University News Last updated 11 June 2015
Could the next big fashion trend be inspired by some of the great Marvel heroes? That was the thought behind our fashion student Calum Whitley’s collection which he showcased at Graduate Fashion week last week.
22-year-old fashion student Calum took his inspiration from Marvel and other comic book heroes, depicting images of characters with broad shoulders and bulging biceps.
Speaking ahead of a major catwalk event showcasing our student designs, fashion student Calum Whitley said: “The thought behind the collection came from the idea of self and identity in social beauty norms. As it developed I became interested in men who use steroids to allow them to grow into a hyper masculine unnatural body.
“Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein became part of the design process, where I created my own distorted body image by using collage, body print and anatomy drawings. This took me into more contemporary references, such as comic book heroes in Marvel comics and films.”
Calum joined 22 other Birmingham City University fashion students who showed their collections at Graduate Fashion Week in London last week. The event, now in its fourteenth year, celebrates the creativity of students and graduates within fashion.
Fellow student Katrina Wilson was announced as the winner of the People’s Choice Award – a brand new award for this year’s show, which for the first time allowed the public to vote on their favourite collection.
Calum and Katrina also showcased their collections at a specialist catwalk event at Thinktank in Birmingham this week.
The high end show forms part of our Inspired Festival, a celebration of the contribution made by our students to the cultural and creative industries.