Emerge by Oxford Fashion Studio provided a platform for sixteen budding designers to showcase their work on the catwalks of New York this fashion week to a packed house. The brands displayed an array of talent with showstopping pieces ranging from menswear to home grown kombucha leather and wearable Indigenous art.
Lillian Jenae Designs
lillianjenaedesigns.com | @lillianjenaedesigns
Lillian Jenae Designs’ Spring/Summer 2023 collection Bloom, drew inspiration from past, present, and future and the evolution of expanding comfort zones while holding true to individuality. Designer, Jillian Lenae described her debut collection as “wearable whimsy”. Her love of nature was on full display through her wearable statement pieces perfect for a picnic, girls trip, brunch, or anything in between. The ensembles combined playfulness and a sense of adventure with a polished and confident style.
Colleen Cecelia’s Designs
colleenceceliadesigns.com
Colleen Quinton of Colleen Cecelia’s Designs and Textiles creates dancewear that can translate on and off the stage. Her collection, entitled Adore, walked the runway featuring both fresh and repurposed, upcycled designs. When the brand is not showing on the catwalks of New York, it can be found for sale at markets all over New England.
Shannen Maria Samuel
shannenmariasamuel.com | @shannenmariasamuel
Drawing inspiration from remote islander life in the Isle of Man, Shannen Samuel’s concepts are heavily inspired by Manx racing culture and folklore superstitions with the occasional ‘emo’ teenage-anx throwback; dubbing the creations as eco-eerie-punk fusion. This collection, Noa Nostalgia, brought guests on a journey of past lives and present told entirely through waste materials and reimagined memories.
“We must cherish our memories and find beauty in all things forgotten.” says Samuel. Much like life itself, the importance of this collection lies in the carefully curated details. Traditional Manx tartan, up-cycled from the Laxey Woolen Mills, lays next to playful Manx emblems. They depict mythical islander roots – whilst a kaleidoscope of spray paint sits adorned by 12 year old racing passes playing ode to a rebellious racer-punk childhood.Noa Nostalgia is a powerful representation of the signature SMS ethos: a contrast of maximalism and reminisce. Thus finding the beauty in all things forgotten. The brand has been worn by notable figures such as Princess Julia, Yasmin Benoit, Hayley Brownell, Josh Quinton, and Girli.
Burnt Glitter Clothing
Burntglitterclothing.com | @burntglitterclothing
Burnt Glitter Clothing specializes in PVC fashion as well as Vegan leather with 3 animal printed Vegan Leather. The Vegan Leather Collection [2022] range includes cobra, python, snakeskin & leopard prints in red, black & pastel pink solid colors. The PVC range comes black, red, lilac, yellow, pastel pink and pink with a high shine finish. Burnt Glitter Clothing is all handmade to order with a large variety of sizes from XS to 5XL.
Lexlo
lexilowrie.wixsite.com/portfolio | @lexlo_brand
Lexlo is a Boston based brand with a passion for sustainable design. Everything is designed to benefit both the wearer and the environment. The Lexlo brand works to showcase the infinite connection between science and art. The “Don’t Panic It’s Organic” collection is inspired by the textures of the natural world. Everything in the collection is fully compostable. It is a social commentary on the fashion industry with the hope to push the design world into a more sustainable future. The designer hand dyed her materials with natural dyes and grew her own kombucha leather and mycelium fabrics.
I.N.A APPAREL
@i.n.a_apparel
I.N.A APPAREL’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection, 505A, was inspired by the global pandemic that forced society to adapt and change mindsets. The brand strives to break stigma and gender stereotypes surrounding mens clothing choices by offering an alternative approach to what’s traditionally expected. Ina Malama, head of I.N.A APPAREL, witnessed society spiraling into lockdowns and saw people find comfort and joy again in the simple things of life. This sentimental collection pays homage to the forgotten simplicities that once occupied our careless minds. Named after the designer’s childhood address, 505A is about enjoying the thrill that is life despite the chaos the pandemic has brought.
“I want people to find themselves and seek joy in my designs. It’s about restoring our freedom of expression, inclusion and forming our identity on our own terms. Fully emerge and lose yourself in the clothing”, says Malama.
Alicia’s Designs
aliciasdesigns.ca | @alicias_designs
Designer Alicia S. of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nation has been an artist since childhood and had a passion for First Nations Form Line Art. Throughout her adult years, she continued to sketch and draw. In 2012, she came up with a way to combine her art with fashion: she painted on a pair of her own shoes. She continues to create to make her ancestors proud. This collection, Eyes of Ancestors, reclaimed her culture with denim and suede designs in turquoise, red, and gold worn on Indigenous models.
nauni J
@nauni.j
Nauni J is a Surrey, BC, Canada based sustainable made-to-measure brand that believes in all sizes while supporting local businesses and giving new life to unused fabrics. Chaos by nauni J was inspired by Gianni Versace’s F/W 1992 Miss S and M Collection with its black vinyl and faux leather. “We want to help women feel empowered while feeling comfortable in their own skin.” The sustainable made-to-measure brand does not use size labels to encourage body positivity.
Prémya by Manishii
www.premyabymanishii.com | @premyabymanishii
”She conserved time in the form of tradition, yet she stayed relevant.” The essence of Prémya by Manishii was inspired by Victorian artist WIlliam Morris. His aesthetic was re-imagined and printed on the brand’s traditional silhouettes. The timeless color story ascends from black to white to pastel neutrals and the fabric ranges from weightless georgettes, tulle, Chanderi to Organza. Fourth generation craftsmen worked meticulously on these hand embroidered garments to create an heirloom for the contemporary yet traditional women. Prémya by Manishii wanted to create timeless yet versatile garments that can be worn after ten years and still stay relevant. Classic, simple silhouettes to emphasize the hand craftsmanship of each garment and to accomodate all body types and sizes.
1 Atelier
fta.1atelier.com | @1AtelierLuxury
1 Atelier is a new kind of luxury, natively custom and inherently sustainable. The brand’s Farm To Arm offering debuted at fashion week with a first-of-its-kind unisex luxury that is regenerative, all natural and on-demand. The leathers are made from hides of cows raised on regenerative farms (a by-product of the meat industry) then vegetable-tanned using only natural ingredients derived from plants.1 Atelier wants consumers to know that regenerative agriculture can easily be brought to mainstream fashion, While healing the planet might require some trade-offs, it can still be done beautifully and luxuriously, without compromise. “Being sustainable is not enough. We need to do more. We created this capsule to give back to nature what we have taken – and more – and to ask nothing in return.” Eva-Karlotta Tatar, Designer
House of Arti
@house_of_arti
The House of Arti is a luxury brand dedicated to modern petite women: defined through a style known as quiet luxury where quality and fit prevail above all else. Here we embrace inclusivity by changing the standard norms and representation of luxury fashion across various marketing and advertising platforms. Founder and Creative Director, Arti Juglal, explored modern minimalism through neutral tones, natural fabrics, and classic silhouettes for the first House of Arti Spring/Summer 2023 capsule collection. [Breathe] took our breath away with its black, white, and green gray linens, silks, and satins. The designer believes that inclusivity is key for the future of fashion.
García del Castillo
garciadelcastillo.com.mx | @garciadelcastilloo
Mexican brand, García del Castillo distinguished itself by highlighting the architecture of women’s bodies while mixing elements often considered as masculine. Designer Chief, Alejandra García Torres tells women through her designs…”Maximize your own power”. The Spring/Summer 2023 collection, titled REALENGO – LIFE OF A JAGUAR, brought strength, power and confidence to the runway. The jaguar was represented with an intensity of colors, well-shaped waists, and attemporal drama: shoulder pads, gloves, over the knee boots and shiny accessories. García del Castillo has been worn by talents like Kristal Silva, Wendy Braga, and Olga Mafud.
NH ALRABIAH
Shop-nhalrabiah.com | @nhalrabiah
NH ALRABIAH was founded by two sisters from Kuwait City, Nora & Haya Alrabiah in 2020. NH is inspired by timeless art woven into every aspect of life combined with individuality and simple, elegant, womanly beauty. The all-women team was thrilled to share their collection, The Manhattan with the city that inspired their work. Architectural elements and gray scales permeated the designs. Each piece was inspired by a specific building or a place in Manhattan. The city’s elegant art and fashion can encourage women to lead a stunning, confident, free, & empowered life. ”Every woman has the right to express herself through fashion,” said the sisters.
Nahal Shad
nahalshad.com | @Nahal.shad
Nahal Shad – Founder & Creative Director has always been fascinated by the idea that fashion is a form of self-expression as well as a form of self-concealment. Where some people find comfort in using fashion to reveal their deep and true selves, others use it as a mask to hide behind, or even as a wall put up to protect themselves from the world around them. Fashion has the ability to give people a sense of community and safety, but it also has the power to propel people’s confidence and inspire style independence. The Querencia collection, available now, was inspired by the place in which strength is drawn, where one feels most safe to be their authentic self. Each look represented a milestone in Shad’s recent life.
CarsonFashion
Carsonfashion.com | @carsonfashion
Akira Carson, owner at Carson Fashion, designs simple styles with lasting quality that effortlessly go from the boardroom to a night out. This “Modern Classic” collection was inspired by the 80’s and 90’s fashion with a twist from the present. Ankara and satins in black, gold, green, yello, gray and reds were made to make sure its wearers feel beautiful from the inside out. Carson told us that “My soul is fed with needles and thread. When I make with my hands, I give with my Heart.”
Laura Lanzerotte
Laura.lanzerotte.com
Laura Lanzerotte is a Chicago based fashion designer, focusing primarily on evening-wear and couture pieces. While studying at Paris American Academy, Lanzerotte fell in love with couture and all of the creative possibilities it could bring to a design. The designer’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection, Break of Dawn, was inspired by a photograph taken at Oak Street Beach as the sun was rising over the lake, symbolizing the start of the new day and the feelings of hope for new beginnings.
About Oxford Fashion Studio
Since 2009 Oxford Fashion Studio, led by Carl Anglim and Tiffany Saunders, has helped 700+ designers from 70+ countries to launch collections into the UK, USA and European markets. The company began at Oxford University and then grew from there to London, New York, Milan and Paris producing shows and campaigns for independent designers across all four fashion capitals. The company has produced runway shows, speaker events, retail events, photography and art exhibitions, film screenings, networking events, live photo shoots, live fashion sketching, city-wide late openings of high street retailers and museum lates including a fashion takeover of the Ashmolean Museum attracting 2,500+ attendees.
About Emerge
Emerge: the new platform for emerging designers by Oxford Fashion Studio. Built with fresh eyes by experienced hands for a new generation of design talent. Created specifically to meet the needs of emerging designers: high-quality, industry-connected, cost-sensitive and backed by an experienced and friendly team. Design is about ideas and a diversity of ideas is in all of our interests. Lockdowns have hit emerging independent designers hard. But now, with shows scheduled for London in September, it’s time to emerge: www.emergeshow.co.
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With love,
FWO
