In 2017, Danielle applied that passion to the FAD brief. ‘The FAD brief for 2017 was based on art movements of the early 20th century. I found it really engaging as it required me to look at certain galleries and artists I wouldn’t have come across otherwise,’ she continues. ‘Inspired by the surge of technology after the Second World War, these ideas and artists helped me create my collection, where I blended modern technologies such as laser-cutting with traditional ways of working such as weaving.’

Details from Danielle’s FADxMissoni project; Angela Missoni admires Danielle’s textiles

Since the FAD competition, Danielle has moved from strength to strength, starting work as a design assistant for London-based supplier Alison Hayes and volunteering for the FAD Fashion Futures course, helping 16-19 year olds enter the world of fashion. ‘FAD really helped me as a designer by pushing me to look at different types of art and ways of working,’ she says. ‘It helped my confidence and the show itself during London Fashion Week was great exposure and an amazing opportunity to have that platform to showcase my work.

Danielle’s final collection at London Fashion Week

‘It also really helped me meet people who I would never have met before,’ she says. ‘Through FAD I was interviewed by Intidex, which was intense but a great opportunity to network and gain interview practice, and gave me the opportunity to speak with lots of different design brands at once.’

When it comes to the future, Danielle plans to continue her contributions to FAD Fashion Futures and, during the upcoming season at London Fashion Week, will be helping at a high fashion brand. ‘Fashion gets such a bad reputation for being elitist and stuffy but working with FAD has been the opposite,’ Danielle concludes. ‘Everyone I’ve spoken to at or through FAD has been friendly and warm and the overall atmosphere feels like family. Everybody supports everybody and, without it, I wouldn’t have the career I have now. I’m incredibly thankful for that!’

On the evening of the Competition, Zoe was awarded a special mention which applauded her beautifully finished collection.  She was praised for her contemporary use of historical techniques and elegantly incorporating movement and fluidity into her pieces. Angela Missoni herself was so impressed with Zoe’s collection that she bought it for her personal archive.  “I thought that Zoe’s two outfits for the FADxMissoni Competition were very stylish.  I particularly liked the combination of textures, creative detail, elegant proportions and the strong impact the silhouettes had on the catwalk during the live fashion show,”says Angela.

Zoe on the FADxMissoni catwalk with models wearing her collection

Since the competition, Zoe has continued making waves in the industry and is now working for menswear startup  Threadbare in Manchester. ‘The FAD competition helped me to push my creativity and textile techniques, and helped me realise where my strengths lie,’ Zoe continued. ‘It gave me a lot of confidence in regards to my work as my collection was really well received.

Close up details of Zoe’s textile techniques and fabrications. See more on her instagram @zoe_alexandria

‘I was able to work towards a specific brief and how to create something that is true to you as a designer, yet fulfil what’s expected from you in regards to a guided project, which is something I think is important when you enter the industry.’

Sophie’s FADxMissoni collection, illustrated by Ali Hansen

‘FAD has helped me develop many skills. The main one being knitting,’ Sophie continues. ‘As I improved my knitting skills vastly, I could enter high-quality pieces to the competition that looked like my designs. With my drawings too, I often draw a lot of stitch details and entering FAD meant I could bring these details to life and learn the different hand and machine embroidery techniques in the process.’

See Sophie’s work on Instagram @sewmenswear

Following the FAD competition, Sophie too has continued her upwards trajectory and, having been working as a menswear intern at Missoni, has just been offered a job there as a menswear consultant. ‘The FAD competition got me noticed by Angela Missoni, which led to the internship,’ Sophie explains. ‘It boosted my confidence and made me believe in myself and my work, which is vital in a professional setting. ‘I’m so grateful to everyone behind the competition,’ she finishes. ‘Without entering I wouldn’t now be doing what I love. I am very happy with my new job, it is really exciting! Thanks so much to FAD for making it possible.’

Missoni Spring / Summer 18 – the collection which Sophie worked on. Images: vogue.com

Amy on the FAD catwalk with models wearing her winning designs

Keeping the Art / Design / Colour brief firmly in mind, Amy won the competition with a sport-infused collection made up of vibrant colours and distinct patterns, and was inspired by the sound of knitting machines.  ‘Taking part in the FAD competition gave me the confidence to explore and develop specialist skills, be more experimental when designing and, with spending more time on primary research and development, I was able to create original designs,’ Amy explains.

Amy’s FADxMissoni collection, illustrated by Alison Hansen

Since winning the competition, Amy has graduated and now works on the specials project for knitwear brand John Smedley, collaborating with other up and coming designers such as Holly Fulton to create knitted pieces which are then shown at fashion weeks around the world.

Holly Fulton Spring / Summer 2018 RTW – the collection Amy worked pn. Photos: WWD.com

‘The FAD catwalk last year was an amazing networking opportunity,’ Amy continues. ‘The atmosphere created backstage by the FAD team was great and it allowed the finalists to meet with people from the industry. I was able to speak about my work and future goals in a more relaxed setting, which gave me the confidence to do the same within a professional environment.’

We caught up with some of the finalists…

How does it feel to be showing at GFW?

‘There are no words, it’s really amazing. I was so happy when I found out I was closing the show and I’ve been nominated for the Gala show too. Yesterday I was interviewed here by someone from River Island who saw my FAD work in my portfolio.’

Sarah Carter, Bath Spa University, FAD x Missoni Competition 2017 Runner Up

Super strong #stripes from our #FADCompetition finalist @sarahcarterdesign close the show @bathspauni @officialgfw #wearegraduatefashion #finalcollection

A post shared by The FAD Team (@fadcharity) on Jun 5, 2017 at 5:16am PDT

‘I was so shocked I got into the show, I just kept pushing and pushing up to last minute and I’ve made it!’

Zoe Leach, Manchester Fashion Institute, FAD x Missoni Competition 2017 Special Mention

My lovely model working it tonight @officialgfw #graduatefashionweek #manchesterfashioninstitute #womensweardesigner #finalcollection #layers

A post shared by zoe_alexandria_ (@zoe_alexandria_) on Jun 5, 2017 at 1:59pm PDT

What are you up to next?

‘I’ve got a full time job, starting end of June. We haven’t even handed in at uni yet! I’m going to be Assistant Designer for the Special Projects at John Smedley.’

Amy Carter, Nottingham Trent, FAD x Missoni Competition 2017 Winner

‘Well, I have a 6month placement starting in Milan with Missoni!’ (full blog post coming soon…)

Sophie Whatling, Arts University Bournemouth, FAD x Missoni Competition 2017 Menswear Winner

Backstage before the GFW runway!! #gfw17 #aubfashion #knitwear #menswear #mensfashion #denim

A post shared by SEWMENSWEAR (@sewmenswear) on Jun 5, 2017 at 3:02pm PDT

Did entering the FAD Competition benefit you?

‘My FAD collection is now in Italy, it’s been bought by Angela Missoni herself. It’s such a privilege and an honour. I actually also have a second interview next week with a big multinational company which I was offered through FAD.’

Zoe Leach, Manchester Fashion Institute, FAD x Missoni Competition 2017 Special Mention

‘It made me think more commercially, it was really good to get experience designing with a brief in mind before going out into industry. I also have a second interview coming up with a big multinational which I got through FAD.’

Charlie Simmonds, UCA Epsom, FAD x Missoni Competition 2017 Finalist

Would you recommend entering the FAD Competition?

‘Yes. Knitwear didn’t interest me before it, and now my whole collection is knitwear because of it! And I opened my university show! Even if you don’t get chosen as a finalist, the work will become such a big part of your portfolio.’

Laura Pritchard, Sheffield Hallam University, FAD x Missoni Competition 2017 Finalist

D A Y 3… #gfw17 #iamsia #sheffieldinstituteofarts

A post shared by Laura Pritchard// Fashion//SHU (@laurapritchard_design_) on Jun 6, 2017 at 4:57am PDT

‘Absolutely, I was over the moon I was selected, it helped my research and portfolio so much. It gave me experience of what it’s like to show my work on the catwalk, all the things you don’t think about when your work is on the mannequin. I cried my eyes out with happiness. My tutors and friends and family were all so happy too. Thank you so much for selecting me!’

Bryony Selway, UCA Rochester

#2017FADCompetition finalist @belizabethselway has pulled her final collection out of the bag and it is looking fierce on the #gfw #catwalk

A post shared by The FAD Team (@fadcharity) on Jun 5, 2017 at 10:19am PDT

Best of luck to all of you, cant wait to see what you get up to next…

How did the FAD Competition help you with your graduate collection?

I saw my pieces for the FAD Competition as a pre-collection. A few garments have made it into my graduate collection. The Competition itself prepared me for the sheer emotion you feel when you see your garments on the runway – it happened again earlier during the rehearsal; I welled up as I saw my work on the catwalk. The whole experience has given me such a huge confidence boost, and I feel my work has become so much better after it.

Tell us a little bit about your graduate collection.

This collection stemmed from my dissertation on the “Myth of the Tortured Artist” in which I looked at Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and its film adaptation in the 50s. At that time the movie explored all things taboo and this collection embodies that by using colours that don’t go together but I personally think they do. In this collection what is wrong is right.

What advice would you give to future fashion students?

Don’t worry about your social life, you can have fun after all the hard work! It’s definitely worth keeping your head down. Like today, as I see my collection on the catwalk, it’s so worth it. ​​

What’s next?

I’m looking forward to partying and celebrating after all that work!

London based  Ali Hansen illustrated the winners of  the 2017 FAD x Missoni Competition in digitally manipulated water colour.

The results are beautiful and captured the vibe of the show, detail of the garments, and the personality of the models perfectly.

Scroll down to relive the catwalk through Ali’s amazing art works.

Featuring designs by Amy Carter, Sophie Whelan, and Sarah Carter (So many talented Carters?!)

Thanks for sharing your talents with us Ali and supporting FAD.

Follow Ali on Insta to keep up with her latest work.

Amy Carter walks the runway with models Sohini and Kaoru sporting her ski-inspired collection

…an over-the-moon Amy Carter, Fashion Knitwear student at Nottingham Trent University,

Amy told us: “I entered the FADxMissoni Competition just thinking that I had nothing to lose. It was a really good brief, it was really inspiring, so why not? Just have a go. I never expected to win, ever. Just to see my work on the catwalk at London Fashion Week is like winning, so winning overall is just amazing.”

FAD jury member Liz Griffiths, Head of Creative Textile and Design Research at Missoni explained why Amy scooped the top prize of £1000: “Amy’s collection was  was beautifully finished, she had a fantastic sense of colour and she had mixed stitches and different approaches to knitted fabrics together. It was very different, the way she mixed and put them together, but they worked. Amy’s work was innovative, even though it was also very commercial and sellable, and we liked that. And also the sense of colour was not normal, it was a little bit different, and Angela Missoni loved it too.”

Bath Spa’s Sarah Carter with models Emily and Estelle displaying her intricate optical prints

First runner up was Sarah Carter of Bath Spa University’s BA Fashion Design. Sarah’s op-art inspired, impactful striped collection opened the catwalk show, demonstrating her technical ability and clever construction.

Runner up Sophie Whatling with models Cadel and Hector wearing her FACE UP collection

Second runner up was Sophie Whatling, a final year Fashion Design student at Arts University Bournemouth, who was praised for her adventurous and creative interpretation of the brief which translated into cool, modern streetwear.

Zoe Leach and her collection ‘A Question of Space’, modelled by Lorraine and Vicky

Manchester Fashion Institute‘s Zoe Leach was awarded a special mention for her beautifully finished garments which made contemporary use of historical techniques and elegantly incorporated movement and fluidity.

Full show report coming soon!

On the 7th of February a panel of industry experts gathered to decide the winners of this years FAD Competition.

The Panel

Angela Missoni, Creative Director Missoni

Liz Griffiths,  Head of Creative Textile and Design Research Studio Missoni

Jane Shepherdson CBE, Fashion Entrepreneur

Jane Kellock, Unique Style Platform Founder & Creative Director

Clare Johnson, Professor Emeritus and Senior Research Fellow at RCA

Holly Mirza, Director Fabric PR

Martyn Roberts, Fashion Scout Founder & Creative Director

Alex Abercrombie, 2014 FAD Competition Finalist

Each mini collection was modelled for the panel who analysed concept, research and design of the garments, the fabric choice and textile development, and the students pattern cutting and construction abilities. A winner, 2 runners up and a ‘special mention,’ were decided upon after an afternoon of thought and discussion.

The winners will be announced at the catwalk finale at Fashion Scout on the 20th February.

Until then keep an eye on our social media accounts for sneak peaks of the garments and behind the scenes action at London Fashion Week.

Huge thanks to Angela Missoni and Liz Griffiths for flying in from Milan, and to all the members of the panel for your continuing support of FAD.

In addition we’re thankful to the back of house team; MUA Christelle Musungay, Photographer Gabriele Rizzi, Delores Oblitey, and the models who volunteered their time.