London Fashion Week celebrated its 40th anniversary this year with a rich program of new talents. Founded in 1984, since its debut, the event has supported new talents through the NewGen program and collaborations with organizations such as Fashion Scout (the international platform for fashion innovation) and Global Fashion Collective (the platform supporting the new generation of designers around the world). This edition of LFW included several debuts. Here are 6 talents to not miss. Ala Tianan, Amber W. Smith, Savvas Alexander as part of DiscoveryLab, Genaro Rivas unveiled his collection with an evening event, KGL, and Sergazi Firenze presented by Ones To Watch at Fashion Scout.
Click on the designers' images to open their Instagram or web site
ALA TIANAN
Designer: Tianan Ding
Ala Tianan is a streetwear concept. It’s a playful, critical experiment on clothes’ fabrication, cost, and function – inspired by the controversial issues of value and affordability in fashion. It was started by Tianan Ding who graduated from the Royal College of Art during the pandemic. Ala Tianan pushes the limits of fabrication, through the use of innovative techniques. Most products have been designed as metaphors, seeing clothing as an art medium created for real life. Running under the core "Revalue", which stands for the de-capitalized fashion and taste, the mentality of reversing norms, and the no-waste ideology.
AMBER W. SMITH
Designer: Amber W. Smith
Born and raised in a rural mining town in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Amber W. Smith graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2020. She officially launched her label in 2022 and is currently based in London. Her creations, representing her background and key influences, reflect the complexities of female identity, and the clothes women wear which embody their duality.
SAVVAS ALEXANDER
Designer: Savvas Alexander
Savvas Alexander is a British/Greek designer, who launched his namesake brand after graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2022. Savvas Alexander designs a wardrobe that is committed to elegant, modernist principles that stand the test of time. Inspired by his sporting and product design background, menswear and womenswear are developed with a focus on machined details and seamlessness that showcases technical expertise. Sharp, architectural draping is cut in modern materials, to elevate wear for everyday scenarios across rural and city-based geographies. Savvas Alexander advocates for a rethinking of systems within fashion by designing closer to the heart of manufacturing. The studio works with state-of-the-art machinery to localize fashion production and improve access to made-to-order, reducing both fashion waste and carbon emissions.
GENARO RIVAS
Designer: Genaro Rivas
Peruvian Fashion Designer based in London. Genaro Rivas believes in a future where sustainability is king. The self-taught fashion designer and entrepreneur from Lima (Peru) attended the Introduction to Sustainable Fashion for Professionals and Brands Online Short Course. Genaro's creations have a sustainable approach. He is famed for making the first dress in Latin America using 3D printing that included all sustainable materials. The collection Beautiful James presented in London mixes Peruvian materials with his roots in East London.
KGL
Designer: Kanika Goyal
KGL is a fashion brand based in India, established by Kanika Goyal in 2014. With its roots dug deep in quality craftsmanship and refined tailoring, Kanika Goyal label finds its identity by playing with the principle of paradox. The label’s identity, while imbibing the ideals of luxury, weaves the evolution of a multicultural designer with an ever-maturing design perspective. Kanika Goyal Label aims to deliver an intellectually designed statement of neo-luxury with a cool brand element. Kanika constantly finds her inspiration in architecture; the intersecting shapes and the play of shadow and light constantly inspire her modernist take on color-blocking.
SERGAZI FIRENZE
Designer: Sholpan Sergazi
Born and raised in Central Asia and then moved to Europe, Sergazi’s designs something of a fusion of East and West, where she blends traditional techniques of textile production with contemporary silhouettes and materials. She works closely with artisans and weavers in Central Asia to develop new fabrics and patterns. Sergazi mixes them with traditionally made cashmere and luxury textiles produced by established manufacturers in Europe, mainly Italy and France, exports best quality silk from China and beads/crystals and other supplies from Japan. Sergazi's creations focus on the vibrant and colorful fabrics that were a part of her cultural heritage.
Photo Cover: Sergazi Firenze FW 24-25 collection
