A FORMER Cirencester Sixth Form College student has taken the Graduate Fashion Week by storm with a tribal-themed collection inspired by legendary designer Zandra Rhodes.

Lucinda Popp, 22, from Kempsford, was named runner-up in the Stuart Peters Visionary Knitwear Award on June 4 for her striking knitwear range in black, white and heather.

The creations, which were fashioned from mohair, cashwool and yarn, gained the Kingston University fashion design student a place among 25 finalists to show her designs at Earls Court.

Lucinda took inspiration from British designer Zandra Rhodes, who set the student the task of reinterpreting her famous vintage print collections during a work experience placement in the second year of her degree.

The brief saw Lucinda pursue her love of visiting art galleries in the name of research. Armed with pencil and pad, she visited the British Museum and was even lucky enough to see the African Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

"I used the exhibits as starting points and began to reinvent them through my sketches," Lucinda explained. "I then turned the lines in my pad into knit."

Lucinda plans to continue her education having been offered a highly prestigious place to study knitwear at the Royal College of Art after her degree.

“I am very excited about taking my Masters at the Royal College. I am also hoping to freelance to help fund my way through the course and increase my knowledge and experience.

"I owe a great deal to my tutors at Cirencester Sixth Form College for sparking my interest in textiles and challenging me to take risks and to be creative with my ideas. This has been invaluable to me throughout my degree and I am sure will support my Masters’ degree."

"We are delighted for Lucinda and very proud of her outstanding achievements in what is such a competitive world," said Libby Reed, Assistant Principal of Cirencester Sixth Form College.

"She is exceptionally talented and a really hard worker - the ideal combination."