The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2023 - Issue 34

bitefashion Victoria Olejniczak Polish folklore characters inspired Victoria Olejniczak’s opu- lent, romantic aesthetic ‘Myths Reimagined’ collection. The designer played with structure and softness, using her passion for fabric textures and layering in complex, extravagant silhou- ettes. Dramatic monochrome was used throughout, punctuat- ed with soft sugar pink. Several shapes were created through couture draping on the stand and bespoke fabrics inventively transformed from deadstock, donations and scraps. Victoria used bonding techniques to fuse lacquers to neoprene and oth- er fabrics to create innovative and unique new materials in this collection. Grace Tayo Jazz legend Miles Davis and vintage professional posters in- spired Grace Tayo’s bold and colourful ‘Syncopation’ menswear collection. It embraced texture and tempered toughness with beautiful, soft, innovative knits with dazzling hues of burnt or- ange and clear turquoise calmed with darkest navy and pale sky blue. The designer incorporated vibrant geometric African printed textiles inspired by her family and heritage that em- bodied jazz's movement and energy. Jacket and shirt staples were sharply reinvented with subtle twists and Grace’s craft skills, producing soft, sumptuously tactile knitted pieces. Ella Dexter City and country references were fused in Ella Dexter’s play- ful and decorative ‘Refined Rustic’ collection, reflecting on the nostalgic, lost delights of hop-picking for city dwellers. Her inspirations derived from family photos from the ‘40s presenting autumnal hues of rust and burnt orange to reflect abundant harvest, tempered with shades of slate grey that re- call city streets. Her collection featured clever, chunky hand knits that softened and complimented patterned surfaces from identity card motifs. At the same time, traditional wool and cotton cloth were celebrated alongside modern, richly tonal, over-printed patterns. Eliza Douglas Eliza Douglas used her complex relationship to Northern Ire- land’s many facets in her ‘Kelly’s Cellar’ collection to draw in- spiration from the country’s strong textile heritage and the old pubs her father loved to visit. The designer created a rugged and romantic vision, celebrating the men in her life's individ- ualism who proudly wear her beautiful, handcrafted pieces. The subtle colour palette evoked windswept, earthy landscapes with richly textured pieces utilising donated fine linens from John England combined with deadstock fabrics. Traditional methods of tweed manufacture inspired an innovative custom zero-waste yarn. graduate WEEK fashion 2023 Victoria Olejniczak Grace Tayo Ella Dexter Eliza Douglas