Five designers; first in class, Sosskyn

She is the Anna Livia Plurabelle of la mode in the UK, the eternal life force on which all young designers dream of being launched in. Roksanda, Craig Green, Gareth Pugh, Charles Jeffrey and House of Holland are among the talents that the Newcastle-born but Sicilian-raised Kennedy has unearthed. 

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Each season, every critic in London shows up for her Fashion East shows. This Friday was no exception.  Staged, as is tradition, inside the ever wrecked hipster show-space Truman Brewery, they were treated to a bumper display of five designers – one installation, one presentation and three catwalk outings.
 
This was not necessarily a vintage season, but nonetheless one just knew that many of the ideas on show by these young talents will filter into shows on the Continent and New York next season.

One entered via an installation by shoe designer Kitty Shukman, of just six models – two of them perched on a carbonized tree, as if left over after an eruption of Vesuvius. 
 
Two of the cast pointedly looked away from the audience, their back flesh carved into a gothic crosses surrounded by feathered wings. Everyone wore the same item of footwear for her brand Again. An Infinity Slide with a cow’s lick of EVA, in six different colors. Entitled ‘Positive Energy’, the setting – according to the program – was designed to suggest “the physical creation of a seed of hope that. Kitty nurtured during a debilitating depressive episode struggling with her mental health.”
 
A graduate of Cordwainers, who has done stints at Yeezy – where she created the Derrick Rose sneaker – and a creator who has consulted with Balenciaga, Burberry, Crocs and Justin Bieber, among others, Shukman definitely has a great future.
 
Another very happening name is Sosskyn, a collab’ between artist Samara Scott and curator Tayah Leigh Barrs. Their smart idea was the have a dozen damsels parade hyper photogenically below a spray painted dayglo wall. Saucily approaching iPhone wielding guests, dressed in rags to brat gal shreds composed of salvaged organic materials, pre-owned cashmeres, slashed stockings, mosquito nets and latex seaweed, whatever that is. Spray-painted and sexy, they all looked great.

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After that amuse-bouche, the three runway shows felt almost tame.
 
Opening with the talented Olly Shindler, whose conceptual boy scout and girl guide uniforms were suggestive, sado-masochistic and raunchy. Like guides’ Brown Owl, who looked like a laced up dominatrix. Or the final champion scout in leather overalls, whose rambles seemed certain to end in a dark back room.

Followed by Nuba, from the duo of Cameron Williams and Jebi Labembika, with a show entitled ‘Simulation’, whose theme was how urban life forces too many individuals to adapt into a singular culture. Which seemed a tad strange, given the uproariously multi-cultural scene that is East London. The actual clothes were mono-color constructions in techy fabrics draped with considerable skill, ruched with gusto and worn with great pride by the cast. Earning. Cameron and Jebi, the biggest applause of the evening.

Finally came Loutre, a quirkily cut and constructed collection in the rich vein of British eccentricity by designer Pia Schiele. From funnel necked windowpane wool jerkins, to bat wing flight jackets paired with dishcloth fabric skirts, to a fabulous wacky grand dame trench. 

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All told, a great way to open the season in London, and a reminder that when it comes to scouting Lulu. Kennedy leaves Andam, the LVMH Prize and various Vogues awards in the shade.