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Young designers in London are asking themselves what it means to live in a melting pot of cultures and what that means for their identity. Do they accept their differences? Or should they try to fit in?
Nuba’s co-creative directors Cameron Williams and Jebi Labembika had a number of ideas for the latter, featuring hooded dresses and tops that conceal the wearer’s identity, addressing the pressures that come with living in a city as a foreigner or migrant.
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“Once they’re in the city, they have to force themselves to adapt to everything that’s going on there. They make every effort to participate in the nightlife, but they also want to go to church – all these different aspects come into play,” Williams said.
Olly Shinder presented his third collection with Fashion East and it was a tug of war between conformity and rebellion against uniformity.
Uniforms are a sensitive topic for the designer. “Uniforms are important to me because of childhood and family experiences and traumas,” he says.
He compared his collection’s sports gear and Boy Scout uniforms with chocolate-brown twin sets, Star Trek-style yellow separates and tucked-in ties.
“I tried to redesign things that I found exciting and sexy to match my feelings,” said the designer, who is supported by the brand development center Dover Street Market Paris.
Loutres Pia Schiele also played with uniforms and the transition to adulthood.
Blazers were lightly crumpled and then pinned at the chest to give them a pleated effect; inflated bomber jackets created a balloon shape and calf socks in white, red and blue recalled preschool uniforms.
“So much comes together, we live in a city with a lot of tradition, but at the same time we are young and live in the digital age,” said Schiele.
Gallery Launch: Fashion East Spring 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection
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