Join me for a day brimful of activities to mark the East Bank building becoming our new home.
On the cold and sunny morning of November, I walk outside the Hackney Wick overground station which is pleasantly quiet at 11.30am for late sleepers like me. I’m still unsure whether it’s faster to go through the gates on the left or keep right and walk around the street corner to get to the canal bridge, so I alternate every other day. Once I’ve entered the park, I usually call my mum to tell her my agenda of the day. But today is not like any other day at uni, I tell her. Today it’s time for London College of Fashion students to celebrate their new home on the East Bank.
The day brimful of activities ranging from well-being classes and afternoon tea to exhibition tours and an afterparty in the evening is all about students embracing the new campus. “It’s important to honour the building and be excited about moving here,” says Martha Shepherd, Events Producer at London College of Fashion. “We’re striving to create a sense of community, make it feel like their new home, and show students that you can also have fun here besides all the academic things.”
My day starts with a lunchtime screening of conversations with fashion icons such as Victoria Beckham, Yohji Yamamoto, Nick Knight, Vidal Sassoon, and Imran Amed. However, it is Virgil Abloh who truly encapsulates the mood of the day. He emphasises that having access to spaces where inspiring conversations take place is the most valuable thing a fashion education institution can offer. MA Fashion Curation and Cultural Programming student Sandra Titus echoes this belief: “It’s fascinating to see how each event is different and how keen LCF is to get their students involved,” she says. “It’s a privilege to be a member of this community and get access to all these exclusive events.”
The second part of the screening - a compilation of archival footage from LCF fashion shows dating all the way back to 1986 - almost feels like the afterparty to the more formal beginning. While the ‘80s shows featured models looking like they just stepped outside Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video, the ‘90s saw models sport exquisite millinery while busting some moves on the catwalk. The most compelling trend emerged at the turn of the century with models having clothes simply painted on their body. I wonder what the assessment process was like in this case?
After being mesmerised by the work of previous students for over an hour, it is high time for some cake and tea. Although the canteen usually tends to calm down after lunch, the swarming crowd in the far-right corner helps me locate the mouth-watering cupcakes instantly. After a heart-warming welcome speech by LCF’s Sabbatical Officer Katwamba Mutale, the celebratory mood is made even more glistening by the wintery afternoon sun rays peeking through the windows.
Whilst sipping on my afternoon power coffee, BA Critical Practice in Fashion Media student Allison Iwatake is telling me how nice it was to decompress in the yoga class led by Caroline Druitt earlier today, so I immediately rush downstairs and crash the creative writing session. “I would like these sessions to happen on a regular basis because for an international student like me, London can get a bit overwhelming,” says BSc Psychology of Fashion student Mahi Agarwal. “It’s really important to take the time to stop and reflect.” To linger in the calm mood even more, I stay for the relaxing breathing class and watch the sun disappear behind the West Ham stadium.
Once the sun is gone, it is time to head back to the canteen, as Head of College Andrew Teverson is about to cut up the East Bank building – that is, the cake in the shape of our new campus. For those not too keen on the sugary palm trees, there is plenty of hot and crusty pizza being passed around, and with DJ James Middleton playing some groovy yet soothing club tunes, the canteen has never been livelier than it is today.
The last event on campus is the conversation between Christine Lai and artists Woo Jin Joo, Maya Gurung-Russel Campbell, and Hannah Lim as part of LCF’s public-facing cultural programme. Talking about seeking inspiration in mythology, they discuss the topic of imbuing objects with spirits and their artworks with their own personalities, as well as considering how the meaning of art might change based on what people retrieve from it.
Nonetheless, contemplating the discussion must be put on hold because the afterparty at Colour Factory has already kicked off. Nestled amongst the many breweries and bars on the river Lea, the club has a cosy terrace with heat lamps and tables perfect for those deep discussions prompted by the complimentary cocktail or glass of wine. For anyone ready to dance the night away, the two colossal dancefloors are already being warmed up by the DJs.
As I sit down on the overground after the long day, I realise that today has been the greatest networking experience of my uni journey so far. Whether it had been questioning the special effects in archival fashion show clips, relying on a friend to fetch me a cupcake as they get lost in the hungry crowd, discussing how perfect the new classrooms would be for yoga classes, or chatting with someone who doesn’t back out of a party even after all of their friends cancelled, I now find myself having signed up for the spirituality society launching in January, attending a creative writing class next Monday evening, and meeting a new friend for a coffee on my lunchbreak. And just like that, the East Bank building truly is turning into our new home.
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