Students protest L’Oréal sponsorship over company’s Israel links at graduate fashion show

Central Saint Martins’ annual BA fashion show was marked by student protests over the institution’s sponsorship relationship with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris, as graduating designers presented their collections in south London on Wednesday.

Outside the venue, a multistorey car park in Peckham, demonstrators called on the college to end its long-standing partnership with the beauty company. Protesters carried banners bearing slogans including “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation” and “Divest. Just do it!”

L’Oréal has appeared on boycott lists linked to its business activities in Israel. Since 2001, the company has collaborated with Central Saint Martins by pairing graduating fashion students with trainee hair and make-up artists from the L’Oréal Academy to support runway presentations. It also sponsors an annual design award that provides financial assistance to graduates at the start of their careers.

Central Saint Martins’ collaboration with L’Oréal Professionnel does not involve consumer cosmetics activity, and is instead focused on education, training and skills development delivered in a co-educational context.

Some students expressed concern that ending the partnership could affect the resources available to those taking part in the showcase. One student, who requested anonymity, said professional hair and make-up services were important to producing a high-quality presentation and could be difficult for students to fund independently.

Political themes also featured in several collections shown on the runway. Designer Zahra Al-Najjar incorporated keffiyehs into her work, while garments in the collection included hand-drawn references to the pattern. Luke Saul, a recipient of a British Fashion Council scholarship, presented woven T-shirt dresses bearing the slogan “Education not missiles.”

Other collections referenced broader political and historical themes. Danna Reyes featured an image of former US president George W Bush being informed of the 11th September attacks as part of a chainmail design.

More than 200 students graduated from the course this year, with 40 selected to present their work to industry figures, editors and course leaders. The annual showcase is regarded as an important platform for emerging designers, with past graduates going on to establish influential careers in the fashion industry.

Recent alumni have also attracted industry attention. Last year’s recipient of the L’Oréal Professionnel Young Talent Award, Myah Hasbany, subsequently dressed musicians including Erykah Badu and Björk before joining the studio team at Christian Dior.

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The show itself featured a range of experimental and sculptural designs. Among the collections presented were Dai Zhujing’s oversized inflatable duck rucksack, Harley Angrabeit’s dress constructed from a coat hanger, and Louis Presencer’s blue spray-painted antlers. Buzz Shatford’s fluorescent pink pom-pom skirts and Chi Wei’s hand-beaded outerwear were among the designs that received enthusiastic responses from the audience.

At the conclusion of the event, awards were presented to Polina Kadilnikova, Cameron Bisseck and Arora Nielson, adding their names to a growing list of Central Saint Martins graduates seeking to establish careers in the fashion industry.

A University of Arts London spokesperson said: “We work with partners to expand our students’ experience and deepen their connections to industry. Our courses benefit from partnerships with different external organisations and their support enables projects and events that can be vital to some students’ academic and creative development.

“All UAL partnerships undergo rigorous due diligence processes. UAL accepts that no partner is beyond criticism, but that continued engagement and regular review through due diligence is crucial.

“UAL has the vital job of upholding our community’s right to freedom of expression. At the recent CSM BA Fashion Show, our staff worked hard to ensure that the protest was enabled and that students were free to express themselves whilst ensuring this important show was not disrupted.

“We are immensely proud of our graduating BA Fashion Design students, and of how their show reflected the many ways in which creative practice can engage with and respond to the urgencies of the world around us.”

L’Oréal and the Israeli Embassy have been contacted for comment.

Featured image via Geograph Britain and Ireland under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0