Fashion East Presents A Star Smattered Cast For LFW

Fashion East is the non-profit talent collective founded in 2000 that is renowned for hosting various emerging talents over the seasons. Similar to the CFDA in the US, the collective is sited as a “talent incubator” as per their social media and proudly represents new and upcoming designers. With only 24 hours remaining before the official start of London Fashion Week, this week promises some exciting new catwalks from a defile of new designers that speak to the inclusivity and urgency that Fashion East converges.

New to the scene this year for spring/summer 24 are Asai, Standing Ground, Johanna Parv and Olly Shinder. Four illustrious talents that boast innovation and craft amongst their viciously unique modus operandi. Supported by Nike, the designers are scheduled to host their runway collections this Friday the 15th at 5pm.

As special guest, the cult womenswear label (Asai) returns this season to present what social media defines as a “90s inspired iconography” with a strong customer base featuring both influencers and celebrities alike, all who don his designs. First presenting in AW17, this return is symbolic of Fashion Easts repeated efforts to support hardworking alumni. For spring/summer 24 the designer has collaborated with Timberland, the footwear label in conjunction with their 50th anniversary this year. The collection will reportedly include the original yellow boot, with various iterations being unveiled shortly on the runway.

Next, Standing Ground is known for their evening wear and more ornamental creations that first started offering their unique purveying’s in 2022. Founded by Michael Stewart, Standing Ground’s practice revolves widely around the specificities of draping and contouring the body. Lush plasticity and resplendent color detail the style of their designs allegedly Inspired by ancient landscapes and artifacts. The Irish designer seamlessly combines ancient silhouettes with that of contemporary shapes to create timelessly unique creations. Graduating from the Royal Academy of Art in 2017, this week marks Stewarts second collection for Fashion East.

Estonian born, and CSM graduate Johanna Parv is the womenswear and accessories designer that until recently reported her inspirational muses as the various women who cycle the countries capital. Fusing a refined elegance with contemporary performance wear, Parv has a cutting edge for luxury as can be observed from her CV that sites her work for various houses of prestige, such as Dior, Balenciaga and Burberry. Marking her label out from her contemporaries, this will be the first runway presentation that Fashion East will support to host since Parv’s graduation in 2020.

Reimagining menswear aesthetics through a queer lens, Olly Shinder is a London based designer that melds club silhouettes with workwear, reinterpreting the visage of the modern man. With a debut collection on the horizon this week, the showcasing will reportedly include button-ups, track suits and outerwear that feature varying degrees of meticulous tailoring and that all speak to Shinder’s ethos. A sophisticated blend between balance and intrigue is what was sited by the brands representatives when describing the upcoming presentation.

These four houses exude an unbiased approach to fashion that will conjoin this week in an effort to bedazzle London with their unbridled creativity and harrowingly nuanced design techniques. If you like what you see, follow @fashioneast for more exclusive and in depth behind the scenes coverage.

Words by Alexander Mays