September 5, 2023 |
With London Fashion Week fast approaching, Lulu Kennedy’s talent incubator Fashion East has just revealed its keenly watched SS24 lineup. Platforming a host of emerging labels since 2000, onlookers will see the return of brands like Johanna Parv and Standing Ground, along with newcomer Olly Shinder.
First up for SS24: Olly Shinder. The menswear designer is set to debut his namesake label on the FE catwalk, just a year after he graduated from Central Saint Martins with a revered final collection that was shot by distinguished German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans. A self-confessed “workwear freak”, the young creative spent his placement year at Swedish technical wear brand Snickers, leading him to develop a shrewd, function-first approach to design, with a focus on utilitarian engineering. Speaking on the new addition, Kennedy highlighted, “He definitely knows what he’s about. I like talking to him about his work – and actually about anything. It’s a very interesting and easy dynamic.”
Olly Shinder
Then, Estonia-born Johanna Parv will be returning to the Fashion East runway for the second time with her eponymous womenswear and accessories label. The London-based designer – who was also the recipient of the esteemed Isabella Blow Foundation Scholarship – focuses on garments for “the professional women who cycle the city’s bustling streets”, constructing pieces that combine performance wear and modern luxury.
Johanna Parv: Fashion East AW23
Also returning is the brainchild of ascendent Irish designer Michael Stewart – contemporary evening wear label, Standing Ground. Often inspired by ancient edifices, artefacts and cultural histories, the Royal College of Art alumnus has been celebrated for his proclivity for playing with proportions and sending his models out dripping in drapery. With a focus on dynamic silhouettes and understated femininity, Stewart’s showcase will mark his third and final collection with Fashion East.
Standing Ground: Fashion East AW23
Innovative womenswear label Asai – a cult Fashion East alumnus – is also set to show as a special guest, after building up an online following for its bold, bright and 90s-inspired designs.
If anything highlights the power of a Fashion East display, it’s the impressive roster of alumni which reads like a roll call of who’s who in the fashion arena. From Kim Jones to Simone Rocha, Martine Rose and Jonathan Anderson, the peerless opportunity can truly kickstart an acclaimed career. Scheduled for the first Friday of Fashion Week on European soil, September 15 at 4:00 pm BST, Fashion East’s SS24 lineup, powered by Nike, will take to the runway. You won’t want to miss this, so follow the LFW action as it unfolds via our Instagram stories at @10magazine and @10menmagazine.
Photography by Suzannah Pettigrew courtesy of Fashion East.
A Sai Ta, founder and creative director of Asai
