The University of West London

University student designs catches the eye of the media

Friday 22 June 2012

A graduate from the University's Ealing School of Art, Design and Media has been creating a buzz in the fashion industry with her impressive collection.

Cora Manciu was selected by national newspapers, The Guardian and the Daily Express, and online website CelebMirror.co.uk as the one to watch during Graduate Fashion Week (GFW) 2012. 

Cora, along with her fellow graduates from our BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles course, exhibited her designs and portfolio at GFW attended by esteemed industry figures including fashion designers Matthew Williamson and Julien Macdonald from 10 to 13 June 2012 at London's Earl's Court.

GFW is the ultimate event for those with an interest in the business of fashion.

Created to provide a showcase of the year’s best new talent under one roof for potential employers, national and international media and industry, GFW is the largest graduate fashion event in the world. Designers, marketers, new media experts, buyers, pattern cutters, stylists, journalists, illustrators and visual merchandisers all participated in GFW and represent the future of British fashion.

Having the opportunity to partake in such a prestigious event is a goal achieved for Cora, who first became interested in fashion through studying art in school and was keen to continue on a creative path so decided on a career in fashion.

Cora stated that during the course of her studies she learnt the whole process, from research to designing to making and presenting, at the University.
 
Commenting on her recent success, Cora said:

'It was great to be part of Graduate Fashion Week, meeting and talking to different people, seeing how other students have done their final project.  The industry exposure is beneficial to all students and hopefully will help us in our future careers.

I was very excited to see my work in a newspaper and publicised online. It is great exposure for me as a graduate fashion designer and very satisfying.

My advice for future students would be to always try to push your own limits, be ambitious and be organised as work gets more and more intense. I would also like to mention that research is a vital part of any project and should be treated in depth.'

Chip Harris, programme leader for BA (Hon) Fashion and Textiles at the University's Ealing School of Art, Design and Media, said:

'It is great that our graduates are receiving such recognition; Cora’s collection and portfolio really capture what the course is about, namely innovative textiles and very contemporary fashion underpinned by strong technical skills. GFW is a very important platform for us in showcasing the talent and ambition of our students. The whole course team have been very encouraged by the really positive response and praise we have had for our stand and the interest the industry is showing in our graduates.'