Fashion month is always both highly anticipated, and quite unpredictable, across all four of the big cities – and this season has been no different. Coperni set the internet ablaze with Bella Hadid’s closing look, which saw the - at first nearly-nude - model sprayed with a liquid which set into a jersey dress made of Fabrican. Riccardo Tisci’s last collection at Burberry saw stars turn up in their droves to a show held in a Bermondsey warehouse, where attendees also caught a glimpse of a Kanye West get-up that involved jewel-encrusted flip-flops. And Balenciaga’s creative director Demna Gvasalia made the decision to host his 'MUD' runway in a literal pit of mud on the outskirts of Paris, with models sloshing through the gloopy brown substance, spattering the clothes as they walked.
A-list antics and shock-factor aside, this season was undoubtedly all about the inimitable cohort of young designers bubbling up to the surface. Chopova Lowena and Sinéad O’Dwyer made waves with body-diverse casting that spanned the gender spectrum as well as taking in a range of shapes. Elsewhere, Fashion East’s impressive line-up featured wunderkinds Standing Ground and Karoline Vitto, plus it encompassed eveningwear that celebrated and accentuated women’s curves.
Here, long-time Central Saint Martins Fashion and Textiles lecturer and champion of Widening Participation, Berni Yates, shares a few of the designers who are making waves on runways across the globe.
Paolo Carzana
Paolo’s spring/summer 2023 collection was dedicated to the late designer, Lee McQueen. The recent collection by the Westminster graduate, who was heralded as one-to-watch shortly after debuting his line ‘The Boy You Stole’ in 2018, was a London Fashion Week highlight. His latest ready-to-wear line was titled ‘Imagine we could be the ones to change it all'. The inspiration behind the designs, according to Carzana, is a ’24-hour journey which begins at midnight: the cusp of a trauma.’
The 20-piece strong collection is an amalgamation of garments which reflect this tumultuous time-period, from ecru suiting naturally dyed using tea and orange spice, to malleable hats made with Welsh tapestries, made by one of his collaborators, milliner and designer Nasir Mazhar, plus it uses a variety of silk chiffons and wools donated to Carzana by Alexander McQueen. Carzana - who hails from Wales and is one of the designers under the Sarabande Foundation (set up by McQueen) – worked with The South Korean fabric artist Semin Hong to create layered cotton which he integrated into the line.
‘Paolo’s work is all about that inclusivity’, says Berni Yates. ‘It's about working together and collaborating with like-minded creatives – and this season, it worked. McQueen was a good support for him; he got all the archived shoes from the house. Paolo’s way of working is via a huge process of hand stitching. It’s proper artisan and manufacturing.’
Di Petsa
Dimitra Petsa’s SS23 short, written and directed by the Greek designer, was heavily inspired by the Dionysian Mysteries (a ritual of ancient Greece and Rome that sometimes involves intoxicants and other methods that would remove inhibitions and make participants feel liberated). The film, named ‘The Moon Tastes of Wine,’ offers a nuanced and introspective look at success and creating a body of work and its healing power.
Petsa lensed her subjects draped in new-season pieces while slowly unleashing pent-up tension. Rose quartz and beaded garments make an appearance, her intricately embellished minidress moulded to the body is a highlight, in addition to the one-shoulder breastfeeding corset adorned with tulle sleeves.
Petsa, renowned for signature wet-look designs which catapulted her into the spotlight, is insistent on celebrating women’s bodies and her 33-look collection includes an iteration draped around an expectant mother.
Standing out from the crowd is something Petsa is well-versed in, Yates remarks. ‘The collection is beautiful and illustrated by a film which is equally well-put together this season. Dimitra is incredibly creative.’
Abigail Ajobi
‘Continuing The Love Story’ is the fourth presentation and a follow-up to Ajobi’s collection in February. It is an ode to the young, London-based designer’s parents and their love story, which spans across Lagos and London. Stills from the collection are riddled with flecks of green and blue which translate through to the collection.
Brimming with sustainable leather pieces sourced from Nigeria and deadstock denim, it's an eco-conscious piece of work, too. Sentimental elements are further woven throughout the collection using two prints: the first is a love letter written by Ajobi’s father to her mother; and the second is named the international love print, emblazoned across cotton garments and knitwear.
‘Culture and community are integral to Abigail’s designs,’ muses Yates. ‘Abigail focuses on slow fashion. It's not about covering all bases and being every store. It's about building from your community. She’s certainly one-to-watch and her work is gender neutral.’
Standing Ground
Michael Stewart, the designer behind Standing Ground, debuted his first collection under the Fashion East umbrella this month, during London Fashion Week, to a rave reception. Distinguishing factors that define the former Royal College of Arts alum’s jersey floor-skimming, figure-hugging gowns include off-kilter cuts, through to padded circular tube silhouettes which hug the body.
‘Michael’s first collection when he was at the RCA was beautifully cut,’ explains Yates. What makes his designs so memorable? ‘It’s so nice to see elegant, beautifully cut eveningwear with pops of colour. This season, you can see the evolution of his designs and how he’s moved into territory which uses the body to create his garments,’ concludes Yates. ‘They’re the kind of garments everyone wants in their wardrobe.’
Karoline Vitto
Versatility and functionality were of the utmost importance to the Brazilian designer while constructing her latest collection under the Fashion East talent incubator. Growing up in South America, Vitto was hyper-aware of her body, particularly during the summer, when she’d spend time at the beach. Later down the line, while studying at the Royal College of Arts (she also studied at Central Saint Martins), the designer set about dismantling archaic body ideals in the industry and began using metal frames in her designs. Said frames contour around the body and amplify areas that are often frowned upon.
Fast forward to 2022, and the designer continues to create thought-provoking pieces that allow us to ruminate on our relationships with clothing and the flesh. This season, models varying from a size 10 to a size 20 hit the runway in halter tops with toggles and metal detailing, skin-baring gowns, and trousers boasting extreme cuts on the hips. ‘I’ve always said to my students to let the knitwear breathe and do the talking. Karoline really knows how to communicate the language of sexy knitwear and evening wear! I’d consider her a contemporary Azzedine Alaïa,’ says Yates.
Sinéad O’Dwyer
The British Fashion Council Newgen recipient’s SS23 catwalk show was a huge talking point this season for myriad reasons: her refreshing and diverse cast of models; her unorthodox collection inspired by teen angst, rebellion, and her wonderful ode to her mother, a cellist.
Raised in Tullamore, Ireland, the designer who has spoken openly about dealing with an eating disorder, began exploring body acceptance while obtaining an MA in fashion at the Royal College of Art, and she wasn't afraid to push the boundaries in this collection. New-season silhouettes comprised her signature textured stretch dresses, sheer sleeveless separates and elasticated panelled skirts layered over tights.
The pinnacle of the Dublin-born creative's ready-to-wear line, however? Tailored suiting and tops with darted busts, which will no doubt be spotted on her A-list fans soon (think Björk and Precious Lee). In an industry that has historically refused to acknowledge and participate in size-inclusivity, O’Dwyer is helping to reshape the narrative in fashion. ‘I thought this season was adventurous and even more exciting in terms of colourways. In terms of casting, she’s been true to how she started at RCA. She's authentic in every way,' says Yates.
Elena Velez
‘Elena is one of the new exciting multidisciplinary artists,’ says Yates, while discussing the trailblazing New York-based designer. ‘I admire her collaborations with smaller, niche artists as she platforms them and gives non-traditional artists a way of breaking into the industry,’ she continues.
It is true, Elena has fostered some impressive relationships with artists. Take her spring/summer 2023 line 'YR002: IN GLASS,' for example, which had Julia Fox on the front row. Velez enlisted a small collective of collaborators to work with her, from jewellery artist and fellow designer Caroline Zimbalist to sustainable label andagain.
Celebrated for her honest and no-nonsense approach on femininity on the runway, the focal point this season was a ‘shrieking display of female hysteria’ and a further exploration of the dehumanisation of women’s bodies, which seems apt considering the current climate. The CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Award recipient’s artistry was eye-catching, to say the least. Models walked down a gloomy runway surrounded by smoke in vampy glam, sporting boned corset dresses in ecru or black, spliced and sliced dresses, sheer opera gloves and avante-garde hats that encased models’ faces.
