Congratulations to Shauni Douglas & Olivia Creber, Edinburgh College of Art who won the Menswear Award and Lauren Smith also at Edinburgh College of Art who won the GOLD Award, with a whopping £20,000 handshake.

We are cock-a-hoop because this years students have had a full three-years of an All Walks Beyond the Catwalk influenced curriculum promoting emotionally considerate design. This comes off the back of Government Minister Jo Swinson acknowledging the work we are doing within education as the way forward.

We salute the next generation of enlightened designers and the very obvious skills of Mal Burkinshaw, Course Leader at Edinburgh College of Art.

MENSWEAR AWARD

Judges: David Gandy, James Long, Adam Cameron, Dunhill, Stephen Ayres, Liberty, said…

“From concept to catwalk the quality and finish of this collection was of an exceptionally high standard. Shauni and Olivia demonstrated an ability to play with proportion which is most unusual for BA graduates This collection showed a really strong visual concept and superb craftsmanship our vote was unanimous!”

GOLD AWARD

Judges: Fiona Lambert, George at Asda, Roland Mouret, David Walker-Smith, Fenwick were unanimous on who should win with Roland Mouret telling All Walks….

“For me Lauren was the clear winner because there was a cohesion – a clear flow – between herself and her collection. The garments were an extension of her and I think this stems from an understanding of her own body, it was evident in the finished product”

 Lauren Smith confirms…

At Edinburgh,  I learnt to understand my responsibility as a designer. I ensured that at every stage from research to garment development that I remained sensitive to the female form.

 Some of the nicest compliments I received after the show were about how women could imagine wearing some of my designs. As a young designer this really is the highest compliment of all and proof that emotionally considerate design is respected.

 I understand why design teaching might begin with bust stand but by no means should it end there. Some of the most frustrating moments for a student can be not understanding why the garment they fitted for the mannequin fits differently on a real women and how to fit it accordingly. That is why I am so thankful that at ECA, we were heavily encouraged to try our toile’s on real women regularly so that we could see the fitting issues and learn how to fix them. “

 Mal Burkinshaw, Edinburgh Course Leader Director of the Diversity Network and explains…

”Lauren is part of a graduate cohort who have explored emotionally considerate design as part of their studies at Edinburgh College of Art. Lauren’s sketch design process involved drawing a healthier body shape and a less elongated proportion that is all too common in fashion sketching. As a result, Laurens design proportions, garment fits and sense of composition are underpinned by a celebration and empathy towards non-catwalk sizes. Lauren has considered her needs as a customer and as such maintains a deep connection to her own practice. Questioning, fashion aware,and with an intuitive and honest sense of the ‘new’,  Lauren is helping to lead a new wave of empathic and intelligent designers without narrow or elitist views on beauty”

Congratulations to ALL Edinburgh students – All Walks has championed an awareness for the end user and this is a pivotal moment.  Now your enlightened design process makes it’s way into the commercial market place and guess what? EVERYBODY WINS!

Caryn Franklin Co-Founder Former fashion editor and co-editor of i-D Magazine for 6 years in the early eighties, Caryn Franklin has been a fashion commentator for 31 years. She presented the BBC’s Clothes Show for 12 years and BBC’s Style Challenge for 3 years as well as producing and presenting numerous documentaries for ITV on designers including Vivienne Westwood, Philip Treacy and Matthew Williamson. Working in education throughout her career as external assessor and lecturer in colleges like Central St Martins, London College of fashion and Royal College of Art, she is also an ardent fashion activist and has co-chaired the award winning Fashion Targets Breast Cancer for 17 years and proposed the London College of Fashion Centre of Sustainability and is its ambassador. Follow Caryn on Twitter: @Caryn_franklin

Ravensbourne student Rebecca Chambers, was voted by co-founders Caryn, Debra and Erin as outstanding amongst the entries for the in the Diversity NOW! Competition.

“We chose it as our film winner because it broadcasts a simple call to action, ” say the co-founders. “It’s fun with a light touch and an important message: The consumer is diverse, let’s reflect that in our marketing. we love it also that this film acts a piece of marketing for us too!

Why don’t you ‘share it,’ for us!

See All Diversity NOW! Winners and Highly commended here

See All Diversity NOW! Finalists here

Jennie Runk for H&M

There are several broad divides in the world of modeling. There is editorial and there is commercial. There is mainboard and special bookings. And then there is ‘fashion’ versus ‘plus size’: ‘fashion’ encompasses size 6 to 8, ‘plus’ size 12 and above; arbitrary categories. All sizes are fashion sizes, as we all wear clothes, whether a size 6 or 16, and to be considered a ‘plus’ is a rather strange notion – plus what? Plus flesh? Plus a few extra inches that divides the catwalk from the occasionally more encompassing campaigns? These labels are necessitated by market. Samples must be made and clients have to choose the models to front their brands. But the fashion norm is still narrow in both measurements and image, being restricted to a very singular type of beauty. The use of ‘plus’ suggests something additional or out of the ordinary.

We all say, the consumer is diverse and the market place is diverse! Thank you to all the students who entered the All Walks Diversity NOW! competition. You are all body image activists and carriers of a more inclusive and accepting message about personal identity so thanks for being part of the change.

Judges, Documentary Maker and Body Image Activist, Stephanie Heart and Film Maker and Curator of the Birds Eye Film Festival Kathryn Feguson said…

“A clever film that explores the theme of Diversity in an unexpected way to challenge stereotypes about age.”

“A film that exposes how our perceptions have become warped capturing some beautiful moments.”

 Judges Award winning photographer and collaborator for the first All Walks Campaign, Kayt Jones, and the All Walks co-founders said…

“A dramatic, and thought-provoking series of images.”

“A great location story of a country squire and a contemporary, vision of upper crust Englishness – Ralph Lauren eat your heart out.”

“A light touch to create a fun fashion shoot. The set, casting and styling deliver a diverse shoot of high production values.”

Judge Nuno Da Costa said….

“A piece of work that uses humour to highlight why individuality could be the first step in attaining more diversity within the fashion and modelling industries.”

“Took the brief in an unexpected direction by asking the viewer to confront their initial reaction to the deceptively simple drawing.”

Judges Disney Roller Girl Blogger Navaz Batiwalla and i-D Online commissioning editor Sarah Raphael said…

“An honest and informal protest piece which quickly establishes a strong connection between writer and reader.”

“For Powerful statements, and a rallying cry against the dangers of homogenised beauty.”

Judges blogger and creator of Garmsville and brand consultant Jason Jules together with i-D Magazine Art Director Graham Rounthwaite, said…

“An elegant example of why Zines offer so much versatility. Funny and light, yet weighty and serious with as great call to action.”

“For typography and use of image to a high standard, thoughtful combinations of elements and content in a beautifully designed package.”

The co founders loved the simplicity of this idea. Good design can transform and embolden everybody and everything even the humble hearing aid.

Own-Label are also partnered with All Walks. Their innovative website profiles and sells young designers. And they’ll be giving all our finalists – A One Day workshop in London  on what it takes to start your own business. The winner who received the most online votes and receives £250 from OWN LABEL and the opportunity to see his or her design in production and available for sale.

Judges William Tempest and couturier Deborah Milner who is commissioned by top houses, amongst Alexander McQueen said…

“This design crosses so many boundaries you do not need to be slim, tall  or young  and combining Eastern and Western – Masculine and Feminine sensibilities.”

“Using great design to embolden a deliciously curvaceous body.”

“Displaying what fashion is all about, vision, desirability, fun and fearlessness as well as breaking down boundaries. Celebrating individuality as well as experimentation with shape and technique.”

Co-founders choice Caryn, Debra and Erin chose this person because short message perfectly sums up the energy of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk

Judges awarded of £500 for the Judges Choice Winner. “For passion, fun, and over-turning gender and racial sterotypes.” Congratulations Brogan Toyn London College of Fashion.

The All Walks stand at GFW 2012

The All Walks team are thrilled to be returning to Graduate Fashion Week, where we will literally and metaphorically be ‘taking a stand’!  Do come and say hello at STAND A01 and take in some of the great imagery produced by students up and down the country for our Diversity NOW!  competition in association with i-D magazine and Succeed Foundation.

It will be a busy few days for the All Walks team as we create a live photoshoot with i-D magazine, host an on-site press conference and announce the Diversity NOW! winners at a special awards ceremony.

On Monday between 12 – 3pm we will be hosting a live Twitter debate on the subject of diversity and individuality in fashion and we would love for you to join in @allwalkscatwalk and using the competition #DiversityNOW.

At Graduate Fashion Week, our latest campaign Diversity NOW! reveals the depth and breadth of student talent. Our All Walks News promotes a selection of work. Click here to download All Walks News

See here for the full display of finalists work

34 colleges from across the UK entered Diversity NOW! Hundreds and hundreds of students give us their vision for Body Confidence.

With the help of our judges: Designer William Tempest, Couturier Deborah Milner, DisneyRollerGirl Blogger Navaz Batliwalla, Illustrator Nuno Da Costa, Writer, Designer and Brand Consultant Jason Jules, Body Image commentator Stephanie Heart, Film Maker Kathryn Ferguson and Photographer Kayt Jones along with key members of the i-D editorial and All Walks teams, we announce our finalists.

We are often asked why the voluntary work of All Walks is significant and we can only answer from the heart. We never under estimate the power the fashion industry has to influence the self esteem of its audience. That’s why we ask the next generation to consider their impact, their messaging and the responsibility they have to create positive body ideals.

We hope Diversity NOW! will become part of the curriculum and that all the colleges and universities who entered the competition this year, will continue to run a project it every year. Our annual Graduate Fashion Week meeting with tutors up and down the country, will be an opportunity for us to suggest this.

Stop Press: An ARTS THREAD portfolio brings the global creative industry to your door. Their vast database of creative clients worldwide are looking for new graduates, interns and freelancers. Register www.artsthread.com

Now let’s get on with the exciting bit!

But let’s get down to nitty gritty. At All Walks Beyond the Catwalk, we challenge fashion industry dependence on one body ideal via press campaigns and empowering undergraduates to change practice within their chosen field.

It’s that simple. But why do we do it? That’s more complex!

We are frequently asked to talk, lecture or exhibit, but just can’t meet the demand. It seems everyone wants to chat about body image these days. Students, professionals, educationalist, mental health experts and ordinary women, document relief and gratitude that the fashion industry is being educated by us, to stop undermining female confidence with repeat images of  bodies that promote unachievable but highly influential body ideals as ‘normal.’

We’d go so far as to say industries like music, film and TV who copy fashion dictates and use fashion culture to inform their branding, could then take direction on more diverse body ideals. Hey  you could even get to the stage where young people would experience less media-sanctioned incentives to emulate unhealthy physical ideals or engage in appearance bullying or self-harm.

Ultimately, an environment that celebrates diversity and difference, also supports young minds to explore their own individual physical and intellectual gifts without oppressive and rigid ideals around what they should aspire to and gives rise to better self-esteem and higher achievement in all areas of life.

As far as we know, we are the only providers of this far-reaching initiative. Through our campaigns, initiatives and lectures, we know young creatives experience their own bodies as acceptable, they feel happier about their appearance. They instantly recognise why we seek change for others through inclusivity and diversity. Crucially they see our work with government, parliamentarians, educators, mental health experts, appearance researchers and creatives and leave the free lectures we deliver feeling empowered to change the industry they will work in. See student comments here why don’t you!

Look we don’t want to get too heavy about it. We just want you to be able to love clothes and have fun with fashion.

Love Caryn, Debra and Erin.

Credit: First All Walks campaign image: Laura Catterall wears William Tempest sample at London Fashion Week shot by Kayt Jones for i-D Magazine.

Photograph Rebecca Eland – Northumbria University

While Vogue’s Alexandra Shulman invited her panel to discuss body image insecurities at the recent Southbank Vogue Festival and ex-editor of Australian Vogue, Kirsty Clements, laments a fashion dynamic that prioritises an unhealthy body ideal, hundreds of UK creatives have just unleashed a proposal for progress.

All Walks Beyond the Catwalk Competition: Diversity NOW! in association with i-D Magazine and sponsored by Succeed Foundation has invited students to broaden the physical ideals our industry promotes by sending their illustrations and photographic celebrations of diverse bodies, along with clothing designs for all shapes and ages including disability.

Paralympian glory along with All Walks campaigns were some of the things that inspired them.

Uploading their entries through Arts Thread: the leading creative graduate platform for online portfolios and recruitment, with designers having the chance to sell their garments through Own Label, the innovate emerging designer e-tail platform, colleges including, Northumbria, Nottingham Trent, Leeds, Ravensbourne, London College of Fashion, Central St Martin’s, Edinburgh College of Art, The Arts University at Bournemouth, Southampton Solent, University of Westminster, Liverpool John Moores University, Glasgow School of Art, University of Wales Newport, University of Derby and Leeds College of Art, took up the All Walks call for images and designs inspired by the theme ‘Diversity and Individuality.’

So what’s all this Diversity empathy? Why its nothing more than a healthy dose of accountability…thinking about the consequence of design and who will engage with it. Students felt the project had really touched a nerve…

Tutors said…

“A lot of our students commented that doing this All Walks cluster of projects was like having therapy! We will definitely be embedding Diversity NOW! every year as it really opened our eyes to what our students were thinking and feeling.”

Sarah Lewington, Principal Lecturer, BA (Hons) Fashion Communication and Promotion, Nottingham Trent University

Diversity NOW! brings the customer into the designers’ focus, either through the personification of design or catering to individual desire at the same time as addressing real, practical needs. My students enthusiasm for this project is reflected in their brilliant work and I’m proud that we at London College of Fashion have this platform to express our passion for identity.
Rob Phillips, Creative Director, London College of Fashion

From photography of bodies and faces so diverse in origin they made the seminal Caroline Baker, Bennetton Campaign, look really rather tame (look it up) to fashion illustrations featuring bodies of all sizes, ages and abilities, our UK students showed their penchant for individual style.

Interestingly we also asked everyone a simple question. “Would seeing more diverse beauty and body ideals in the media impact positively on your self esteem?” A snapshot of YES answers revealed how strongly students of today feel.

Students said…

“People who are strong enough to embrace their differences represent something more beautiful to me, than someone who has molded themselves into an ideal.”

“Adele vs. Karl Lagerfeld, Paralympics. Women should no longer be compared to airbrushed advertising campaign shots.”

 “As the next generation of the creative industry we have a responsibility to our society. We should be presenting people with the real truths, helping people to aspire to be better people, not aspiring to be skinnier. We should be encouraging people to be happy in their own skin, or aspiring to be the best versions of themselves, not someone else’s idea of beautiful. The media should be filling people with optimism and inspiration, not making people feel bad about themselves, needing to consume the next product in order to feel beautiful. After all, this is the way to make society healthier. Advertising could be the solution, instead of the problem”

 ”My friends tell me they have stopped buying fashion magazines because of the use of models who are seen to be ‘idealized’ beauty. More realistic images would help us all with the confidence.”

 “I always felt ashamed of something about myself, not just because of what I saw in the media but because this twisted view of beauty meant that everyone expected you to look like a model from a magazine.”

 “We can choose to change our clothes through fashion but we should not have to feel pressure to change our genetics because of fashion. Fashion is about celebrating the body not conformity and negativity.”

 “Fashion isn’t just about glamour and glitz but also as a designer, it’s your job to make people feel confident about themselves in the clothes you design for them and to be able to carry themselves without being judged.”

 ”My own body does not conform to the current “ideal” body type that is represented in the media at the moment.”

 “We have become so used to seeing images of say, skinny women for example, and being sold ideas of what it means to be beautiful, that we believe them to be the truth.”

“The more people you see that are like you, the more you realise you are normal. Seeing someone, especially in the media who is successful yet similar to you is a kind of confirmation that being larger or taller or even older doesn’t have to hold you back in life.”

We say…

We are often asked why the voluntary work of All Walks is significant and we can only answer from the heart. We never under estimate the power the fashion industry has to influence the self esteem of its audience. That’s why we ask the next generation to consider their impact, their messaging and the responsibility they have to create positive body ideals…but let’s get on with the exciting bit!

Now is the job of our judges to decide upon the winners of each section. We are well chuffed to have the help of such industry luminaries as Designer William Tempest,  Couturier Deborah Milner,  DisneyRollerGirl Blogger Navaz Batliwalla, Illustrator Nuno Da Costa, Writer, Designer and Brand Consultant Jason Jules, Body Image commentator Stephanie Heart, Film Maker Kathryn Ferguson and Photographer Kayt Jones along with key members of the i-D editorial team, to help with this giant task. Read more about each creative here.

Over  the coming weeks we will be featuring some of our  finalist’s work while Own Label will be featuring design finalists on their site and in June at Graduate Fashion Week we will be naming our winners. Oh the excitement – more gripping that an episode of C.S.I any day!

See a selection of work featured by i-D Online here.

See finalists in all their glory below.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Stop Press: An ARTS THREAD portfolio brings the global creative industry to your door. Their vast database of creative clients worldwide are looking for new graduates, interns and freelancers. Register www.artsthread.com

Post written by Caryn Franklin Co-Founder Former fashion editor and co-editor of i-D Magazine for 6 years in the early eighties, Caryn Franklin has been a fashion commentator for 31 years. She presented the BBC’s Clothes Show for 12 years and BBC’s Style Challenge for 3 years as well as producing and presenting numerous documentaries for ITV on designers including Vivienne Westwood, Philip Treacy and Matthew Williamson. Working in education throughout her career as external assessor and lecturer in colleges like Central St Martins, London College of fashion and Royal College of Art, she is also an ardent fashion activist and has co-chaired the award winning Fashion Targets Breast Cancer for 17 years and proposed the London College of Fashion Centre of Sustainability and is its ambassador. Follow Caryn on Twitter: @Caryn_franklin

As well as key members of the All Walks team, the exhaustive list below of thinkers, makers and agitators will oversee the finalist entries to find a winner for each of the categories and an overall winner who will receive £500. All our finalists will be receiving lavish praise though, for taking the bull by the gilded horns and proclaiming diversity and individuality to be a really important issue. Results are announced at Graduate Fashion Week on June 4th 2013.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Deborah Milner

London based couturier, Deborah Milner, began her career studying at St Martin’s School of Art and then the RCA.

She established her couture atelier in 1991, where she  soon  became known for her unconventional sculptural shapes and exceptional cutting skills. Whilst building up an impressive  list of private clients, she, also, collaborated with many of the leading  names in  fashion, including  Isabella Blow, Philip Treacy,  Alexander McQueen and Nick Knight.

In 2003, Deborah spent a year in Brazil researching environmental sustainability initiatives. This experience led her to approach  natural beauty brand  Aveda and, from this partnership, Deborah’s groundbreaking  Ecoture ^TM collection was born.

Since 2003 Deborah has been a consultant on Couture for Alexander McQueen, realising some of his most complex showpieces.

Deborah continues to create original one-offs for her own clientele and varied projects and is currently  working on an exciting new venture which will ally her sustainable vision with ingenious cutting and design.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

William Tempest

William Tempest is a British fashion designer based in London. Synonymous with luxury and modernism his work explores innovative cutting and experimental shape making, and focuses on a timeless yet directional aesthetic and a high level of construction and quality. William Tempest has been worn by fans including Kate Moss, Rihanna, Victoria Beckham, Michelle Williams and Emma Watson to name but a few; and featured in international press including publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Baazar, Tatler, i-D, The Wall Street Journal and WWD. Most recently William was featured in ‘The Sunday Times Power List’ as one of the most influential ‘25 people under 25’, and has collaborated globally with renowned British high-street store River Island.

Originally from Cheshire in the north of England, William moved to London at the age of 18 to study womenswear fashion design, and went on to work for designers Giles Deacon in London and Jean Charles de Castelbajac in Paris. In 2009 William caught the eye of designer Donatella Versace who selected William to show his first collection at London Fashion Week. In 2010, following the success of his debut New York Fashion Week show William was presented with a WGSN Global Fashion Award for Best Emerging Talent judged by over 50 influential decision makers.

William’s design talent has regularly been sought outside the field of high fashion. Most notably William created an art installation in Queen Victoria’s bedroom for the ‘Enchanted Palace’ exhibition at Kensington Palace in London alongside designers Vivienne Westwood and Stephen Jones; appeared as a judge on Britain’s Next Top Model; designed an advertising campaign and art installations for Diesel; curated an exhibition on sustainable urban design with Smart Car/Mercedes Benz; designed a laptop case clutch bag for SonyVAIO; and has designed and worked with many other global brands including Disney, label.m Hair Care, Vauxhall, The BodyShop, and Olay to name but a few.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Nuno Da Costa

Nuno is a self taught Illustrator specialising in Fashion and Beauty imagery.  Represented by top British Illustration agency Illustration Ltd (www.illustrationweb.com/nunodacosta), in the Uk, US, China and India and represented by sister agencies in Germany and France.

After leaving Kings College University where he studied modern languages and Latin American and Hispanic Cultural Studies, Nuno decided to change direction and pursue his love of all things Art and Fashion.  He put together his portfolio and within a week started working for various publications at Emap and Hearst publishing houses both in the UK and US.

He was later discovered by leading fashion hair stylist Neil Moodie who asked him to collaborate on an innovative eight page spread for Wonderland Magazine along with world renowned make up artist Lisa Butler, a seminal event which has shaped and coloured Nuno’s approach and technique to this day.

In 2010 he achieved his longstanding dream of being published in British Vogue in their Christmas special ’Superstar Issue’ which has lead to collaborations with The Telegraph, Christian Dior, Vogue Portugal, The Sunday Times, L’Oreal Professionnel and Clinique amongst many other well known and respected names in the Fashion, Beauty and publishing industries. See Nuno’s collaboration with All Walks here.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Navaz Batliwalla

Navaz Batliwalla started her fashion career as assistant to stylist Caroline Baker before embarking on a freelance styling and journalism career, which included contributions to Tank, Oyster, Sunday Times Style, Guardian Weekend [styling] and Handbag.com [writing].  In 2001, she was approached for the role of fashion director of the UK launch of CosmoGIRL! magazine. Six years later she started the anonymous fashion insider blog, ‘Disneyrollergirl’, observing the unseen side of the fashion business from her own unique perspective.

Returning to the world of freelance in 2007, Navaz now combines blogging with styling and writing for editorial and commercial clients, as well as creative consultancy for fashion and lifestyle brands. She is a guest lecturer at UCA Epsom University and London College of Fashion and a regular contributor to Grazia India, Glamour, Bon International and H&M magazine.

She lives in Kensal Green, London.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Kayt Jones

Born and raised in London, Jones receiving her degree in film and photography in London. Jones’s editorial photography is characterized by a strong narrative component, underscoring the reciprocal creative influence between her two areas of study. Her work is featured in magazines including VS, Elle, Esquire, SI Swimsuit edition, and has been exhibited internationally. Jones’s film directorial debut came in 2008 and she has continued to create short films alongside her stills work for editorial and commercial clients.

Jones was instrumental in creating the launch imagery  for All Walks which was featured in i-D and as 7 foot-high iconic shots at London Fashion Week and  lives with her family in Los Angeles.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 Jason Jules

Jason Jules was born in Hackney, East London in 1964. He graduated from what is now The University Of Greenwich with a degree in English and Philosophy in 1985. He is a freelance creative consultant, art director and journalist.

Over the years he has worked for a number of brands including Nike, Levi’s, Sony Playstation, Swatch and Dickies.

As a writer specializing in art and fashion he has contributed to a variety of publications including i-D, The Voice, The Face, Blues & Soul, Time Out, Dazed & Confused (as visual art editor), Untold Magazine (as features editor) and Kilimanjaro Art and Design (as editor). He is currently UK editor for Streetwear Today Magazine and regularly contributes to Inventory Magazine.

Still living in East London, Jules launched his hugely popular blog Garmsville in 2009, the menswear accessories brand House Of Garmsville in 2010 and Madoog TV in 2011.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Stephanie Heart

Stephanie Heart presented for BBC2 Global Body Film and brought her one size does not fit all “Model meter” to real women internationally. Stephanie has been intentionally inspiring females since the age of 17. Her first photo shoot explored the dark side to beauty, the second spoke out about the objectification of women in advertisement. Her Naturally Critical film was used to form the foundation of a global discussion showcased at the 2011 Endangered Species Summit in New York and London.

Stephanie has since had the opportunity to feature twice academy award winner Emma Thompson in one of her short films, be the London assistant director for an international documentary, The Illusionist; on the judging panel for the government backed very first Body Confidence Awards, inform policy developments on body image at Parliament and receive the Rising Star Award at the House of Lords.

Stephanie Heart now at the age of 25, has managed to engage thousands of women and men in addressing issues around body image and self esteem, voicing concerns and inspiring change for females today.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Kathryn Ferguson

Belfast born Kathryn Ferguson is a filmmaker and curator. She has made many films for fashion designers, brands and musicians including Chloe, Selfridges, Sinead O’Connor, Lady Gaga, Richard Nicoll, Charlie Le Mindu, Katie Eary, and Domino Records. These films have been featured on MTV, SHOWstudio, Dazed Digital, Twin, the BBC and in Vogue.

Her experimental film work has been selected for film festivals, screenings and group shows around the world including OneDotZero, the 59th Berlinale, the V&A, the Pompidou Centre, ASVOFF, BYOB and Birds Eye View Film Festival at the BFI.

 As well as her own filmmaking practice Kathryn also works as a Curator and Lecturer.  She began curating the annual Birds Eye View Film Festival’s ‘Fashion Loves Film’ strand at the Institute of Contemporary Arts  & British Film Institute in 2008 where it continued until 2011. She completed a masters in communication, art & design at The Royal College of Art in June 2011 where she specialised in experimental film.

 Since then she has been working with the British Council & The British Fashion Council as a curator specialising in the emerging genre of fashion film. Her work with the British Council has seen her travel around the world visiting cities including Sarajevo, Lagos (Nigeria), Lisbon and Ljubljana giving talks, screenings and hosting filmmaking workshops.

In October 2012, she curated an extensive fashion film exhibition called “Dressing the Screen” that opened at the UCCA in Beijing in October 2012. Her work with the BFC has seen her join a curatorial panel creating a new seasonal film festival called Fash/on Film. The Film Festival takes place at Somerset House over London Fashion Week. 

 She also works as a lecturer at London College of Fashion & Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Out thanks also to the i-D team…

Sarah Raphael

From South East London, Sarah enjoyed stints at The Guardian, the British Fashion Council and SHOWstudio before starting at i-D, where she is now Online Editor. Learning digital from the bottom up, she now runs the website and manages i-D’s digital presence. Sarah’s interview subjects include Ryan Gosling, Will Self, Raf Simons and Amber Valetta.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Graham Rounthwaite

i-D’s very own Solihull born, Islington based, ex professional footballing Art Director Graham Rounthwaite can mostly be found arranging what goes where within i-D’s glossy innards. Working as Art Director for The Face, Trace and America Magazine he has a mighty impressive CV which counts past advertising clients Topshop, Universal, Levi’s, Sony and Virgin.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Holly Shackleton

London born and bred, Holly kicked-off her i-D journey as an intern seven years ago. In the time since, she has moved her way up from editorial assistant, to assistant editor, to deputy editor, to editor. To date Holly has interviewed Riccardo Tisci, Stefano Pilati, Raf Simons, Richard Nicoll, Donatella Versace, Scarlett Johansson, Victoria Beckham and many more.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Charlotte Stockdale

Based in London, where she and husband Marc Newson live with their two beautiful daughters, Charlotte Stockdale is a superstylist with a super CV – to which she added the title i-D Fashion Director in 2011. Charlotte began her career as a model, starring in an i-D shoot by Nick Knight and styled by Edward Enninful. She soon made the transition to styling and today is a regular contributor to V, US Harper’s Bazaar, Japanese and British Vogue, working with a stellar line-up of photographers including Nick Knight, Mario Testino, Patrick Demarchellier and Karl Lagerfeld, who she also consults for on his own line and at Fendi.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

And for the All Walks team CV’s have a gander here! When all’s said and done that’s a lot of top creatives giving this competition their full attention no?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

For All Walks Nuno created a special illustration to celebrate our call for Diversity…the result is a much more curvaceous body than he would normally be asked to draw. Co-founder Caryn Franklin, caught up with him to talk more about the process.

AW: Thanks Nuno for agreeing to be part of the judging panel. We love the illustration you have created because it tells a story of a beautiful aspirational body. She is fashion, she is current and she is projecting a much more achievable body ideal – what’s not to like?  We have just put out a call to our students to consider their fashion illustrations and how these drawings, at the very start of the design process might, if they are too elongated (as many are) influence the design outcome in an unrealistic way. The cartoon, emaciated physique is so often prioritised in fashion by illustrators that it has become normalised. Illustrators have a lot of power to change our perceptions of beauty after all. Tell us how you approached this drawing.

“It was really quite different.  More in the way of re-programming myself to be more aware of what I was drawing and to be present in the moment.  Drawing is really quite instinctual and your subconscious tries to take over and draw the way you always have.”

AW:  What were the challenges:

“The challenge was maintaining that awareness and recalibrating my own beauty ideals, assessing what I find aesthetically pleasing and why I find it so.  Is it because I really do find something attractive or because I have been conditioned to find something attractive?  Thinking this was challenging but incredibly rewarding.

AW:  What do yo think about the result

 “Is it big headed to say that I love her?”

AW:  Do you think a more realistic body interferes in anyway with our ability to see and be inspired by the clothes:

“No, not at all.  Clothes can look beautiful on any body type as long as it’s healthy.  For me personally, it’s all about the clothes being worn with conviction and with the right attitude.  I recently bought every issue of Vogue America from 1972 till the present day and it’s really interesting to see how the representation of the ideal body changes from super skinny in the 70′s to womanly, strong and athletic in the 80′s/ early 90′s and then back to skinny with the ascension of Kate Moss.   Maybe after the excesses of the 80′s there was felt a need to strip back and minimise and Kate was the embodiment of that.  I don’t think it was because the clothes looked any better on the skinny body than they did on the fuller, more womanly figure, they just looked different, and like all things this is cyclical.

Nuno will join Designer William Tempest,  Couturier Deborah Milner, DisneyRollerGirl Blogger and freelance fashion editor Navaz Batliwalla, Brand Consultant Jason Jules, Body Image commentator Stephanie Heart, Film Maker Kathryn Ferguson and Photographer Kayt Jones along with key members of the i-D editorial team to judge the final entries announced shortly. The winning entries form each category and the overall winner will be announced at Graduate Fashion Week in June.

Nuno Da Costa

Nuno is a self taught Illustrator specialising in Fashion and Beauty imagery. Represented by top British Illustration agency Illustration Ltd (www.illustrationweb.com/nunodacosta), in the UK, US, China and India and represented by sister agencies in Germany and France.

After leaving Kings College University where he studied modern languages and Latin American and Hispanic Cultural Studies, Nuno decided to change direction and pursue his love of all things Art and Fashion. He put together his portfolio and within a week started working for various publications at Emap and Hearst publishing houses both in the UK and US.

He was later discovered by leading fashion hair stylist Neil Moodie who asked him to collaborate on an innovative eight page spread for Wonderland Magazine along with world renowned make up artist Lisa Butler, a seminal event which has shaped and coloured Nuno’s approach and technique to this day.

In 2010 he achieved his longstanding dream of being published in British Vogue in their Christmas special ‘Superstar Issue’ which has lead to collaborations with The Telegraph, Christian Dior, Vogue Portugal, The Sunday Times, L’Oreal Professionnel and Clinique amongst many other well known and respected names in the Fashion, Beauty and publishing industries.

Whilst not an All Walks campaign, this recent project I created with my partner in crime Jane Galpin, featured in today’s Standard News for highstreet retailer Debenhams, was as fun to do as any previous All Walks shoot. Innovative in it’s own way too.

The Diversity Shoot as it was affectionately named, allowed us to get to grips with the intricacies of working with non-standard models in a mainstream setting (all our All Walks work has involved working with individual designers). Our commercial casting was a huge affair with wheelchairs users, Paralympians, and of course the traditional standard and non-standard bodies all crowding into the Personal shopper area in Debenhams Oxford Street.

Having picked our 7 women, the sample garments had to be especially made and in a typical high-fashion drama, worthy of any London Fashion Week show, I was pacing up and down by the end of the day – a model there since day break yet the dress  still hadn’t arrived by nightfall. Suppliers issues nearly derailed our seamless declaration for inclusivity.

Thing is….it takes commitment and cost to liaise with oversees suppliers to action garments in different sizes, three months before the agreed delivery deadlines. This is just one of the issues that faces any brand engaging with diversity. It doesn’t excuse lack of interest from designers and retailers, but goes some way into explaining why it takes a dedicated creative team, patient models and an enhanced budget to factor in (and sweat out) the obstacles.

An extravagant team of models instead of the usual 2 for a look book, adds to hair and makeup load. To keep the budget lean my team and I had to shoot everything in one day – we absolutely couldn’t repeat the costs for a second studio and team day. There was huge pressure on my favourite portrait photographer – Chris Floyd, to make it work within the time-frame. 20 outfits in one day is no mean feat.

Especially when there is a commitment to minimal post-production work on the final images. This means any imperfections can’t just be magic-ed away. We wanted to be able to stand by our word of truthful representation. And I’m glad to say, there was no substituting of bodies in group shots to get the best positions (comping); There was no changing or shaping of bodies themselves (sculpting); There was no removing of lines, wrinkles or body texture (airbrushing). We know we have done the designers we worked with like John Rocha, Marios Schwab, Matthew Williamson, and Jenny Packham proud.

As digital expert Sarah Brimley who worked on the shoot says

I’d say I’ve definitely done less work on them then I would on usual fashion images, as I was conscious of keeping them true to life. The work I’ve done on these images have been mainly photographic based, e.g. things that could be altered in a traditional darkroom. These things include burning and dodging (lightening and darkening tones) and correcting colour temperatures. Other minor things I have done were things that would be distracting in the photograph, such as stray hairs across the face. I have done absolutely no cosmetic retouching, which would alter the person’s appearance. This is often required in fashion shoots; things as extreme as changing the shape of the model’s face. I would confidently say that these images are true to life.

All in all I’m loving the results. We are joining up the dots here at All Walks by creating platforms to talk about and celebrate the importance of Diversity. The Body Confidence Awards and all the work we have activated in colleges up and down the country gives enlightened retailers like Debenhams motivation to engage and innovate within their field. And we celebrate that.

Next month All Walks will meet with MP Caroline Nokes chair of the APPG to discuss the 2^nd Annual Body Confidence Awards, and as I work my way through our competition entries for Diversity NOW! and marvel at the quality of the work, I feel a sense of excitement…Change is good!

Debenhams have previously displayed size 16 mannequins, featured a variety of body shapes in their Principles campaign including Shannon Murray one of UK’s best known wheelchair bound models; featured 3 glamourous older models in an exclusive campaign: Style LIST and last year won Enlightened Retailer Award at the first Body Confidence Awards launched from Parliament last April.

Models – Kelly Knox and Philomena Kwao

Model – Paralympian Stef Reid

Model – Kelly Knox

Models – Tess Montgomery and Jada Sezer

Photography Chris Floyd

Caryn Franklin Co-Founder Former fashion editor and co-editor of i-D Magazine for 6 years in the early eighties, Caryn Franklin has been a fashion commentator for 31 years. She presented the BBC’s Clothes Show for 12 years and BBC’s Style Challenge for 3 years as well as producing and presenting numerous documentaries for ITV on designers including Vivienne Westwood, Philip Treacy and Matthew Williamson. Working in education throughout her career as external assessor and lecturer in colleges like Central St Martins, London College of fashion and Royal College of Art, she is also an ardent fashion activist and has co-chaired the award winning Fashion Targets Breast Cancer for 17 years, proposed the London College of Fashion Centre of Sustainability and is its ambassador. Follow Caryn on Twitter: @Caryn_franklin