Leading designer support scheme Fashion East returns to London Fashion Week in September 2014 with a fresh new line-up of young talents. SS15 will see next big thing Edward Marler debut alongside the anticipated return of AW14 break-outs Helen Lawrence and Louise Alsop in a group catwalk show.
The trio have been selected by the Fashion East prestigious panel to receive catwalk sponsorship, financial bursaries, Paris sales showroom support and ongoing business mentoring.
Fashion East Founder & Director Lulu Kennedy MBE says: “Ed is great! I like his vision and how he puts things together so confidently. He's a very fun new addition to our brilliant girls Louise Alsop and Helen Lawrence who made strong debuts last season. I’m looking forward to September's show!&rdquo
Topshop continues to support Fashion East’s womenswear programme and is the single biggest supporter of young design talent in the industry. Fashion East are very pleased to show in the Topshop Showspace for SS15.
Fashion East has an inimitable track record for nurturing young brands – alumni of the womenswear scheme includes: Ashley Williams, Ryan Lo, Claire Barrow, Marques’Almeida, Simone Rocha, Meadham Kirchhoff, House of Holland, Jonathan Saunders, Roksanda Ilincic, Marios Schwab, Richard Nicoll, Louise Gray, Nasir Mazhar and Gareth Pugh.
ED MARLER
Ed Marler’s 2013 grad collection was named ‘The Trials of an Impossible Princess’. Boys and girls in gowns stormed the CSM BA runway in an opulent mish-mash of faux leopard, blue denim bell sleeves and a dress of knotted pink satin bandanas. A floor sweeping striped gown was topped with giant ‘MUM’ doorknocker earrings and crowns moulded from furniture. He described the collection for those with “delusions of grandeur, although they might live in a scruffy flat and live an ordinary life, they want to feel like a princess”. An impressive roster of fans have already picked up on next-big-thing Ed, from M.I.A. to megastylist Katie Grand (she dressed supermodel Julia Nobis head to toe in Ed). September’s SS15 show will be his LFW debut - watch this space!
@EdMarler
HELEN LAWRENCE
Helen Lawrence graduated from the prestigious MA at CSM in 2012 following a textile degree at Chelsea College of Art & Design. Her signature knitwear soon earned her attention via collaborations with CSM classmate Craig Green on his covetable men’s knitwear. Her impressive AW14 debut with Fashion East featured undone girls in fuzzy double-brushed mohair and asymmetric tunics with vinyl scribble embroidery. Flashes of skin shown under barely-buttoned skirts and jackets worn slouched off the shoulder completed the collection. Top stores Opening Ceremony (London, NYC & LA) and Penelope (Italy ) have snapped up Helen Lawrence AW14 – we can’t wait to buy! helen-lawrence.co.uk
@hel_law @helenlawrenceknits
LOUISE ALSOP
Brit Louise Alsop launched her eponymous line at Fashion East’s AW14 show at the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. The University of Westminster graduate’s striking collection played with typically tomboy shapes - boxy tees, panelled sweatshirts and below-knee shorts - layered with sheer chiffon and raw hems. Hand-scrawled ‘hopeless’ and ‘loveless’ motifs added a romanticism. And a white column dress in velvet and chiffon injected a surprisingly ethereal touch to her tough girls. Winning over leading retailers with her debut, AW14 will be available from Joyce (Hong Kong), H Lorenzo (Los Angeles) and Primitive (London) this summer. Louise Alsop’s very modern muse is a girl you want to be friends with! louisealsop.com
@LouAlsop