London Fashion Week is around the corner, showcasing British talent from Friday 17th to Tuesday 21st September. To prepare for the return of LFW, we thought it’s the perfect time to highlight the women creating the current London fashion scene. You do not want to miss these powerful women during fashion week!
Charlotte Knowles
Charlotte Knowles London graduated from CSM in 2017 and has been steadily growing her brand since. The south London based brand is designed by Charlotte and her partner, Alexandre Arsenault. She chooses to highlight the female form, in making lingerie-esque clothing wearable as everyday garments. From Emma Corrin to Nicki Minaj, Dua Lipa, and even Beyonce have all been seen sporting her signature pieces. Knowles’ garments flatter femininity whilst adding interesting details like cut-outs, contrasting textures and peek-a-boo layers.
Ashley Williams
Ashley Williams entered the fashion scene in 2013, with her first collection at London Fashion Week instantly receiving critical acclaim. Her clothes are an amalgamation of bold prints, Y2K graphics, and feminine silhouettes. Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, and Anwar Hadid have been seen in the bright clothing of Ashley Williams. The combination of ultra-feminine hearts and bows with vulgarity and deconstructed garments makes each her style loud and beautiful.
Mowalola Ogunlesi
Mowalola Ogunlesi is a Nigerian-born designer, working and living in London. Mowalola attended Central Saint Martins and created a ’70s Nigerian rock scene-inspired menswear collection entitled ‘Psychedelic’. Her provocative style and rock influences have gained the designer commercial and critical success, impressing at London Fashion Week 2019. Definitely a name to follow, Mowalola is the creative director of Kanye West’s YZY X GAP collaboration. Her vibrant graphics, psychedelic visuals and bold colour palettes are instantly recognisable – the perfect garments to add to your wardrobe to ensure a statement.
Priya Ahluwalia
Ahluwalia was launched in 2018 by Priya Ahluwalia, the brand represents the intersection between near and far, past and present. The label has a creative approach that combines Priya’s Indian-Nigerian heritage and London roots, whilst exploring the limits of vintage and surplus fabrics to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Recently collaborating with Ganni and Mulberry, Ahluwalia is making waves in the fashion industry, introducing a more sustainable approach to garment making.
Poster Girl
POSTER GIRL founders, Francesca Capper and Natasha Somerville met while studying womenswear design at Central Saint Martins in London. The garments are created to empower women, whilst proving ultra femininity is not something to reject. The founders’ vast background in designer houses comes across in their knowledge of fabrics, textures, and clothing construction. If you are looking for interesting silhouettes, cut-outs and unique garments, then POSTER GIRL is where you need to shop.
Words by Caitlin Sahin , Graphics by Emily Chapillon
Photo Credit: @mowalola @charlotteknowleslondon @ashleywilliamslondon
