Anna
Volpato

‘We are very influenced by each other,’ says Anna Volpato, 25. ‘But we always have very separate styles,’ Felix Schlummer, 23, follows quickly. Both have studied BA Fashion Menswear, and have worked together on a joint final collection. 

Volpato, who was born near Venice, comes from a family integrated in Italian luxury clothing production and has focused on the womenswear, while Schlummer, who is German, worked on the men’s.

‘We thought our designs would complement each other,’ says Schlummer. ‘Mine is colourful and tacky – I like that kind of 80s glam.’ Volpato’s, on the other hand, ‘is more sleek, quiet, maybe more subtle,’ she says.

‘The theme is based off of a Las Vegas murder mystery set in the late 70s,’ she continues. ‘We always work a lot with clichés and characters.’ The final garments are as camp as they are kitsch; gold sequin gowns with excessive padded shoulders, and matching teddy bear. Pale blue tailoring is embellished with wavy beading and zebra print is used for a bikini-shaped outfit. ‘We started with traditional garments,’ says Volpato, of the process, ‘then cut them up, played with them and started using wadding to distort the body.’

Both hope to find jobs at established brands after graduation.

Joe Bromley, BA Fashion Journalism
@joebromley_