For the AW24 season, award winning international consultancy and platform: Fashion Scout collaborated with Fashion Scout China to present five Chinese talents during London fashion week. A fan favourite known for introducing the wider fashion community to something new and exciting to every season, the room was abuzz with anticipation before the first model walked down the runway. Each of the five brands: AFMN, E7W Studiio, Gorgiya, Ladecente, and Chiyue, showed unique and boundary pushing concepts while simultaneously honouring their heritage.
Ladecente kicked off the show with their Intelligence Coir collection. Inspired by Demoiselle Coir, a rain gear from ancient China’s pre-Qin period, the pieces ranged from three dimensional, avant garde monochromatic pieces to iridescent ethereal dresses that wouldn’t be amiss on the red carpet. Despite the diversity in pieces, one thing was a clear takeaway from Ladecente’s show: sustainable materials can be beautiful, innovative and conversation-provoking. Led by Rae Lei, this brand is destined to become a favourite amongst the fashion community thanks to their ability to bring something new to the fashion world, which in today’s world of self-referential and whole seasons dedicated to trends of the past is no small feat.
Next Ophelia Song presented her brand: Forget-me-not (AFMN) collection. While most pieces were monochromatic this allowed the key themes to further shine. Heart shapes in various forms from belt loops and pockets to cut outs and waistlines were a consistent feature in the pieces. Where the heart motif was not used, the romantic feel was prevalent with the use of asymmetric lace hemlines, knitted fabrics, bows and roses. The fun and interesting combination of sweetness and funkiness that AFMN is known for was clearly present in this collection.
E7W Studiio was a big shift away from womenswear that the other two shows provided. Known for being popular with snowboarders, E7W brought something different this season but without straying from their roots. The collection: “APSARAS,” drew inspiration from the murals of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. Founder Yuki Wung deconstructed and reinterpreted disappearing patterns and damaged mural textures to pay homage to the Dunhuang culture. Models walked down the runway in blue, red and green pieces, which were stunning in their own right. But, it is only at further inspection that you can see the Dunhuang influence in the abstract. Chalet chic with an extra depth.
Chiyue is known for their vibrant prints and intricate pattern-cutting techniques and with this collection all the pieces from the trousers to the outerwear pieces were perfectly tailored, showing the technical skills earned from her MA in womenswear from the London College of Fashion but all with unique twists. From the asymmetric collared cape with buttons on the trim her gothic yet elegant take on a classic little black dress. Chiyue is clearly highly skilled in all of the essential fundamental techniques needed to make exceptional clothing but it is her unique point of view that makes her clothes feel familiar and yet still fresh, new and above all exciting.
Gorgiya closed the Fashion Scout show with their perfect understanding of self. The Gorgiya girl is a princess but with a bit of a gothic edgy. Above everything founder Guo Yuan Yuan understands the performance part of fashion, which was perfectly illustrated by her walking the runway in a bejewelled veil before revealing her identity. Fashion should be fun, expressive and intentional, Yuan does this perfectly by expertly towing the line between costume and creative, dramatic ready-to-wear pieces. Because, beyond the spectacle and allure, the clothes are truly beautiful.
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Photography: Brandon Hepworth and I.DEA PR
Words: Jade Rozana