Georgia Nash: Up and Coming Designer at London Fashion Week

Georgia Nash

        I was lucky enough to be able to attend a London Fashion Week fashion show for new up and comer Georgia Nash. Her brother is a close friend of mine, so we were able to get front row, VIP tickets with official backstage passes. This perk set the stage for the entire show, and the overall experience was truly amazing. Her show took place in Hanbury Hall in the East End. The location of the show greatly defined the crowd and the atmosphere of the production. First, the crowd was not showing off chic pieces of expensive designer clothing, but rather displayed an eclectic arrangement of vintage hats, sweaters, dresses and pants. The diversity in the audience was expressive of the East End venue, and brought an additional richness to the show.  

In terms of the venue itself, there was not the traditional glamour and glaring lights upon a sterile runway. This venue was much smaller, in an abandoned warehouse, with a beige carpet for the runway. This gave the show a sense of accessibility and familiarity that is not achievable in high profile, commercialized venues. 

        Before and after her show there were coffee tea and macaroons served.  This a wonderful treat, specifically for those like bloggers and the press who are seeing many shows a day all around London during fashion week. The sweets served were also significant, because at the beginning of her show, Georgia revealed that it was the famous macaroon shop in Paris, Laduree, which provided her inspiration for this Spring/Summer 2011 line. I was especially excited to hear this because not only have I been to Laduree in Paris, but I have also always admired the colors and display techniques of the famous sweets shop. This idea brought a personal touch to the show and the line as a whole for me, because I could pick up on the creative process she underwent from her Parisian inspiration to the clothes she designed.

Georgia Nash S/S 2011

          Overall, the whole show was beautifully done, in a simple and understated way. It was unlike the fashion show I imagined going to, but the experience and atmosphere of this one was conducive to highlighting the best features of Georgia's line. It was exciting to see in the blogs and papers the next day that Georgia Nash is 'a designer to look out for' and 'one of the most promising rising designers'. I hope that when she does gain more popularity and notoriety in the fashion world, she stays true to her design and choses venues like Hanbury Hall which bring out the best in her work. 

 

Allie Kelleher

UC Santa Barbara