London Fashion Week is traditionally seen on the global fashion stage as the city where young, fresh talent is given a platform. So who are the new wave of emerging designers following in the footsteps of the Christopher Kanes and the J.W. Andersons? Ahead of London Fashion Week, which kicks off this Friday, we present 12 of the most exciting up-and-coming names on the schedule for SS17...
1. Roberta Einer
Roberta Einer only graduated from Westminster University in 2015, and then launched her own eponymous label a few months later in September. The 23-year-old Estonia-born designer spent a year working in Paris with Olivier Rousteing at Balmain as an intern and a print and embroidery assistant, and has also interned at Mary Katrantzou and Alexander McQueen. She is the definition of a maximalist; rich embroidery is at the core of all she does. The British Fashion Council NEWGEN committee labelled Einer the 'One-To-Watch' for AW16 and she is showing her presentation on Sunday this season.
2. Richard Malone
Richard Malone is one of the four designers selected to take part in the Fashion East SS17 show. The designer, who graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2014, made his London Fashion Week on-schedule debut two seasons ago with Fashion East. He was awarded the Deutsche Bank Award for Fashion for his graduate collection - an award previously given to Christopher Kane. Malone is all about celebrating the individual - for his debut LFW show Malone cast diverse models ranging from 'artists to solicitors.'
3. Mimi Wade
Mimi Wade is fresh out of Central Saint Martins having graduated from the Fashion Print BA course in 2015 and gained experience with Margiela and Jitrois. She is joining Fashion East's SS17 showcase, following on from her celebrated Old Hollywood-inspired graduate collection. Mimi's key inspiration is her grandmother 'Granny Panny,' who was a Hollywood actress and appeared in films such as 'The Blob.' Whatever her inspiration is for SS17, it's safe to assume there will be loud party prints.
4. Mary Benson
Mary Benson, 25, is all about whimsical, ethereal pieces, with a focus on magical prints and ladylike full skirts. Benson interned at Alexander McQueen, Richard Nicoll and Vivienne Westwood and graduated from the University of Westminster in 2014. She made her LFW debut with Fashion East (a showcase for emerging designers founded by Lulu Kennedy) last February.
5. AV Robertson
A.V. ROBERTSON is one of four labels selected to show with Fashion East this season. Amie Victoria Robertson launched the label in 2015 after graduating from Central Saint Martins BA Fashion Print in 2014 and working at Marc Jacobs as a Design Assistant. Amie already has an impressive following within the industry: she was personally recommended to Fashion East by Katie Grand and Katie Hillier and last season Marc Jacobs sat on the front row at her Fashion East show.
6. Marta Jakubowski
Poland-born Marta Jabukowski graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2014 with an MA and worked at Hussein Chalayan, Alexander Wang and Jonathan Saunders. She has presented three seasons at London Fashion Week and this season is showing with support from NEWGEN, the BFC and Topshop initiative which has previously supported Erdem, Christopher Kane and J.W. Anderson. She said to AnOther of setting up her collection so soon after graduating: “If you’re scared you shouldn’t do it. People speak about the tuition fees and costs of being a young designer and say that they can’t do it, but I believe that where there’s a will, there’s a way. In the end, what you have to do is make clothes and sell them.”
7. Faustine Steinmetz
Steinmetz completed her MA at Central Saint Martins under the legendary Louise Wilson and founded her label in early 2013. Faustine focuses on craftsmanship, making her fabrics from scratch - in her hands denim becomes a thing of wonder and intricacy. “All of our hand woven fabrics are made using traditional techniques and are hand powered by the user; no electricity is used,” Steinmetz told The Telegraph. “Everything is woven on large wooden Countermarch floor looms, which consist of sets of shafts being raised or lowered independently of each other by pedals.” She was nominated for the Emerging Womenswear Designer Award at the 2015 British Fashion Awards.
8. Molly Goddard
This is only Molly Goddard's fourth season at London Fashion Week, but she has already made a big impact in the industry with her charming chiffon princess dresses and her weird but wonderful presentation set ups. For her AW15 collection models were perched behind easels in a life drawing class (complete with a naked model), and for SS16 guests were transported to a make believe sandwich factory. On Saturday evening we will see what Molly has in her dressing up box for AW16 - we hope this time she makes a make-believe chocolate factory.
9. Danielle Romeril
Danielle Romeril launched her label at London Fashion Week with her SS13 collection and this season she is supported by NEWGEN once again. After graduating from Limerick School of Art and Design in 2007 she worked in Paris with Sharon Wauchob and Sinha-Stanic in London.
10. Alice Archer
Alice Archer was discovered by Browns' Simon Burstein, who admired her embroidery and produced her first ever capsule collection 'Alice Archer for Browns'. For SS17 we can expect beautiful painterly prints from Alice, who uses a technique that combines print and embroidery to create a finish inspired by oil paintings.