen within society as a whole. Fashion and sustainability can go hand-in-hand if we buy less, choose well and make things last.

Graduate Fashion Week runs from 3 to 6 June 2018.