Word on the fashion street is that it’s been tough for young designers. Or just designers period. Tell me something that I don’t already know. I’ve been chatting with designers in London about the fact that there’s something unsustainable about the way the bulk of young designers operate today, not because the market isn’t there but because the system is not conducive for success.
Before I fully formulate my pondering on the matter though, I’ve got brighter news to report. At Machine-A, young designers are flying out of the door. Because owner Stavros Karelis is getting it right in terms of nurturing young talent and working with them properly to aid sales. Long known for teaming up with graduates to create sellable product, this year, they’ve teamed up with Joyce in Hong Kong in a cultural exchange of sorts. Four young designers from the UK, most have just graduated. Four young designers from China/Hong Kong. Each given the opportunity to produce their graduate collection to a standard where even without looking at the label, desirability exudes from every piece.
The eight designers chosen idiosyncratically reflect their environment and background as well as the wildly diverse state of fashion today. From the UK, you have comments on disenchanted youth and British eccentricity, what with Kiko Kostadinov’s (Central Saint Martins) solemn distressed textures and Adam Marc James (Westminster) ’s madcap embellished pyjamas. Grace Wales Bonner, a star graduate from Central Saint Martins is arguably the ‘biggest’ name of the eight and her much-lauded “Ebonics” collection is represented here with ‘Afro’ slogan tees and pinstriped denim encrusted with shells and crystals. Karelis has also bigger up the talents outside of the LCF/CSM contingent by picking Chris O’Carroll from Ravensbourne and his raved up sub-culture driven denim separates. From Joyce, you have two recent LVMH Prize semifinalists in Ximon Lee, who studied at Parsons New York and has also just picked up the H&M Design Award for his message-laden denim and Xiao Li, whose work I’ve enthused about before. Her rubberised knits and silicone pieces have been lightened up into voluminous sponge mesh jackets and coats. Kenneth Cheung graduated from Hong Kong Polytechnic Uni last year and has done intricate denim quilting and patchwork with wordplays on “soul/soldier”. And finally, Kay Kwok, an LCF grad has done mind-bending digital prints. The clothes of these “Yungsters” feature in a co-directed film by Nick Knight and Rei Nadal, pitting real life versus studio vision.
Returning to my old school Style Bubble days of snapping myself in the mirror, I had a manic session of trying on everything this morning. Despite the majority of the pieces being menswear (although in Machine-A rails aren’t gendered – you want it, you go for it is their mantra), I found myself loving something from every designer. Karelis and Joyce have done a great job at picking out a) great graduates to begin with and then b) ekeing out great pieces out of them. It’s not just about plonking fashion graduates on a rail and hoping for the best.
That’s why numerous pieces have already sold out even though the project only launched yesterday and Karelis will now be re-ordering second runs from the designers. Whilst I was in the store trying on the clothes, people were coming in enquiring about the graduate pieces. A couple of cool Chinese fashion kids in particular were hankering after Ximon Lee. Getting the word out there about your work has never been so easy as it is today and early adopters like these savvy kids will buy into someone not because of name but because they connect with the garment at hand. And for the amount of work, detailing and design, you get a lot of bang for your buck. It goes to show that if the product is up to scratch, even the most unknown of names will have a chance of a successful sale through.
LCM has just kicked off and once again London’s new and bold are at it again. The anxious murmurings are still being discussed. It IS a tough environment for young designers at the moment. But when done right, the customer can be receptive of the new. This graduates project instigated by Machine-A and Joyce proves it.
Adam Marc James pyjama shirt, trousers and nighty cap
Chris O’Carroll denim jacket and shorts
Grace Wales Bonner jacket and trousers
Kiko Kostadinov top and shorts
Ximon Lee sweater and trousers
Kenneth Cheung tunic – the text reads “I got soul but I’m not a soldier”
I think this collaboration with Joyce could actually be a raging success. Lovely piece, this issue needs to be brought out more!
Interesting lot of designers, articles like these make Style Bubble a worthwhile read.
I’m glad that there’s too much young talent, rather than too little, but it’s still a problem. We need more companies like this! I read an interesting article on BoF about the French government providing more funding for designers and I think this is all a step forward.
machine a is just so great
I think this is happening to every designer anywhere IMO. It’s about carving/creating something super unique and specific. Maybe it’s a bit cliche to say this, but maybe explore Wearables, which is becoming a booming industry for designers and makers.