Fashion East Marks 20 Years With New S/S 21 Line-up
The talent incubator marks its anniversary with a digital showcase for designers Saul Nash, Goomheo, Nensi Dojaka, who return to the schedule alongside newcomer Maximilian Davis.
The talent incubator marks its anniversary with a digital showcase for designers Saul Nash, Goomheo, Nensi Dojaka, who return to the schedule alongside newcomer Maximilian Davis.
Fashion East, the talent incubator established by Lulu Kennedy in 2000 which has launched the careers of the crème de la crème of London designers, this week celebrates their 20th anniversary as part of London Fashion Week. For S/S 21, in lieu of the normal show format which typically sees three to four designers present their collections each season, four designers will make their mark via virtual film premieres.
The new line-up sees returning designers Saul Nash, Nensi Dojaka and GOOMHEO joined by newcomer Maximilian Davis. Womenswear designer Davis refined his craft with Fashion East alumni Grace Wales Bonner and ASAI, and has since seen his work feature in Dazed and AnOther Man. For his S/S 21 collection, inspired by his grandmother's upbringing in Trinidad and images of carnival from the 19th century, he's set to work with designer Fiona Blakemen, who has created prints for the likes of Molly Goddard to 1017 ALYX 9SM. He will create a visual expression of his Caribbean heritage via clothing, imagery and film. ‘I feel that throughout time Black people have not been in charge of their own narratives. We’ve been imagined one dimensionally, when in actual fact we exist in a variety of ways. I want to show people of colour in a regal way. Using tailoring and elegant clothing to build upon a strong figure' the designer said.
Womenswear designer Nensi Dojaka, who already counts Bella Hadid as a fan, is set to show her ultra-feminine designs which criss-cross the body in sheer silks, for the second time with the platform. Also returning is menswear's GOOMHEO, who references her home in South Korea via the lens of living in London, thus far showing a surreal take on performance wear and a rich selection of pleating and textures. Saul Nash rounds up the S/S 21 line-up, showing unusually for a fourth time with Fashion East, which usually limits designers to a maximum of three seasons.
Watch the films on Sunday 20 September at 18:00 via SHOWstudio's collections coverage.