Unconventional knitwear design has earned a place on a prestigious catwalk and a £2,500 bursary for a
Fashion Design student at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).
Danielle O’Neill is one of only 17 finalists in the prestigious 2016 Fashion Awareness Direct (FAD) competition, run by the creative charity to support young people in bridging the gap between education and the fashion industry.
The judges were impressed by Danielle’s application of traditional tailoring elements to her knitwear designs.
Currently in her final year at DMU, Danielle said: “This is my biggest achievement so far and it feels like three years of hard work are finally becoming a reality. Getting this level of industry exposure before even graduating is fantastic.”
The catwalk final takes place at the Fashion Scout showcase today as part of London Fashion Week and will see the aspiring young designers compete for funding and industry placements.
The 23-year old’s knitwear collection is inspired by the deconstruction of traditional tailored garments.
Danielle said: “Although both traditional principles, tailoring and knitwear have little overlap, so I wanted to see what would happen if I applied woven techniques and design elements to knitwear.
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“I introduced a herringbone effect to my knitted fabrics, a V-shaped weaving pattern usually found in wool, and I have worked on reinventing faire isle by using the reverse side of the fabric to give it a much more modern appeal.
“I’ve also incorporated internal construction elements like shoulder pads, interfacing and seams, as external decorative detail.”
Danielle’s inventive take on knitwear has also led to a £2,500 bursary from The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters, a medieval trade guild which supports the knitting and hosiery industry.
As well taking full advantage of the mentoring on offer, Danielle is also excited about the materials and technology her bursary will allow her to explore and experiment with for her final year collection.
She said: “It was really nerve-wracking presenting my work to a panel of four knitwear experts, but I’m so glad it paid off in the end and feel grateful to have been awarded the bursary.
“This is an especially huge achievement for me, because knitwear isn’t a large part of my course. So going up against other students from purely knitwear courses, and winning, is a huge achievement for me.
“I think I had the edge because the Fashion Design course prepares you for all aspects of the industry, helping you to naturally progress towards your strengths. Because of this, I’ve been able to use a wide range of inspiration for my knitwear.”
Fashion Design course leader, Della Swain, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Danielle as well as for the course, demonstrating the versatility of what our students can achieve.
“We’ve had winners and finalists since the FAD competition begun, with the most recent success being our 2015 graduate Francesca Phipps awarded runner-up winner, so we are thrilled to be showcasing once again this year.”
Posted on Monday 22 February 2016