The panel discussion at Ravensbourne, focusing on the concept of 'Design as Collage', may have failed to actually discuss collage entirely, but still was an interesting talk. Being able to hear experiences and insider industry knowledge from people working within fashion is always going to be valuable, whether it's on topic or not. Speakers included design consultant Lucy Norris, author Katie Baron, stylist Anders Solvsten Thomsen, and designer Jenna Young. The mix of various job descriptions meant we could hear different viewpoints on the topics discussed. I say topics, but it was more like general chit chat with a bit of direction from Norris; which wasn't necessarily a negative thing, just difficult to keep track on what was actually being discussed.

There was a solid attempt at the beginning of the panel to talk about gender fluidity as a form of collage, mostly focusing on Alessandro Michele for Gucci. Learning that Michele does all his own styling made me respect him further as a creative director. He has his own vision and sticks to it. The discussion then turned to designers letting go of control when it comes to stylists using their designs. The relationship between the two can't be too close, as it's difficult to be brutally honest, yet they need to have similar ideas so they can create something both are happy with. Young commented that sometimes, as a designer you have to step back and lose control. Thomsen's view was that "business is built on relationships". Thomsen also revealed instances where large brands, such as Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga, will only let stylists use the whole look in editorials, rather than selecting certain pieces to create an alternative vision. I agree with Thomsen in his belief that this restricts creativity and looks too sponsored, defying the point of styling. Having a clear vision but with room for customisation and interpretation seems to be the best way for brands to grow.

Near the end of the discussion, the topic of appropriation came up. You could feel the whole audience tense, worried one of the panelists will say something too controversial and not politically correct. Initially, the conversation was about class appropriation, with Blackpool-born Jenna Young saying she doesn't like luxury brands using trackie bottoms to sell a working class image, which is understandable. She then went on to discuss the idea that you can 'work your way up, but not your way down'. The audience was perplexed by this, and the panel failed to really elaborate what they meant. While Thomsen seemed to take himself out of the argument, the other three went even further to discuss racial appropriation; an important topic which should be handled carefully with respect. Marc Jacobs' recent collection using multi-colour dreadlocks on white models came up, and the panel had the opinion that it's all about the "creative image", Jacobs wasn't looking to offend, it was all about the visuals. However, they took this one step further by saying that they clearly saw the Cyberdog rave-scene references, and other people should too. The conversation veered dangerously close to the classic "everyone is too politically correct" stance, as the idea that maybe 'because we're Londoners we see that it's not a racial thing' came up, and was quickly dismissed by panel leader Norris. I agree that I, and many others living in large cities, live in a bit of a bubble when it comes to politics, as everyone I talk to and associate with day to day are left-wing, creative people. Maybe this can come across as ignorance; it certainly did when one of the panelist insinuated that Londoners are more cultured, therefore understand the Marc Jacobs reference. I think the panelists needed to step back and understand that the whole world is viewing these images, who may not be as privileged and as clued in on pop culture as they are.

As is probably clear, this review/summary of the panel was rather difficult to write, as the conversation shifted so often it was hard to keep up. Collage may not have been really mentioned, and controversial opinions aired which perhaps needed clearer thinking through, but overall I learnt some valuable knowledge on styling and industry relationships. The speaker's anecdotes and personal experiences made the evening worth-while, I just wish a form of structure had been included.

image credits go to vogue.com, anderssoelvstenthomsen.com, danzigergallery.com, and theguardian.com