Line-up For Fashion East SS17 Confirmed

Talent initiative ‘Fashion East’ is bringing us another amazing line-up of designers at the London Fashion Week SS17. The existing line-up of AV Robertson, Mimi Wade and Richard Malone will be joined by newbie Matty Bovan.

The designers will be giving a presentation and catwalk show, which will take place in the Topshop show space on Saturday the 17^th of September. A panel of buyers, stylists and editors had selected the four designers. As well as having the opportunity to present their collections, they also receive financial sponsorship, intensive one-to-one business mentoring and an inclusion in a leading Paris sales showroom. For 12 consecutive seasons, TopShop have sponsored the Fashion East Initiative.

Some designers that have taken part of the Fashion East Initiative in the past include Gareth Pugh, Jonathan Saunders, Roksanda Ilincic, Simone Rocha and Marques’Almeida.

Whilst talking about this year’s line-up, Founder and Director of the Fashion East Initiative, Lulu Kennedy described it as her “dream line-up.” Each of the designers seem to be hand-picked from CSM’s graduates, with all of them having graduated from the prestigious school in the past few years.

“It’s super exciting to be hosted in our sponsor Topshop’s venue again, this season in Old Spitalfields Market in the heart of our home, the East End,” – Kennedy.

Speaking to Dazed, Newcomer Matty Bovan said, “I’m super excited to be showing my new collection with Fashion East. The pedigree of their former designers is amazing and I’m very happy to be part of it.” It was only February last year that Bovan graduated from CSM. Since then, he has gained more than 7000 Instagram followers and starred alongside Sky Ferreira in the Marc Jacobs AW16 campaign, thanks to his stunningly unique looks.

After listening to Sky Ferreira’s album NIGHT TIME, MY TIME on repeat for what was probably six weeks straight as we worked on the SS14 collection, Katie asked if Sky would walk for that same show…and so she did! The next season, she played our FW14 after party, we’ve since named a @marcbeauty eyeliner after her (Sky Liner), and I’m an avid “liker” of her @instagram. Seated beside Sky is our former intern, designer, Matty Bovan. I fell in love with Matty’s illustrations and asked him if he would collaborate with Amie Robertson to work on this iconic print (which he’s wearing)! At the top of the heap is Veronika Vilim and the sexy, smart and all around wonderful, Emily Ratajkowski. Katie first introduced me to Emily the day before Valentine’s last year and subsequently Emily appeared in our Fall/Winter 2015 ad campaign (also shot by David Sims). And a big thank you to Sora Choi, Jake Levy, Shelby Hayes, Karly Loyce and Jamie Bochert for being a part of this pile of beautiful people photographed by David Sims. Lastly, after 30 years of Stan Smiths, I’ve finally found a new staple-sneaker – our own Marc Jacobs running shoe (pictured here on Matty and Jake)! @skyferreira @babbym @emrata @jamiebochert @veronikavilim @karlyloyce @jaklevy @sola5532 @shelbyhayes14

A post shared by Marc Jacobs (@themarcjacobs) on Jan 30, 2016 at 4:04pm PST

“I won the LVMH graduate prize and then had a stint at Louis Vuitton. I worked with Marc Jacobs on a print used extensively in the SS16 collection and with perfumers Miller Harris on three projects, which was great to expand my portfolio and apply my aesthetic to a different product. I was also lucky enough to work with Miu Miu on their recent presentation in Paris.” – Bovan

So far he has only hinted that his collection is his “version of a wardrobe, loaded with colour and texture. Its twisted glamour. Very me.”

These incredible designers with their amazing collections will definitely be the ones to lookout for in the future.