Lights, camera, fashion – the catwalk comes to Waterside Campus

Students at the University of Northampton have made history as the first undergraduates to hold a fashion shoot at the institution’s brand new campus.

While Waterside Campus doesn’t officially open until September, final-year Fashion students were able to secure special access passes for the site, to showcase their Graduate Fashion Week designs.

Nineteen students spent the day at Waterside, overseeing the professional photoshoot of models sporting their collections.

The photos are a key element of each student’s project, as they help a panel of judges to decide which students will be selected to showcase their final year collection on the catwalk at this year’s Graduate Fashion Week. The pictures will also feature in the official Graduate Fashion Week brochure.

Watch a video of the photoshoot, below, which features student Lorraine Makumbe.

“The location was great – seeing the new campus was exciting and the area we used for the photoshoot was bright and modern,” said Fashion student, Hannah Guiver.

“It was a great opportunity to see my outfits on models and was an amazing experience. It has motivated me to continue to work hard on the rest of my collection.

“Graduate Fashion Week is a great opportunity, as it allows us to showcase our collections on the catwalk. Even if you aren’t selected for catwalk your portfolios are on display which opens up potential employment opportunities.”

Her coursemate, Bryony Rodda, said: “Seeing Waterside was interesting and it looked great for the shoot, the building was so bright inside.”

She added: “It felt amazing to finally see my outfit on a model. After working on something for so long and putting so much time and passion into it, it’s incredible to see it on and being photographed. It really brought it to life and has given me that final push of excitement again to get the rest of my collection done.”

Graduate Fashion Week will mark the end of three years hard work for Bryony, who added: “I love the course, but it can be tough and tiring. Sometimes you work on something for so long you start to hate it and then something like this photoshoot happens and the love for it comes back. It is always worth it.

“I would definitely recommend the course to people who are passionate and willing to be dedicated to it. I am so happy I decided to study Fashion and I’m hoping it will open me up to potential employers.”

The University of Northampton students will be showcasing their collections at the start of Graduate Fashion Week, on Monday 4 June.