Everyone’s favorite non-profit talent incubator, Lulu Kennedy’s Fashion East, is celebrating 20 years of showcasing emerging designers during London Fashion Week. Kim Jones, JW Anderson, Martine Rose, and Simone Rocha are among some of their most successful alumni from over the years, and Fashion East never fails to give us a show.

Making a name for yourself in the fashion world is no easy task, and it’s even more difficult to navigate in the midst of a global pandemic. However, Fashion East gave four brands the platform to do just that. Goomheo, Nensi Dojaka, Saul Nash, and Maximillian Davis are Fashion East’s talents this year, presenting their respective collections via fashion films.

Fresh young voices Goomheo and Saul Nash presented menswear collections, while Nensi Dojaka took to womenswear, and Maximillian Davis presented looks for everyone.

Saul Nash

His third collection as a part of Fashion East, Saul Nash continues to explore the main points of his work, movement and function, with a newfound interest in transformation. Nash captured his Spring/Summer 21 collection, ‘Flipside’, on cliffs by the sea, surely a windy spot, adding to the importance of movement in the designer’s pieces.

These Seven Sisters cliffs are where the designer travelled after quarantine-related lockdown and found further inspiration for his collection, offering the viewer the same sense of escape he felt as he visited. The color palette of lavender, shades of blue, and crisp whites pleasantly complements the surrounding landscape.

The importance of movement, function, and transformation are clear throughout Nash’s collection. The sportswear can be worn with ease, suited for a range of motion, with openings and cut outs for ventilation. Some pieces are reversible, giving the option of a quick transformation, as others have release zippers that transform what appears as one garment into an entirely new one.

A dancer himself, Saul Nash has a deep understanding of the body, not only paying close attention to what is most important for us when we need to move, but also offering stylistic escapes for when we have the desire to move.

 

 

GOOMHEO

South Korean designer Goom Heo first debuted with Fashion East six months ago, now offering a darker point of view while retaining a sense of playfulness.

GOOMHEO’s Spring/Summer 21 collection finds its inspiration in German artist Paul Wunderlich’s erotic paintings, manifesting in soft lighting, silk chiffon trails, and mindful draping. A mix of prints and textures, each look is a statement on its own, the theme of sensuality carrying throughout.

There is a voyeuristic nature to the collection, three floating pairs of eyes trail up the high-necked grey top, the shadowy atmosphere making us feel as though we shouldn’t be looking. But of course, we simply can’t look away.

 

 

Maximilian

Maximilian Davis’s debut collection is an homage to Black history as well as a study on the evolution of Black culture and what that might mean today and in the future.

Comprised of both men’s and women’s looks, Maximilian’s bold collection is also rich with perspective. The designer’s technical skills reflect various facets of culture that he values, such as eveningwear suited for movement and slightly oversized tailoring reflecting “Trinidadian ease.”

The menswear looks of his collection are simple statements, but statements nonetheless. One model is painted blue, wearing a horned mask, in reference to the Blue Devils who jest with festival goers at Carnival. The annual Carnival for Trinidad and Tobago is a festival of liberation, representing the resistance of Eurocentric traditions after emancipation. The collection itself carries historical references throughout, mindful decisions by Maximilian to honor what has come before.

Maximilian offers a look into what may come next for design, the daring cut-outs and bold slashes are an intriguing exploration of futuristic design. The collection as a whole plays with texture and silhouettes in bold new ways, offering innovative styles.

It’s no question that of these designers have their own distinctive voice, honing their craft and continuing to find themselves as artists with the support of Fashion East. We’re just lucky to get a glimpse of the journey.