Six Students, Three Themes, One Colour: The White Show By Central Saint Martins Is Back

Central Saint Martins' The White Show has been happening for as long as the fashion industry can remember. The project is generally considered the most anticipated fashion show for the first year students at Central Saint Martins and is a true rite of passage for the BA fashion design students enrolled on the prospective fashion design pathways. So, what exactly is The White Show, you ask? Well, simply that. A show that is quite literally all in white. Fashion communication students are tasked with the production aspect, meaning they're in charge of staging the fashion show, choosing the music and organising the hair and make-up, while the design students have the creative role of designing a garment to show with one straightforward rule to follow; it must be all white.

The instructions are relatively simple. The designs? Much more complex. All five fashion design pathways (that's print, knitwear, fashion design with marketing, menswear and womenswear) are presented with the simple offering of five meters of cheap calico and five meters of basic white cotton, once they're armed with these two fabrics, they're sent off to create and dream up an impressive white fantasy. Although the idea of being constricted to white and white alone when designing may seem, to admit, a little bizarre, there is, in fact, method to the madness. The purpose of using all white materials compels the students to prioritise the essential techniques when it comes to the construction of a garment, focusing on the cut, the finish and the texture.

If you've ever been a fashion communication student or a fashion design student in the first term of your first year at Central Saint Martins, you probably know the colossal task at hand. (Some have even slurred it as 'the baptism of fire' for all the first years involved; trust us, it's harder than you think.) There are, of course, endless possibilities where things could go wrong (and have gone wrong) but despite all the ifs and buts, hows and whats, the final show never fails to impress, leaving everyone in awe of the creativity on display. Legend has it that teachers and fashion's harshest critics use The White Show as a rough guide to who will take centre stage later on (after all, it was the birthplace of Harris Reed's iconic wide brim hat which has since frequented the page of Vogue).

Each year, the designs get stranger, and stranger as imaginations get wilder and wilder and due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year's White Show will be no exception regarding extravagance et al (albeit a few changes). Instead of The White Show's usual sponsor L'Oreal, the show will be sponsored by Toray (a sustainable suede alternative) and Sorona, a company that promotes 'eco-efficient performance fibre'. Another change is the way the design pathways have been split up into three themes. Typically, there's an overarching theme that dictates each student's starting point whereas this year there's three: Void, Monitus and Odyssey. Each theme represents a BA fashion pathway. Void (focusing on the 'void' our creative practices exist in, otherwise put as 'in permanent limbo') will represent BA womenswear. Odyssesy (the findings of new beginnings and transportation) will comprise the menswear and fashion design with marketing pathways. And finally, we have Monitus, (exploring what it means to live in the digital age and a disconnected reality) which will include BA fashion knitwear and BA fashion print. On top of all this, the biggest change to this year's White Show is that instead of a physical showcase, it's a digital one. We predict the staircases and balcony's of the Central Saint Martins' Granary square campus are going to look somewhat emptier than previous years, where students were traditionally squashed up next to each other, waiting in anticipation for the show to start, scared to leave their spot for more than 10 seconds in case, god forbid, someone nabbed their coveted viewing spot.

Without the first years on the BA fashion communication course, none of this would be possible. The White Show is the first cross collaboration project for many of the first years on the fashion courses at the renowned UAL college and involves everyone working together in a coherent manner. As we know, this can be hard at the best of times let alone when students are spread over different parts of the world all working remotely. Describing the idea for The White Show, the course said in a statement: 'Over the past year we have seen our world enter a transitional state of chaos, disruption and confusion, the foundations of our realities have been shattered and we find ourselves trapped in a process of evolution.' Despite no afterparty this year (and believe us, The White Show after party is often just as exclusive as The White Show itself) we hope the students will still be celebrating in one way or another, lockdown style.

Reality, transportation and escapism are all themes this year's BA fashion design students have drawn from to create their own White Show garments. Christina Donoghue interviewed two students from each theme, Ming Lim and Ida Immendorff from Void, Dylan Leung and Jack Lambert from Odyssey and Oleg Ratnikov and Siri Castres from Monitus to find out about the tantalising processes behind their white creations.

VOID (BA Womenswear): Ming Lim

Christina Donoghue: What was your original starting point for your garment in terms of research?

Ming Lim: I started off thinking about borderlines and I was initially drawn back to my childhood experience with DRC (Dream Reality Confusion Disorder). For most of my early life, I had trouble separating dreams I had from memories I have lived, which means there are some memories I am not sure if I dreamt or lived. In the end, I wanted to explore the borderlines between dreams and reality, and ultimately the space where possibility is limitless.

CD: What was your design process?

ML: It was a lot of self-reflection as well as secondary research. I looked into the surrealist movement which helped because I see it as a symbol of the space between dreams and reality. I was pulling inspiration from paintings, clothing, sculptures, and text, collaging and reflecting on my research, creating visual shapes and ideas. My main inspirations were Salvador Dali, René Magritte, and Karen Jerzyk. When I tried to decipher dreams from reality, my mind felt light, like it was floating. The concept of clouds and the symbol of an eye was very much apparent in my research so I made sure I could translate those ideas into my final garment.

CD: How have you thought about the way your garment will translate digitally? In what way has a digital showcase, rather than a physical one, impacted the nature of your idea or the design process?

ML: A lot of the process was about thinking how my garment would translate digitally. Not only are we in a revolutionary age where multiple platforms and artistry are conveyed through digital technology, but COVID-19 has challenged and forced us to change how we think and work. Having a digital showcase didn’t change my design process or the way I worked. It did however change how I presented my final garment; I had to be innovative and find inventive ways of showcasing my final piece. It did feel like there was more freedom and ingenuity for us first years because the White Show is online. There was no blueprint since this situation is new for everyone.

CD: What has this project taught you?

ML: How to be semi-organised, how to make quick decisions, and how to create an idea and stick to it no matter what other people tell you should do. I would define The White Show as a liberal therapeutic experience. I learned to explore the limitless limitations of my dreams, that your mind is a cloud and that the sky is the limit.

CD: What was your experience designing during a pandemic like?

ML: It’s definitely different, unpredictability and awareness are the best ways to describe it. Since we don’t have the luxury to be in the studio all the time, we had to learn to make fast and decisive decisions; and we have to adapt on the go. It also made me more aware as a young designer; the pandemic revealed many issues about our current society that we as an upcoming generation have to address and reflect upon. In a way, it was a whole practice of reflection and action.

VOID (BA Womenswear): Ida Immendorff

Christina Donoghue: What was your original starting point for your garment in terms of research?

Ida Immendorff: The essence from the very start was that I wanted to explore the idea of a new human. I felt that being part of such a special moment of history was a time of change and transformation and I wanted my work to reflect this. I imagined what we as humans would look like if our physical appearances were transformed or adapted and used the Hieronymus Bosch Triptych oil painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights to fuel this adaption. I focused on a multi-handed creature depicted in the painting and thought it was symbolic of a representation of us as humans being held in the hands of nature while noting what the future may look like.

CD: What was your design process?

II: The journey overall was a huge transformation and the garment itself went through many different stages of change. I always start my design process with many different sketches and I draw directly from my imagination, trying to not let my illustration style be influenced from outside research - this is something that helps me stay true to my own vision throughout any project I undertake.

CD: How have you thought about the way your garment will translate digitally? In what way has a digital showcase, rather than a physical one, impacted the nature of your idea or the design process?

II: My garment belongs in a space that exists between the digital and the real world. The void and negative space it has, created by the the oultline, is as important as the positive one consisting of fabric. I wanted to create a feeling of dizziness when you look at the shape. A feeling of an organic reality confined in a digital world.

CD: What has this project taught you?

II: To adapt quickly, and develop multiple ideas.

CD: What was your experience designing during a pandemic like?

II: Designing during pandemic made the outside world disappear. It was me, myself and my garment and I felt that this intensified every stage. I still wonder if the experience was a sweet dream or surreal nightmare. Maybe it is in the fine line that sits between both.

ODYSSEY (BA Menswear and Fashion Design with Marketing): Dylan Leung

Christina Donoghue: What was your original starting point for your garment in terms of research?

Dylan Leung: I began with exploring ancient Chinese ceramics as my Grandad spent his life thermoluminescence-dating ancient Chinese pottery. After speaking to my grandad I thought this was a very powerful starting point as his reason for this profession stemmed from the idea of “taking back ownership of the art stolen from his ancestors by the British”. This emotion led me to research further into Asia’s porcelain trade routes and as a result I was drawn to the discovery and colonisation of Hong Kong by the British empire, this was significantly important to me as my family are originally from Hong Kong. With all these subjects to explore, I began linking 18th century British naval uniform with ancient Ming Dynasty porcelain and ceramics, creating a look that is a literal visualisation of British piracy, looting, and colonialism - an 18th century British naval coat reimagined, with Chinese ceramics being literally stolen or ‘smuggled’ under the body of the coat. I also wanted this look to touch on the controversy surrounding the British Museum’s refusal to return stolen artefacts.

CD: What was your design process?

DL: I start my design process very collage heavy as I find it really useful to start generating shapes and linking research straight away because I always like to begin with a strong narrative. I also create toiles and experiment with rough shapes quite early on in the design process so I can start visualising my concept in 3D. It’s important for me to bring my translate my toiles through collage. Constantly switching between 2D and 3D experimentation allows me to exhaust all my ideas and find the most efficient and persuasive way to communicate my narrative.

CD: How have you thought about the way your garment will translate digitally? In what way has a digital showcase, rather than a physical one, impacted the nature of your idea or the design process?

DL: Since the beginning of the project I’ve always had the consideration that a digital showcase would be the outcome, because of this I put a lot of thought into how the shapes in my garment are communicated. As there is no physical show, when designing I put emphasis on making the look appear interesting from every angle; I wanted the design concept to be clear from each side of the garment.

CD: What has this project taught you?

DL: This project has taught me so much about my own family history and heritage. From the starting point I chose, I instantly became hooked on learning and exploring my own culture, from learning about different styles of ancient Chinese ceramics to the history of colonialism in Hong Kong. I’ve also learnt to work far more independently and that there's no excuse not to work.

CD: What was your experience designing during a pandemic like?

DL: It’s been hard designing in lockdown, I feel like the way I collect research has become far more limited and inorganic so to speak. Considering this, I’d say the biggest setback was finding the motivation to keep going but because of this pandemic and it’s resultant rise in online communication, I could say I’ve definitely been able to meet and work with people that I wouldn’t have done so before, or been too afraid of reaching out to otherwise.

ODYSSEY (BA Menswear and Fashion Design with Marketing): Jack Lambert

Christina Donoghue: What was your original starting point for your garment in terms of research?

Jack Lambert: My original starting point was 'lovers.' I knew I wanted to make it sexy but not 'sleek sexy,' I wanted 'aggressive' sexy. I drew a lot of inspiration from the novel Justine by the Marquis De Sade - in later editions of the book, there are these great erotic etchings. I loved the crumpled and discarded clothing, the massive orgies in grand palaces, and monk's priories. These characters only care about pleasure and none of its consequences, the perverted peasant lover unleashed. 

CD: What was your design process? 

JL: This was the first time I had designed a complete outfit that I would be physically making. But I didn't want my crappy skills to influence my ideas. I started my design process by finding images for my sketchbook, reading relevant poetry/ literature, and discovering artists who were also directly inspired by the Marquis de Sade. I looked at the filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, Sculptor Hans Bellmer, and Performance Artist Rudolf Schwarzkogler. The work of these artists gave me something I could really relate to and draw even more inspiration from. When I'm thinking about clothing, I like to start by drawing tiny full figure thumbnails. this lets me feel out a whole silhouette without thinking about fussy things like construction and seams. 

CD: How have you thought about the way your garment will translate digitally? In what way has a digital showcase, rather than a physical one, impacted the nature of your idea or the design process?

JL: To be completely honest I didn't think much about how my project would translate to online. I let the FCP students photograph my work the day of the crit and left it at that. To me, my white project was about where I was at, how I got there, and the outfit was the result. In the future, I think I'll have to focus more on digital presentation...

CD: What has this project taught you? 

JL: A lot! This was our first actual designing and making project in menswear. It's a short project and but it does kind of kick you in the butt, telling you to keep moving. I learned not to be too precious with my work. Previously I felt nervous to make mistakes with fabric. I saw clothing construction as technical and unforgiving. As I continued to make mistakes and experiment with my draping, I started to feel freer to create and go a little deeper. The White Show taught me to be more ambitious and play with my ideas. 

CD: What was your experience designing during a pandemic like?

JL: At the moment it's been a lot harder to design from home. The fabric shops are closed, and we aren't in the studio seeing what everyone is working on either. In the studio, I love to talk. I'll talk about pretty much anything. At home, I already know everybody and they're all sick of talking to me. 

MONITUS (BA fashion knitwear and BA fashion print): Oleg Ratnikov

Christina Donoghue: What was your original starting point for your garment in terms of research?

Oleg Ratnikov: I like to start with something mundane and daily and then create a story around it. For this project, it was the feeling of isolation and absence of human interactions that we are all facing during lockdown. The idea was to create something that is going to be a complete opposite of that. My main inspiration was the Greek mythology of the Golden Age, the state where people were in peace and harmony with nature and each other, they had no grief or sorrow. I mixed it with memories of my trip to summer camp when I was a child and photos of Artek by Claudine Doury. It was about creating a utopia, a fantasy where the person can feel free again.

CD: What was your design process?

OR: Usually, once I have the idea I start collaging everything I have to get the story down and generate some rough ideas for garments from it, then some sketches and usually it is all about fabrication. I prefer to do something in real life since I get bored with paperwork quite easily. For this project it was no different. After getting my story down I analysed my collages, did some rough sketches and started working on my garment straight away. I had this abstract fixation with hula-hoops and so included them in my garment around the body, to serve as portals to the person's fantasy.

CD: How have you thought about the way your garment will translate digitally? In what way has a digital showcase, rather than a physical one, impacted the nature of your idea or the design process?

OR: Maybe it's a White Show thing, but I was more focused on the silhouette rather than the details. All my energy was spent on the construction of the silhouette and how this can translate my idea. Also, the fact that The White Show was cancelled was quite upsetting for me but it turned out to be beneficial in the end. All of us had to make 10 second videos showing our garment digitally and this is where I understood that for my project it actually makes more sense to do it from home. So it kind of ended up where it all started which I think is nice.

CD: What has this project taught you?

OR: Planning is essential! And to let things go and be more flexible. This is the most important lesson that I learned during this project. There have been so many times where something went wrong and I had no other choice than to just adapt to it.

CD: What was your experience designing during a pandemic like?

OR: We only had three days spent in the studios working on our project so that was challenging. Since you always have to think about tasks that you can or can not do from home and plan everything ahead. And the fact that most of the shops were closed was also tough. I am a really physical person and I need to see and touch things before I buy them. With the pandemic, I didn’t have that chance. But as time goes, you start to get used to the fact, that you can’t control everything and that helps a lot. And I am quite lucky to live with my friends, who are also studying fashion so we were all helping each other.

MONITUS (BA fashion knitwear and BA fashion print): Siri Castres

Christina Donoghue: What was your original starting point for your garment in terms of research?

Siri Castres: I often get inspired by my upbringing and experience in Norway, focusing especially on my fascination of its traditions and culture. I was looking at our traditional national costumes as a starting point, notably the Bunad, and was thinking about the handcraft element, the construction and the history. One of my starting points with this was centred around the strict rules when it comes to how you’re supposed to wear the Bunad and what you can do in them. I was also looking at our high school graduation tradition called 'Russefeiring/Russetid.' A month-long party before our exams where everyone dresses in boiler suits and the whole thins is just one absolute drunken mess. It's a fun tradition where students from all over Norway get together, but it is an extremely sexualised tradition. From experience, I wanted to look at the way women are sexualised during that period, while trying to see these two traditions together in the same space. My starting points focused on looking at old porn magazines from the 50s and 70s, researching Norwegian archives of our national costumes and looking at my own pictures from our graduation party.

CD: What was your design process?

SC: I started by looking at my research as a whole, collaging, drawing and putting all these elements in the same space. Based on a story from one of the porn magazines about a girl who enters a mysterious tunnel and finds a random guy that she has sex with, I came up with the story of a traditional Norwegian girl in her national costume that looks into this tunnel and sees one of our graduation parties happening. She’s a bit scared, but curious, and decides to enter. There, she gets completely drunk, looses her bra and somebody finds it and spends the whole night looking for the owner of this massive bra. We follow the girl as she transforms into this mess-mixture of traditions. When the person with the bra finally finds her, dancing drunk on top of a bus, they pin the bra to her body. From here I was looking specifically at details from the research, lace from the underwear, embroidery from the Bunad and the creases in the boiler suits, and through draping and drawing, decided to reference the way we take off our pants. The final creation was a 2,6 m tall pair of unzipped trousers with paper-mâché boobs at the top. 

CD: How have you thought about the way your garment will translate digitally? In what way has a digital showcase, rather than a physical one, impacted the nature of your idea or the design process?

SC: I didn’t consider the digital aspect of the showcase too much while I was designing. There were some different options in terms of how the showcase was going to be, so not knowing that much about it until the garment was done didn’t really impact my design. When we finally got to know that we had to film our own 10 second video, I was both excited and worried, as I’d never done a video like that before, but it gave me the opportunity to think about how I could translate my concept and personality into something digital.  

CD: What has this project taught you?

SC: This project taught me that the less I stress, the better it gets. I’ve never felt like I was allowed to truly let loose, I always found there was always a 'correct' way to do things, but along with having tutors that encouraged experimentation and individuality, I finally got to express myself the way I wanted to. 

CD: What was your experience designing during a pandemic like?

SC: The most challenging for me was that there was no space that was not dedicated to work. I had my entire White Show process scattered around in my room and around my house so wherever I went my White Show garment was staring at me. It was my first thought in the morning and my last thought in the evening. The time management was also really important. We were only allowed a certain amount of time in the studios, on specific days, so I had to make sure that I knew exactly what had to be done on those days. I had to fuse two layers of the thickest fusing I could find onto my garment, and my iron at home was not powerful enough to do that, so I had to make sure I got that done before the weekend so I could carry on working when I got home.