Graduate to Watch: Alicia Bambury from Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts

Graduate Fashion Week (GFW), which ran from June 13 to 16, showcased the best BA degree design talent from across the country, spotlighting talent across 26 different fashion disciplines, including fashion and textile design, styling and creative direction, as well as photography and marketing.

This GFW also spotlighted the best talent in menswear with a dedicated catwalk show, honouring graduates working across tailoring, streetwear, and sustainable fashion design to offer a “fresh and personal take on modern menswear”.

Nicola Hitchens, director and head of special projects and communications at Graduate Fashion Foundation, said the move to host a dedicated menswear show this year was to celebrate the “depth and diversity of emerging menswear design” in a market that is “often underrepresented”.

The catwalk show also showcased the collections from the emerging designers up for the coveted GFW Menswear Award, with Alicia Bambury from Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts being announced the winner at the Best of GFW Gala on the final day.

Bambury won the award in recognition of her creative talent and use of sustainable practices in her designs in a collection that paid tribute to her grandfather.

Alicia Bambury winner of the GFW Menswear Award

FashionUnited spoke with Bambury following her GFW wins to discuss the inspiration behind her menswear collection, why she chose to study at the Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts, her advice for future fashion students and plans for the future.

Why did you want to be a fashion designer?

I used to do a lot of crafts and sewing with my nan when I was younger. I remember making a dress for my school disco with her one time and she still shows the photo to me every time we talk about me sewing my collection. I have just been obsessed with textiles and design ever since.

What was the inspiration for your graduate collection

My final collection and dissertation were very linked and came about from the collection of photo slides found in my great-granddad’s house. I really wanted my designs to be inspired by the photos and the clothes featured in them but also include the actual images onto the designs themselves.

What fabrics/techniques did you use?

All my fabrics were either dead stock fabrics donated to the fabric library in my studio or blankets and lace curtains given to me by my family, as well as ones found in charity shops. I also used cowhide cutoffs from a local leather worker and sheep fleece from a small farm in Cambridge. Using natural fibres along with deadstock and older fabrics was really important to me while designing.

I really loved the technique of cyanotype printing onto lace doilies to resemble pictures and lace found in the home, which I see featured in a lot of the old family photos. Alongside this, I included a lot of knitwear and crochet aspects done by both me and other family members to keep family within the creating process.

Why did you opt to focus on menswear?

I didn’t actually set out originally for my whole collection to be menswear, however, throughout the design process, I resonated a lot more with the designers that focused on a male model. Overall, I just really liked the idea of playing with the “home” feeling mixed with the masculine.

For my final photoshoot for my collection, I actually had my grandad model for me and I’m glad I did because it made the project feel like it had come full circle in a way. Aside from being a menswear collection, I wanted it to be something that both older and younger men could wear and pass on.

What does it mean to you to win a Graduate Fashion Week award?

I honestly still can’t believe it when I started this project, I was just hoping to get on the GFW runway I would never have thought it would lead to me getting an award I am so grateful.

Did you enjoy your Graduate Fashion Week experience?

I had an amazing time it was a very busy weekend but totally worth it. I felt like I made a lot of connections, and it was so cool to see all the collections come together on the runway. I think the men’s runway was my favourite part of the weekend even before I found out I had won, the energy was so good, and you could really see how engaged everyone was with all the collections.

Why did you choose to study at the Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts?

I chose to do fashion design at Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts because the small class size appealed to me. I think I benefited from having more one-on-one time with the tutors. I would definitely recommend it just feels like the tutors know your collection as well as you know it yourself.

I think the area also just made Cambridge feel very cosy I suppose, which made me feel at home there. I actually did a project based on the gothic architecture of Cambridge in my second year because I love all the old buildings there and the view we have from our studio looks over multiple churches and I just love it.

What was the most valuable thing you learned during your course?

I think the most valuable thing I have taken out of the last three years is to not doubt myself. I started off university pretty quiet and maybe didn’t push myself as much as I could have, but looking back now I feel like a much more confident version of myself both in myself and my work.

What do you wish you had been told before you started your degree?

I had to think about this one and I think it is just to be prepared at how much you can throw yourself into projects. It takes up a lot of time and both mental and physical energy, especially if the project is something you are passionate about. Also, be prepared for a lot of mixed feedback and don’t always take it as criticism - take it as advice. That’s the best way to learn and push yourself in different directions.

What are your plans now that you've graduated?

Firstly, I want some time to take in GFW as well as the accomplishment of finishing this degree and celebrate. Other than that, start looking for some design jobs and work in the industry! I would like to do some collaborations either with this collection or do some commissions with some new work.

What advice would you give someone considering studying fashion?

Throw yourself into every project you get you will regret it if you don’t. It might feel a bit pointless at the time, but it is worth it you don’t want to look back and wish you did it better. You don’t know when you will get the chance again to experiment with designs and techniques like you can with university projects.

Alicia Bambers' work can be seen on her Instagram page @a.r.bambury.