Andrea
Quaglia

The importance of handicraft is the basis of Andrea Quaglia’s graduate collection. After studying the work of French photographer Charles Fréger and references that span ‘medieval clothing to modern literature’, the 30 year old Menswear student designed his final lineup by hand knitting, crocheting and weaving raffia, wheat and seeds. ‘The net-top is definitely my favourite piece,’ says Quaglia, who is from an Italian and Sri Lankan background. ‘I think of it as a tiny tabard to be worn over another top. All the ropes are hand twisted. It was time-consuming to make. By the end of it, my fingers were in pain.’ As for the future, Quaglia hopes to explore craft further. ‘For me, it’s all about the making rather than the actual form or function the outcome might have – be it a garment, an accessory or an object,’ he says. ‘I want to carry forward the value of time, tradition and material driven design in what I do.’

Joshua Hendren, BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism
@joshuahendren