Claire Barrow for matchesfashion.com.
From Fashion East to Fashion Scout, London’s design talent is better and more supported than ever, here are our top four ones to watch.
The brainchild of Lulu Kennedy, Fashion East is now a top spot on the London Fashion Week schedule. Along with the likes of Fashion Scout, the NEWGEN initiative and the Selfridges Bright Young Things scheme, funding for new London designers has never been better, but it’s never been more competitive too.
Four young designers caught our attention this season, Claire Barrow, Ryan Lo and Ashley Williams at the much coveted Fashion East show, and Helen Louise Lawrence at Fashion Scout.
These are the ones you need to know and the ones you need to watch.
Claire Barrow
After earning herself a spot at the Fashion East SS13 show, Barrow won the attention of pop and rock clotheshorses from Rihanna to Primal Scream, thanks to her now signature customised leather jackets. An exclusive capsule collection for luxury boutique matchesfashion.com followed, as did another much-coveted spot at London Fashion Week.
The University of Westminster graduate and East London lovely is now on her way to much more than just leather bikers.
Barrow’s SS14 collection impressed with PVC coats, graffiti prints and tough torn denim. Neither male nor female, luxe but with a urban edge – Barrow is a rule breaker and looks set to shift up London’s fashion scene in the coming seasons.
Helen Louise Lawrence
Hailing from the acclaimed Central Saint Martin’s MA course, Helen Louise Lawrence showed an impressive collection at September’s Fashion Scout SS14 show. Despite being just 26 years old, Lawrence’s approach to design is mature, honing her signature style yet being brave enough to understand the value of commercial, sellable pieces.
Her SS14 collection offered up sugar almond knits adorned with a graphic, scribble embroidery. Lawrence’s craftsmanship is impressive, for this collection she painstakingly hand-dyed each and every piece in her kitchen sink, before printing and embroidering by hand.
Could she be the new Chris Kane of knitwear? We’ll have to wait and see but we’re pretty sure she won’t be dyeing things in her kitchen sink for much longer.
Ashley Williams
Often celebrated for her tongue-in-cheek fun and frivolity, deep down Ashley Williams’ designs are so much more. Another University of Westminster alumni, Williams combines vibrant, playful prints – think snakeskin with an added dose of snail print – with paired back, sporty shapes and elegant ladylike separates.
Williams was picked up as part of the Fashion East collections shown at this September’s London Fashion Week. Showcasing a strong signature style and one that doesn’t work but does, if her first collection is this great we’re excited to see what’s next for the young designer.
Ryan Lo
And finally there’s Ryan Lo, the self-taught Hong Kong native whizz kid of knitwear. His Fashion East SS14 show brought a smile to everyone’s face, as model’s were styled up in pussycat ears, bunny noses and animal tails.
The collection was saccharine sweet, with candy pink and creams, lemon pastels and vibrant apple greens. Whimsical prints of lambs, pigs and strawberries adorned cardigans and fine trophy knits, whilst crochet capes and millefeuille layered dresses added a dose of girlishness.
Deconstructed however, Lo has created some wearable and beautiful investment pieces that women from 21 to 71 could wear. We’re coining him as the new Meadham Kirchhoff for the masses.
And if you want a designer suit without the designer price tag, Suitsmen is your one-stop-shop for the dashing gentlemen.
Read our reports straight from the shows of London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014 here.