what was tales of twentytwo by WAIFT

Tales of Twentytwo by Polytechnic West (WAIFT) was the fourth graduate fashion parade I attended in November. It was a seriously good show despite some hiccups with the background music. As a lover of all things fashion I appreciate all the garments and detailed work by graduates. I always find something I really desire in every show. All of the graduates work has been fantastic in each show but this particular graduate parade was rather special. I’ll tell you why.

No goodie bags but plenty of goodies

To my mind, this was the first fashion show where everyone got something special. Typically, only VIP seats get a bag ‘full’ of so called goodies. The bag could include beauty products of some sort and the rest is usually discount vouchers and promotional materials which are likely be chucked away. Polytechnic West didn’t do that. They produced a stack of cards. Each card featured graduate designers’ work and their contact details. Ryan Murphy‘s photos were stunning and the cards were really effective. In addition, they found clever people who turned old denim into a diary cover – each audience member received a little denim covered little journal. That was definitely a keeper. Of course, there were some ‘obligatory’ candies. All and all, everyone got goodies and they were keepers rather than a ‘straight into the bin’ kind.

Telling a story

Presenting a video clip at a show is nothing new. However, this time it was not just a creative showcase – which most times can be abstract arty farty. The video clip they played just before the show was the clip of them preparing for the photo shoot which took place to produce the individual designers’ card. Candid clips of models, designers and crew members working told a story – Tales of Twentytwo. It was whimsically produced and perfect for setting the scene for the show.

Using a prop and keeping the main lighting simple

Graduate shows I’ve been attending since 2008 seemed to have relied on ‘funky’ lighting to the detriment of garments, make-up and hair-stylists work. WAIFT seemed to have got around the issue by placing a ‘cloud’ of fair lights which were changing colours and textures in each collection while keeping the main lighting constant throughout the parade. This meant all the work on the stage – garment, shoes, accessories, make-up and hair etc – were all clearly visible. It also helped that the venue was not too big – being the Octagon Theatre at UWA.

This was a vastly different story from last time when I got such flack over my commentary. I won’t take any credit for this welcome change as I’m sure there would have been other major contributing factors.

Of course, the work

This goes without saying. As the name suggests, WAIFT is known for producing highly competitive and talented fashion designers. It was no different this year. You’ll understand what I’m talking about if you look through the flickr photo stream for the parade (over 300 images), front row shots and backstage.

Related posts: