TEACHING
In his foundation course, Professore Anthony Knight’s teachings go beyond imparting technical skills, by challenging the students to fulfill a brief, opening their minds to a global vision of fashion, unleashing their creative imagination. His aim is to give his students solid, in-depth industry knowledge and set the basis for the rest of their courses with tutoring in stylistic development, materials research and fashion history, as well as training them in the fine crafts of patternmaking and tailoring.
First day, first semester, first year: the students begin the Patternmaking Atelier. It is an intense process and one not without obstacles that leads them, over the period of a few months, to the point where they can translate a concept into something physical and tangible.
In the words of Anthony Knight, who runs the atelier: “In the classroom we discuss the human body, looking at different types of people with different anatomical characteristics, body language and geographical origins. I try to keep the students away from just one idea of beauty, inviting them to observe the human body, in the first place, their own.”
“My methods are very simple. I want my students to listen and understand what I’m teaching but at the same time they must always be open to other methods. In class we discuss the human body, looking at the differences around the world, starting with height, weight, bone structure, movement. I’m encouraging my students to move away from the model figure and beauty, and to really start looking at the Human Body, even their own.”
“Throughout the course, the students have the opportunity to see, touch and wear original vintage samples. I believe this is the moment when students start to think and imagine new ideas, stimulated by the fabrics.
What I’m trying to achieve is to get my students to respect patternmaking as an art or science. It is not just a matter of reading a book on patternmaking, it has to be tried and tested.”
Anthony Knight in Design and Discipline: Designing Fashion “There are Many Bodies” by Saul Marcadent
Anthony Knight is a lecturer at the Università IUAV di Venezia. His foundation course is a “bootcamp” where the students are taught the the entire fashion process: from concept to construction to production of a final collection.