On Saturday 16th September Oxford Fashion Studio launched 25 collections by designers from 14 countries around the world strengthening London’s leading position as the best place in the world for design talent. The collections featured at the London Fashion Week showcased wearable art jackets with artisan-crafted fibre panels by SuKaz, equestrian empowerment by all female team NH ALRabiah from Kuwait and indigenous representation by OOROME from Mexico. BERTH from Hong Kong returned to Devonshire Square taking her trademark style to a new level of finish. Vino Supraja from India channelled folk art from Therukoothu with a show featuring a performance by Vaanmadhi Jagan.
Body positive brands Renee Cafaro Atelier and Renee’Larouge brought elegance and glamour for all sizes. Mythology, folklore, storytelling and escapism permeated the mood of the season as seen through collections by Why Mary, Narmin Tello, RADADA and AngElixs Designs.
Accessories were well represented including colourful footwear by Sarah Maier, Norwegian outerwear by Vinter and silicone on spectacular outfits by Viktoria Marchev. Collections with pop colours continued with Dijo Clothing and Francini_K but in contrast Dea the Label and Rosie Billington channelled darker tones with exquisite finishing. Myriam de Moreno launched beautiful gowns while Xantha brought extraordinary structure and the Nuno Abelho collection showed off exceptional fabrics cut to perfection.
AnnaFrancesca Revolution from Panama headlined the day of shows with a surreal spectacle that saw models emerging and coming to life on the runway. It was a show unlike any that had taken place at Devonshire Square before, transporting guests into another world.
“The creativity and dynamism demonstrated by the designers on the Emerge schedule this season, from 14 countries around the world, underlines London’s place as the best place in the world for emerging brands.” says Oxford Fashion Studio Runway Director, Tiffany Saunders.
- DEA the Label
Vicarious Atonement | Australia
DEA is an Australian based fashion house founded by Julian Farro. The label is named after the designer’s auntie, Bonadea, who inspired Julian’s career as a designer. Bonadea had a strong personality, impeccable style, radiated sophistication, was a global traveller and was crowned Miss Rome in 1980. Today DEA the Label has embarked on its own global journey.
- RADADA
Girl With A Crown | Latvia
RADADA is a brand that tells a story about the wearer, her identity and her values. There is a message in every design. The brand creates sustainably in harmony with its surroundings. The Girl with a Crown collection is for the woman who wears her invisible crown every day. With her red painted lips and her head held high. Each garment features an original work of art with a story to tell.
- Vino Supraja
Purisai | India
Vino Supraja is a sustainable womenswear fashion brand. The label partners with skilled workers ensuring good working conditions and a living wage eschewing mass production and opposing extortive practices. The brand handlooms its textiles and is certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard. The label recycles all of its unused materials. The Purisai collection draws inspiration from the designer’s childhood: “Growing up, I lived just 10km away from Purisai village where the folk art of Therukoothu thrives to this day. This is the art form of Vino’s home, and this collection is Vino’s dedication to the art of Therukoothu, for making my childhood colourful” – Vino Supraja.
- Dijo Clothing
Espy | Australia
Founded by retired Australian Naval Officer Sarah Turner in 2020, Dijo Clothing empowers women with original healing patterns and relaxed designs. All fabrics are lovingly handmade in India, feature Sarah’s original artwork and are produced in small batches using ethically sourced fabrics. To espy something is to see it, or glimpse it. The Espy Collection features original artwork on ethically sourced cottons, silks and lyocell rayons. Each piece is a statement of fun, connection and joy.
- Viktoria Marchev
S/S 2024 ‘YOLO … this time’ | USA
Viktoria Marchev, a New-York based Hungarian native fashion designer, launched her brand mainly focusing on women’s swimwear. The label experiments with new technologies and works with moulded pieces of silicone rubber, a versatile material that supports the label’s sci-fi concepts. ‘YOLO…this time’ expresses the importance of living this life without missing the experience of the now. The collection consists of jumpsuits and dresses with graphic illustrations, referring to the designer’s love for powerful female characters in comic books with silicone accessory pieces: vests, skirts, and stage pieces featuring bold splashes of colours throughout.
- BERTH
Never Too Old To Play | Hong Kong
Fashion designer Afa Tsang founded Berth in Hong Kong. The label is a mix of modern and vintage style, colour blocking, 1920s art deco and Le Garçonne. Afa’s signature design style is using geometric shapes and colour blocking to create sculpted yet modern pieces. Core pieces feature flat chest loose-fit dresses with drop waist. The brand creates its own fabric prints and the collections make use of tapestry, quilted fabric and their own monogram prints all inspired by vintage style.
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In 2021 Oxford Fashion Studio launched Emerge, a platform specifically designed for smaller teams to launch during fashion week: industry-connected, resource-friendly and exceptional production quality. For SS24 Emerge is supporting 25 brands from 14 countries including Latvia, Panama, India, Kuwait, Mexico, Norway, Luxembourg, Colombia, Portugal, Australia, Hong Kong, Canada, the UK and the USA. All 25 brands launched their collections at Devonshire Square on Saturday 16th September 2023 during London Fashion Week. “This is my first time showing at any fashion week. They’ve always been right there to be on hand, they’re so kind and caring. They’re such a great team. I have barely had to lift a finger, which is really nice. It’s great to have because you are only as good as the team around you.” – Kelsey Saitch, Designer for Kelse, London
