Graduate Fashion Week – Lucy Hammond
Posted by Lucky on Jun 30, 2010
It’s bold, it’s bright and it’s created quite a stir since it burst on to the catwalk during Graduate Fashion Week. Kingston University designer Lucy Hammond’s latest work has left no one in any doubt that, when it comes to pushing the conventional boundaries of knitwear, she means business.
In a collection daringly titled “I love knitting, I’m not sh*tting”, Lucy has showcased how strongly she feels about her specialist subject in a range of dresses influenced by 1950s’ couture and the work of French designer Sonia Rykiel. The garments combine a vibrant explosion of red, orange, yellow and black woven into an attention-grabbing mix of stripes and chevrons.
A chance conversation with a new acquaintance sparked the idea for the collection. “He asked me to tell him something unexpected about myself and I replied that I loved knitting,” the 22 year old from Albury, near Guildford, recalled. Lucy’s surprising response left such an impression on her friend that he presented her with a handmade badge reading “I love knitting, I’m not sh*tting” and the theme for her final-year Kingston University project was settled then and there. “One of my main goals has been to challenge traditional perceptions of knitwear,” Lucy said. “I’m really keen that people start viewing knit as a versatile fabric rather than conjuring up images of jumpers or cardigans any time it gets mentioned.”
Lucy’s dresses were made on the Kingston Fashion Department’s top-of-the-range Shima knitting machine. A conscious decision to use different weights of yarn, including cottons, lurex and embroidery thread, gave the fabric extra fluidity and helped the young designer achieve a sheer effect for a more seductive and luxurious feel. “I deliberately created silhouettes that used shape and volume at the back while keeping the front of the garments tightly fitted to the body,” Lucy explained. Sequins and bows add a feminine finish to many of the garments.
