LMA’s Annual Student Fashion Show Held on a Grand Scale in Jugla
On the evening of Wednesday, 6 June, the annual fashion show of students of the Art Academy of Latvia (LMA) took place at the former “Rīga Manufactory” textile factory, presenting 19 of the most striking collections by students of the Fashion Art sub-specialty of the Department of Design. The widely acclaimed event was, as usual, attended by several hundred fashion enthusiasts, who enthusiastically enjoyed the 1990s atmosphere created in the venue.
From 7 p.m., representatives of the industry, the media and other interested parties gathered in large numbers at 401C Brīvības Street, by the former Jugla textile factory, to be the first to see the collections created by LMA students in person and to appreciate the scenographic arrangement of the historic premises, which this year was inspired by the colourful 1990s. The year 2018 is twice as special for the LMA Fashion Department, as the student fashion show also marks 25 years since professional higher education in fashion design became available in Latvia.
The fashion show, lasting nearly two hours, consisted of a succession of parades of the young designers’ garments, thoughtfully complemented by the concept for the interior design developed by scenography students and the energetic rhythms of the accompanying music. The impressive collections were presented in the factory hangar, which guests reached through secret entrances and a maze of stairways, indicated only by mysterious signs. As central scenographic elements, timeworn barrels, cables and plays of spotlight created filled the spacious venue, immediately transporting visitors decades into the past.
“Abandoned industrial premises provide a good backdrop for presenting the fashion trends proposed by the students and reflecting the paradigms of an era. I am truly delighted, because yesterday everything went as planned!” says Māra Binde, head of the LMA Fashion Department and associate professor.
At the LMA fashion show, talented students from the bachelor’s and master’s programmes in fashion design presented their collections for women and men: Laura Valtera, Anna Elizabete Kasparsone, Ieva Kupcāne, Elīna Grīnberga, Baiba Tamane, Marta Laima Mielava, Elīna Baltace, Una Bērziņa, Sanita Kapeika, Dita Enikova, Romija Štāle, Ksenija Belca-Beslere, Anita Leina, Monta Petersone, Evija Šaitere, Arvis Kantiševs, Anna Gulbe, Karina Krista Līkanse and Laima Jurča.
The students surprised those present not only with original ready-to-wear garments, but also with bold avant-garde design solutions. The main unifying trends in the collections of the young fashion artists included bright hues, leather elements, ruffles, transparent fabrics, mesh-like details, asymmetrical cuts, long gloves and boots, fringes, voluminous sleeves, belt bags, headwear, face coverings and hoods. Significantly, this year the catwalk once again saw a renewed interest in emphasising the body’s forms and exploring existential themes.
The garments presented at the LMA fashion show will be on view at a public showroom in Building 2 of the LMA on 8 June from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., while from 18 June they will be available for a wider audience to view at the “Spice” shopping centre.
The author of the visual identity for the 2018 fashion show is Sigita Sniegs, a second-year student in the LMA master’s programme in Visual Communication. As is customary, the scenography for the fashion show was created under the direction of Viktors Jansons, a lecturer at the LMA Department of Scenography, and this year it was implemented by third-year student Krišjānis Elviks and second-year student Paula Kalniņa. The show’s visual concept was developed by Oslo-based architect and professor Vēsma Kontere-McQuillan.
