Two final-year Portuguese students at a British university made their debut at the latest edition of London Fashion Week, an opportunity that could help them build a career in the UK.
London, 26 Feb 2023 (Lusa) – Two final-year Portuguese students from a British university debuted at the latest edition of London Fashion Week, an opportunity they hope will help them build a career in the UK.
Francisco Sampaio, 24, and Rui Silva, 36, were some of the students from the London College of Fashion invited to participate in the ‘Graduate Showcase 2023’, a platform for fashion finalists that took place between 17 and 19 February, within the framework of Fashion Week.
Sampaio, finalist in the Master of ‘Costume Design for Interpretation’ [Desenho de Figurinos para Espetáculos]He said that “the event has great visibility and I hope that is reflected in the opportunities that arise.”
For this event, he presented the “Salomé” costume as part of a live performance by British choreographer and dancer Alexander Whitley.
Silva, 36 years old and finalist of the Master in Footwear Design, showed six footwear objects, four conceptual and two of a more traditional style, and considered the reception “super positive” which “has exceeded my expectations so far”.
“As my project addresses sensitive issues such as gender, masculinity and fetishes, there was some fear of how it would be received,” he confided to the Lusa agency.
Despite having studied Architecture and Fashion Design at the Lisbon School of Architecture, Silva has never worked in this area and is now determined to make a career in shoe design and production.
“There are possible projects but nothing confirmed. At the same time, I want to work in the shoe industry and learn as much as possible,” she said, intending to stay in London, where he has lived since 2012.
Francisco Sampaio, a scholarship holder from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, has already secured his stay in the UK thanks to a student visa that allows him to stay in the country for another two years.
“I am actively looking for job opportunities. I am interested in collaborating with other artists, whether it be theater, dance, film or even fashion,” she said.
London Fashion Week took place between February 17 and 21, being one of the main events dedicated to the fashion industry.
BM // Virtual machine
Portuguese/End
Source: Observadora
