It’s always great to be asked to feature in exhibitions, and we are pleased to present a selection of our best fashion photography in this one. Manchester Fitters is a forward looking fashion exhibition that celebrates quality and craft in a hand-picked selection of the city’s most forward thinking design creatives.
Alongside ourselves, exhibitors range from contemporary fashion designers, filmmakers, stylists, brands and retailers with a Manchester connection. The fashion exhibition will showcase garments, objects, films and images, demonstrating the diversity of fashion practice in the city.
Some of the young designers include Nabil El Nayal who won the prestigious British Fashion Council MA Scholarship and the Harrods Launches Initiative in 2008, just after graduating from a BA Fashion at Manchester School of Art. El Nayal was short listed this summer for the imminently credible Fashion Fringe award. Nabil’s striking designs have historic references and play on elaborate and sometimes dark but quirky concepts. Also exhibiting is Holly Russell who won the Best In Manchester (Fashion) Award in 2009 for a collection that utilised hundreds of hand-sewn scarab beetle wings and human hair. The same adventurous designs were worn by Lady Gaga, which received a torrent of press for the young designer.
Cottonopolis also feature. This is an all new fashion brand by the people behind the renowned Oi Polloi. The highlight of their first collection and featured in the exhibition is their classic four-pocket parka which is made in the city. The parka is named ‘The Whillans’ after the flawed local mountaineer Don ‘The Villain’ Whillans.
I’ve also got to mention James Darby. He’s a well known northern quarter tailor and self styled modern artisan. Darby works his garments with real passion. His deftly cut yellow mackintosh coat is the epitome of casual cool and a stand out piece in the exhibition. And of course, whilst you are there, you are in the wonderful confines of Manchester’s Craft Centre, so why not take the opportunity to take in some of the wonderful independent and original jewellery and crafts on show?
Manchester Fitters Fashion Exhibition is at the Manchester Craft and Design Centre until 25 February 2012. See www.craftanddesign.com for more details.
