First Steps : London Fashion Week | Modem Mag

London Fashion Week (September 13th-17th) hosts upcoming London based designers opening their shows for the first time. A part from Kanye West's "genius", Dom Sebastian, all are women designers driven by innovation and sustainable fabric…

Luna Del Pinal, based in London, founded by designer friends Gabriela Luna and Corina del Pinal, is a unique luxury label designing womenswear using sustainable methods combined with centuries-old handwoven techniques developed by artisan weavers in Guatemala. The brand is focused on collaborating with craftspeople from around the world. This season focuses on Guatemala. The designers are fascinated by the creation of these unique materials made out entirely of recycled yarns and natural fibers by the craftsmen. For Spring/Summer ’20, the Luna del Pinal designers draw inspiration from wildlife and the Guatemalan jungle, introducing oversized pieces and tropical textiles that are sympathetic to the country’s rainforest and landscape.

Another female designer couple, London based as well, under the brand-name « Charlotte Knowles » composed of Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault, opened their first show this year. They also explore the future of luxury and focus on the image of a strong and confident woman.

London-based EFTYCHIA is a womenswear brand founded by Greek born Eftychia Karamolegkou a year after graduating from her MA course at Central Saint Martins in 2017. It’s a brand of relaxed tailoring and timeless aesthetics, with a strength of detail which adds depth to each look. Each piece is inspired by traditional men’s suiting, yet imbues a raw femininity which our woman owns and commands (see picture of suit)

andVerv eschews from the traditional ideas of trends or seasons to create a continuous conversation with a focus on timelessness and a refined sense of ease. "Our sensibilities have been nurtured by our cross-cultural awareness and global outlook. This, alongside our philosophy of kindness is the definitive spirit in which our brand is rooted.
Inspired by the culturally aware aesthete, we want our woman to feel confident knowing that she is integral to our thought process, not a fantasy of a woman. For us, it is not about what you do, but how you feel and what you value."

Sought after by Nike, Puma and Yeezy; directing and shooting Camper’s FW16 pre-season campaign and hailed as a genius by Kanye West, Sebastian’s previous work has amassed a worldwide following – all while still a student at Central St Martins.
Dom Sebastian, Fresh out of CSM, where he honed his craft on a Textile Design degree specialising in print, his first ready-to-wear line builds on his 2018 experimental graduate collection ‘Gel Futures’. Building on his established clinical yet surreal aesthetic, his SS20 collection sees liquids, objects and symbols masterfully transformed into frenetic prints that embody the information overload of the Internet age. The recurring images of vessels also hint at his own preoccupation with the body’s indeterminate relationship to identity – as container, medium and embodiment of the conceptual self.