London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2024 took place 14th-21st of September. Whether they are making their LFW debut or established, here are fifteen designers that stood out.
Junyang
Junyang Unveils “Dream in the Garden” Collection at London Fashion WeekEsteemed fashion designer Junyangmade a striking debut at London Fashion Week with an exquisite presentation of the latest collection, aptly named “Dream in the Garden.” The highly anticipated showcase will captivate with its fusion of traditional Chinese aesthetics and modern design sensibilities, marking a significant contribution to the ongoing evolution of the fashion industry.Inspired by the enchanting allure of traditional Chinese gardens and the timeless elegance of classical Oriental women, the 24SS series by Junyang encapsulatesa dreamlike journey into a world of beauty and harmony. The collection paints a vivid tapestry of delicately woven florals and intricate blue and white porcelain motifs, evoking a sense of serenity and nostalgia.
13DE MARZO
Esteemed fashion brand, 13DE MARZO, is set to debut its highly anticipated Spring/Summer 2024 collection at London Fashion Week. The collection, titled “Reflections of Innovations,” artfully merges technology, sustainability, and inclusivity, marking a pivotal moment in the brand’s evolution. Inspired by its core DNA, the 13DE MARZO Spring/Summer 2024 collection elegantly fuses intricate details and cutting-edge technologies, redefining fashion’s artisticrealm. The collection reimagines everyday elements through innovative craftsmanship, resultng in a unique blend of beauty and innovation.
The collection encompasses a bold use of luminescent and biotechnology fabrics, embedding a dynamic, futuristic aesthetic while embodying sustainability and innovation principles.
Jayne Pierson
Renowned Fashion Designer JAYNE PIERSON Unveils Groundbreaking Collection at London Fashion Week, In collaboration with 3D Printing Innovators Stratasys.
Celebrated fashion designer JAYNE PIERSON captivated the audience at London Fashion Week with her latest collection encompassing a blend of Celtic mythology, sustainable fashion, and cutting-edge direct-to-textile 3D printing technology from Stratasys. In a spectacular showcase of creativity and innovation, this collection not only pushed the boundaries of fashion but also underscored the importance of sustainability and ethical practices in the industry. The Ceridwen collection, inspired by Celtic mythology and the Mabinogion, offered a glimpse into a world of enchantment and transformation. At its heart lies the character of Ceridwen, a shape-shifting enchantress and the Celtic goddess of rebirth, transformation, and inspiration. PIERSON’s collection beautifully weaves together elements of myth, folklore, and history, redefining fashion as a medium for storytelling. Deep rooted in inspiration, the collection exuded organic shapes, nature, culminated in a range of iridescent components that served as amulets, adorning the garments and empowering the wearers.
Shuxuan G
SHUXUAN G., the eponymous label of a visionary designer, has been making waves in the fashion world since its establishment in 2018. With a unique blend of modern minimalism and oriental aesthetics, the brand is at the forefront of redefining style, resort wear, and women’s empowerment. Founded in the vibrant city of Shanghai, SHUXUAN G. is the embodiment of elegance meeting freedom. The designer’s expertise lies in seamlessly fusing modern minimalism with the timeless beauty of oriental aesthetics. The brand’s distinct resort style and original design philosophy encapsulate a new concept of life for women: “break the limitation, blooming beauty at will.”
At the heart of SHUXUAN G.‘s allure is the ingenious integration of swimwear elements into its ready-to- wear collections and dresses. This fusion embraces retro-femininity, a natural and spontaneous approach that resonates with the brand’s ethos. With an extensive range of collections, including dresses, ready-to- wear, swimwear, and hats, SHUXUAN G. caters to the diverse dimensions of modern women’s lives.
Prophetik
The new collection, titled “Let them be Naked”, is based on the idea it is best to be naked than clothed in harmful synthetics. A call back to nature..stripping back down to the nude. Infused with the Celtic & Picts spirit in the Cotswolds with the Native American Heritage of TN Mr. Garner. Garner’s vivacity and his commitment to creating distinctive, sustainable, plant based fashion is a reflection of his environment. Born in the Civil War town of Franklin, Tennessee, and raised on a horse farm, Garner grew with a connectedness to nature and a peaceful understanding of the world. Currently residing part-time in North Cotswolds, he is directing a documentary on the toxins in fashion and the health implications called ‘Let them be naked’ with the Robert Redford Foundation and Suzy Amis Cameron. Journey with Jeff as he uncovers the fashion industry’s dirty secrets and explores innovative sustainable solutions for conscious, non-toxic clothing, and radical consumer transparency. The show was filmed for the purpose of the documentary. Watch the teaser here.
Pam Hogg
Dr. Pam Hogg, an iconic British fashion designer, embodies the spirit of a romantic, rebel, and rockstar. Her journey began in Glasgow, where she refined her craft at the School of Art, eventually gracing the stages of London Fashion Week, the wardrobes of stars like Kate Moss and Lady Gaga, and the walls of prestigious art galleries around the world. Known as the “Caledonian Queen of Cling,” she defied fashion norms with provocatively punk and original designs using counterculture materials like PVC and leather-infused jerseys with leather, gold lurex, sheer mesh, and metallics, many of which she has been repurposing for over two decades.
Dedicated to the late Sinead O’Connor, the collection was inspired by a striking vision of O’Connor enduring a fate similar to that of Joan of Arc, facing execution by burning at the stake. As Pam embarked on “Apocalypse,” a theme resonating with the world’s current state, thoughts of O’Connor persisted. The shocking news of her untimely passing abruptly refocused Pam’s attention once more. Sinead’s rendition of “Trouble of The World” became a focal point of deep emotion and prompted Pam’s choosing of her voice as the opening for the show—a voice that will eventually be heard and understood.
Paolo Carzana
Paolo Carzana is the welsh designer behind namesake label Paolo Carzana. Working with plant based, recycled, organic and repurposed materials, natural dyes and handmade construction, Carzana’s garments explore the tensions between strength and fragility. (Paolo Carzana)
He’d called his collection “My Heart Is a River for You to Bend”—one of the lines he spontaneously scribbles in sketchbooks as he goes along. For the first time, he’d included womenswear—bunchy, sculptural shapes he creates in 3D draping sessions; his kind of freestyle haute couture. Carzana had dedicated the show to the late music producer Sophie, and to a friend of his mother’s who recently passed away. Both people had a big effect on his life. “I think it’s just the idea of how much, collectively, our hearts have taken in the last couple of years. All the sort of pain and loss that we’ve just had to quickly wash away. But also the feeling that, no matter how hard you’re hit, your heart remains unbroken, but it can be bent. And this pathway is a river bend that can lead to people that support you and save you”, He said.
Words : Sarah Mower, Vogue
Paul Costelloe
Paul Costelloe — renowned for fully immersing his audience in his destination of inspiration – introduced the theme of the Spring/ Summer 2024 catwalk collection with a flock of models on the runway suited up in tennis-worthy attire with dainty rackets to match. This season, the designer traded in highland-inspired woollen suits and a grunge aesthetic for silk printed frocks and lightweight tailoring. (The Industry of Fashion) Striped linens in sky blues are presented in romantic dresses and unstructured jackets, adorned with the Paul Costelloe Sports crest, along with in-house family narrative prints, in shades of ecru, sand and pale blues. (Fabuk Magazine)
If the summer holiday message wasn’t already apparent, this was confirmed when a model was sent down the runway in a silk gown accompanied by a tourist-ready backpack slung over her shoulders. If that wasn’t enough, Cliff Richard’s Summer Holiday tune sealed the deal. (The Industry of Fashion)
University of Westminster MA Menswear
Full Metal Dandy. Inspired by black metal music and researching some of the first black metal bands in Norway, metal iconography and satanic symbolism.
DIY 90s. This collection combines the ideas behind modular buildings, stationery and 90’s indie music culture into a six-look capsule collection. Created through the use of classic menswear pieces including the duffle coat and parka.
Clothes of Diabolik. Yuchen Yuan was inspired by iconic 1960’s Italian film, ‘Danger : Diabolik’. Through an exploration of the villain figure in Diabolik, Yuchen played with ideas of duality in classic menswear looks combined with a mysterious muse figure and notions of sexuality and surrealism.
RE-Rebel. Inspired by the photography of Karlheinz Weinberger of rebel youth in 1960’s Switzerland, Xiaona takes us on journey of re-imagined existing garments. Images of working-class teenagers that fused iconic American pop culture — biker jackets, denim jeans, bouffant hairdos, James Dean insouciance — with their own idiosyncratic sensibilities became Xiaona’s muse.
Movement. For Haiyang, fashion is free and diverse, it is unity, tolerance, regardless of race, class, gender. Inspiration came from studying the live performances of Talking Heads in the 1970’s and the body limb changes produced by David Byrne during the dance process.
Unveiling Identity. Nym Promprasert aspires to curate a fashion collection that seamlessly blends the worlds of men’s and women’s attire, fusing the elegance of couture with the touch of late 1990s grunge aesthetics.
The Canticle of the Worker. Randy’s design philsophy that fashion is a language and a communication tool has been used to tell the forgotten and overlooked story of a 1930’s British worker.
Tchotchkes. American slang referring to small shiny objects that’s only decorative and not functional defines the concept of Lele’s collection. Inspired by extravagant visuals from the 1920’s, specifically the photography series ‘bright young thing’ by Cecil Beaton, a world of self-indulgent and extreme elegance, hedonism formed her muse.
An imaginary school day. Jiwon Jang was born in Korea. But she spent her middle school days in Japan. Her collection offers a glimpse of both cultures and her ongoing obsession with uniform. Jang believes uniforms are refined because they are symbols of the group they belong to, they have a deep history and a characteristic that does not change easily.
The Poor in Spirit. Anyi Tang is inspired by her upbringing in Northeast China and the rich tapestry of life experiences encountered there. Tang is particularly drawn to how belief systems serve as anchors for the marginalised, particularly through Yang Yankang’s documentation of the rural Chinese in the 1990’s.
Future Noir. Ben Lord imagines a gritty futuristic cityscape, lights glistening onto wet asphalt and chrome. 1980’s punk magazines & Bladerunner led him into an exploration of textiles. With an obsession for surface qualities and a myriad of textile elements & archetypal garments are his statement.
Century Youth. Xinyi Liu’s practice explores an obsession with nostalgia through which she immerses herself in exploring memories across eras she has not herself experienced. Challenging complex fabric combinations, and colour matching is her design language.
Biker. Bushido codes and Bosozoku Japanese biker gangs were the initial inspiration for Yoshie’s collection. These combined with military garments all evoke notions of Samurai culture which have always been an obsession in Yoshie’s practice.
RE-Rebel. Inspired by the photography of Karlheinz Weinberger of rebel youth in 1960’s Switzerland, Xiaona takes us on journey of re-imagined existing garments. Images of working-class teenagers that fused iconic American pop culture — biker jackets, denim jeans, bouffant hairdos
Mithridate
MITHRIDATE’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection delves into the themes of searching for inner peace and ‘The Cure’ on an oriental island; considering ‘to cure’ as both the result and the process. Creative Director Demon Zhang took thematic and design inspiration from her heritage, exploring concepts and prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicinal techniques including the key 24 different healing herbs, all conceptualised into sophisticated, romantic designs.
The collection is flooded with radiant yellow, soothing cyan, earthy salt pink and soft jade, arranged from organic and remedial fabrics such as silk, cotton and linen. In keeping with MITHRIDATE’s dominant moth motif, this season introduces the ghost moth. With healing properties, the moth is interspersed through enticing patterns, layered accessories, hand embroidery and winged silhouettes.
T LABEL
T LABEL, a romantic wear brand, wants you to feel loved in your own skin, in your own shell. In the modern storms of nature, humans are prone to alienation. From the spaces we inhabit, tangible and digital dimensions to the flesh, no matter where we are, it sometimes feels strange. In their SS24 collection, ‘A Shell for a Human’, T LABEL examines relationships with what hosts our spirit, whether it’s a body or a house. What originally revokes the warmth of a primordial womb can easily be reinterpreted as the opposite under traumatic circumstances. T LABEL looks at our connection to the physical with empathy and affection, teaching us how to shelter ourselves once again. The SS24 collection explores the idea of a shell through forms and materials: beads sculpted around the head and arms act as upper body protection in the form of a turtleneck, the brand’s cult gloves wrap hands with sheer organza, words ‘Fashion Week Gives Me Anxiety’ spread across the statement skirt.
“The show explores the human body as a shell and what my shell means to me. After having my first anxiety attack last October before our Paris show, I found the sensitivity of our bodies and how precious they are fascinating. I wanted to use the opportunity of showing this collection to be more honest about what it means to be a self-funded designer in this industry and the financial pressures of taking part in fashion week with small amounts of resources.” Taylor-Bea Gordon, Founder and Creative Director
8ON8
The collection titled “Peak Time Forest” included the preview of their up-coming coveted collaboration with ASICS. As of 2020 the brand embarked on a series of key collaboration including a co-launched collection with Italian menswear brand CANALI and soon to be launched 8ON8 with GAP.
8ON8 draws inspiration from Li Gong’s romantic expression of the past, elegantly intertwining this nostalgia with his vision of a projected cosmopolitan lifestyle. Using the present as a stepping stone, 8ON8 captures daily life fragments of the present-self from a multitude of varied perspectives, constructing a distinctive, vibrant and futuristic offering of urban sensibilities.
A nod to the continuous brand focus of retrofuturism, the collection explores spliced aesthetic concepts and themes of multi-scenic hybrids, rooted in the human craving to master an equilibrium of living and being part of both urban-scape kinetic hubs, as well as the tranquility and majesty of nature. The season brings to life a refined dichotomy of ‘Peak-Time’ city moments, transferred to off-map evocative forest vistas. It is a collision of two extreme environments, striving for neutralization of tension and in-put of relaxed escapism, a future imagined, where people and nature complement and contrast to form a new contemporary existence.
APUJAN
After a three-year hiatus, APUJAN is returning to London for a physical runway show at London Fashion Week, presenting the latest Spring/Summer collection “The Casebook of Kaiju.” APUJAN is a London-based womenswear label founded by designer Apu Jan, debuting in Auntunm/Winter 2013 London Fashion Week. The designs are renowned for integrating patternsand knitwear techniques to illustrate themes inspired by fantasy and literature. Outside of runway collection, APUJAN has collaborated with various industries by utilises the storytelling method to connect with different audiences: such as In-flight loungewear for EVA airline, branding for Kuo Yuan Ye, a traditional oriental pastry company, the costumes for the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, the series of package desgin for McDonald’s and uniform design for SAMSUNG global.
The theme and concept behind “The Casebook of Kaiju” is inspired by the eve of a monster’s arrival. These monsters, in people’s minds, are analogous to impending waves of the era, like AI or the near future, evoking various emotions like surprise, fear, astonishment, and anticipation. On the eve of the monster’s appearance, elements symbolic of the imminent arrival of the monster can be seen in the show, such as barriers, ships and the ocean, forests where monsters dwell, tanks, news reports, investigative documents, related models, and the eyes of the monster. Additionally, there are investigators in search of the monster, wearing uniforms, protective clothing, or office personnel equipped with monster data, all on the hunt for the creature.
JU-NNA
JU-NNA was founded in 2019 by Jun Nakamura, Istituto Marangoni fashion design womenswear graduate. The brand focuses on fusing conventional Japanese techniques with contemporary and modern design, drawing inspiration from the designer’s prior work in the Japanese kimono industry and Tokyo Fashion. Through collaboration with Asian artisans, Jun incorporates traditional Japanese Shibori into his collections, giving a time-honored tradition a fresh and unique look.
This season, JU-NNA draws inspiration from the captivating sculpture “Alternating Rhythm” by Maria Bartuszová and the mesmerizing waves created in water on rivers, seas, and lakes. This concept combines the artistic essence of London’s fashion scene with the elegance and tranquility of Japanese design, resulting in a unique fusion of cultural influences, reflected beautifully in the nail designs made by Soukashi Team Japan (nail designers: CANAILL, Atelier ilsogno, EVA, NOBU, Abbie, MCOUTURE, sucre). In addition, unique sheer jersey and organza as well as organic cotton and recycled materials are used in this season, adding a twist to the collection.
THEO
THEO, a Ukrainian creative-bureau focusing on the experimental outerwear with minimalistic approach to design, introducing new Spring-Summer’24 Co-Ed called “The Collection”. Led by Theo Dekan, the Kyiv-based creative-bureau team pushes the boundaries of gender and offers power silhouettes with agender notes, all the while maintaining the effortless attractiveness of everyday clothing. “The Collection” breaks all the rules and, embracing a shift in gender paradigms, transcends traditional fashion norms, creating a newly gender-altered identity. This bold clothing line maintains a delicate balance between extravagance and utilitarianism, offering a broad spectrum of controversial styles. A muted neutral, timeless color palette of “The Collection” is paired with a variety of textures and bold detailing — deconstructed jackets with prominent oversized pockets and visible metallic hardware, ultra-short dresses with slender Japan seersucker nylon bodices and thin straps, and “ugly” straight-cut jeans with a deliberately low seat line made of Japanese twill and distressed denim. You can watch the digital show here.