M a g a z i n e: Fashion East Autumn/Winter 2012 London Fashion Week

23 February 2012

Fashion East Autumn/Winter 2012 London Fashion Week

Since its inception in 2000, Fashion East has been credited with kick-starting the careers of some of the UK’s most prolific design talent including Jonathan Saunders, Meadham Kirchhoff, Marios Schwab, Michael van der Ham, Louise Gray, Roksanda Ilincic, Richard Nicoll and House of Holland.

The AW12 line-up is a first in Fashion East’s history – it is supporting exactly the same line-up of designers that showed last season; James Long, Marques Almeida and Maarten van der Horst. The decision was made following the unanimous backing of the Fashion East panel whose members include Sarah Mower, Grazia’s Kay Barron, Vogue’s Francesca Burns and Brix Smith-Start of Start Boutique.

As Sarah Mower, British Fashion Council’s Ambassador for Emerging Talent and US Vogue Contributor, explains; "Fashion East's 2012 cohort of designers excelled so remarkably that all their Spring collections have already been picked up by stores - so having them back to show together again for Fall 2012 will give buyers and journalists a second chance to spectate as these contenders take off in Olympic year."

Mary Homer, MD of Topshop, says "I'm delighted to see these three designers return for another season at Fashion East, testimony to their exceptional talent and creativity. Topshop has been a long supporter of British fashion, and our ongoing relationship with Fashion East is something we are very proud of. Lulu Kennedy and her team always identify the best of London's design talent, and I wish this season's recipients continued success into 2012."

JAMES LONG
James Long has fast become one of the most sought-after design talents in London for both menswear and womenswear. With a huge fan base ranging from Alister Mackie to Luke Day and Lucas Ossendriver praising Long as his favourite young designer, Long has certainly made his mark as a designer to watch. He debuted his first womenswear collection for Autumn/Winter 2011 with Fashion East, and was invited back for a second season in September. It is his instantly recognizable use of knit, leather and print that is key to the James Long aesthetic.
James Long has become one of the hottest tickets at London Fashion Week. His SS12 collection was rapturously received having been shot for publications including Stella Magazine, Vogue Turkey, and the US and British editions of Elle and Glamour. James Long Womenswear is sold in prestigious stores around the world including LN-CC in London, RA in Antwerp and Opening Ceremony in New York and LA.

MAARTEN VAN DER HORST
Maarten van der Horst was born in the Netherlands to an Indonesian mother and a Dutch father. He began his design education at the Artez institute of the Art during which he interned with Chloé in Paris. His completed his BA with a hand-painted, bright and joyous graduate collection that reflected his preference for highly personal statements using D-I-Y techniques. On the MA Womenswear course at Central Saint Martins, van der Horst developed his distinctive aesthetic further, marrying intricately embroidered, second-hand Nylon petticoats with Hawaiian shirts, Capri trousers and Bermuda shorts, creating a John Waters-inspired wardrobe.
His designs are technically advanced yet highly wearable, exuding a light hearted, joyful elegance without neglecting craftsmanship. His SS12 debut at Fashion East built on his MA collection, focussing on tailoring and feminine detailing whilst remaining true to his signature flattering boxy silhouette. The collection was snapped up by stockists including Opening Ceremony in New York and LA, Edition in Japan and Selfridges in the UK and has been featured in Vogue, i-D and Elle.

MARQUES'ALMEIDA
Both trained in womenswear, Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida subscribe to the Helmut Lang school of thought, where ‘fashion is about attitude, not hemlines’. While their aesthetic evokes raw effortlessness, the pair’s technical sensibilities are revealed in the construction of each piece. Cutting their teeth at Vivienne Westwood and Preen respectively, Marques and Almeida took the natural course of combining talents while on the MA at Central Saint Martins – hitting the mark between impulse and consideration. They create for a market that desires sartorial instincts with an authentic edge.
Having shown their Spring Summer 2012 with Fashion East at London Fashion Week their list of stockists now includes Opening Ceremony NY and LA, Desperado in Tokyo and Joyce in Hong Kong. They have been recently mentioned in Elle UK as the "new go to label for distressed denim" and their work has been featured in magazines like TANK, Russh, Elle UK and i-D.