It’s that time of year again, as London’s Royal College of Art hosts its highly-anticipated show of students passing out.

A catwalk combining womenswear, knitwear and millinery as well as the menswear here, we’ve selected our favourite graduates ahead of the lights, music, parade.

The institution boasts alumni including Christopher Bailey, Neil Barrett, James Long, Matthew Miller and Astrid Andersen – which is what makes the event one to pay attention to. Get your tickets for 28th May here.

Alexander Benekritis from Vancouver, Canada
“My final collection is a drug induced fantasy world where China’s imperialistic ambitions in Africa melt into the explosive Shanghai skyline. My favourite piece is a distressed leather biker jacket adorned with exposed wiring and 1700 LED lights that display an animated light show. I’d like to see Rainer Werner Fassbinder wearing my collection.”

Riona Horrox from London, England
“My inspiration always comes directly from what I’m interested in personally. For this it was music and subculture, mainly punk and rock and roll. The details of the collection come from 1970 punk fanzines which I collect; the prints, embroidery, badges. Which also means a lot of leather. My favourite pieces are the leathers with the handprinting on, which I do myself with a print wheel. I still wanted the collection to be sophisticated as well so there’s a nice balance of luxury and the punk, I-don’t-give-a-shit do-it-yourself vibe. Joe Strummer would wear my collection then, Alex Turner now.”

Dan WJ Prasad, from Edinburgh, Scotland
“I have explored the symbology of ‘belonging’ through ritualistic displays such as those seen in the historical dress of the Freemasons. This exploration has been articulated through considered line and silhouette consequently I am committed to communicating this collection through nothing less than impeccably tailored design. Thankfully I have Brioni, the Italian masters of tailoring, working with me on this collection. I have a new favourite garment each week so it is really hard to pick just one but I am particularly excited about a long black cashmere/mink blend coat. I would love to see Leonardo DiCaprio in one of my garments.”

Digital print cotton trenchcoat by Faye Oakenfull (textile in collaboration with Charlie Hetheridge). Vest and boxers by Sunspel, boots by Dr. Martens. Photography Amy Gwatkin, fashion Vincent Levy

Faye Oakenfull, from York, England
“The collection was inspired by my Great Uncle Walter. It’s a romanticised image built from the remnants of a man kept alive in old letters, belongings, photo albums and my mother’s fond memory. Great Uncle Walter died when I was just two years old. He was a character born before a time that he felt would accept his sexuality, so he remained quiet until his death of HIV and AIDS in 1993, never feeling it necessary to come out. It is vibrant, textile led collection with a nod to the AIDS Memorial Quilt and Keith Haring’s jeans, driven by nostalgia of embroidery, old prints and handcrafts to stitch together a tale of a favourite relative I never had the pleasure of knowing. It feels too soon to have a favourite piece from the collection but so far it would be the printed trenchcoat. It was inspired by my Great Nana’s quilt (Uncle Walter’s mother). I am collaborating with a student from textile print, Charlie Hetheridge, who has redesigned the quilt panels beautifully onto cotton to reinvent Uncle Walter’s favourite trench. I’d like to see David Hockney wearing my menswear. Maybe that’s an obvious answer but it’s an honest one.”

Johanne Dindler, from Aarhus, Denmark
“Initially I was inspired by 90’s hip-hop culture; big, matching outfits with lots of bling and attitude. In combination with this I have been inspired by traditional African costumes – for patterns, embellishing, colours. Materials are leathers, velvets and velours, fur, jerseys and nylons, flowered prints and crystals. I imagine my guy being high on drugs as he went to the tailor and asked for all these crazy colourful outfits. My favourite piece? I have to say a big fur coat. It’s fox and rex rabbit in red, yellow, pink, pale blue, black and white, embellished with nylon frills and Swarowski crystals, with a big collar and going almost to the floor. The guy wearing my garments doesn’t give a fuck about what other people think, he completely lives in the present and just wants to have fun. I would love to see Vybz Kartel wearing my collection. And surely Cam’ron.”

There are two public RCA Fashion 2014 catwalk shows on Wednesday 28th May at 16:00 and 19:00. Buy tickets here

Grooming: Liv Holst using Kevin Murphy
Photographer’s assistant: Chris Rhodes