NEWS| Helen Lawrence Announced for Fashion East SS15

Fashion East have announced their SS15 designer roll call, including previous Fashion Scout One To Watch Helen Lawrence (pictured). 

This is Lawrence’s second season with the initiative, setting her hot on the heels of Fashion East alumni Henry Holland, Roksanda Ilincic and Katie Eary.

Lawrence showed a cool colour palette of soft grey, mint and monochrome for AW14, knits made modern with bare midriffs, skirts more seductive with thigh high splits. Scribble stitch embroidery is a Lawrence signature, complementing PVC textures and undulating hemlines. This collection was more sedate that SS14, which featured lime knits and powder pink PVC. It’s clear Lawrence has a talent for mixing materials in her sculptural designs.

Lawrence graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2012, after completing a textile degree at Chelsea College of Art & Design. She then worked with classmate Craig Green on his men’s knitwear, also spending time at Mark Fast and Alexander McQueen. With V magazine, i-D, Vogue and Style.com keeping track of the Tyneside native, Lawrence’s fresh approach to textiles is set to cement her status as a fashion innovator.

Read more about Helen Lawrence and other Fashion East designers HERE.

By Isabella Silvers, Contributor, (@izzymks). 

Images by Jamike-Latif, (@JamikeLatif).

NEWS| Helen Lawrence Joins Fashion East for AW14

Last season's Ones to Watch designer Helen Lawrence joins design initiative Fashion East. Former Central Saint Martins student Helen, who received her design training from Mark Fast and Alexander McQueen, wowed the audience at last season's renowned Ones to Watch showcase with her unconventional fabrics and innovative cutting techniques. She is one of two new designers joining Fashion East next season and will be showcasing alongside Louise Alsop and Ashley Williams at Fashion East's AW14 showcase during London Fashion Week. 

"Sparks of excitement, which we particularly felt once the final three were chosen, are typical of Fashion East's accumulative effect over the years; it's a feat to recall all the talent they have showcased who now define London Fashion Week as we know it today." commented one of Fashion East's judges, PR guru Mandi Lennard.

Vogue.co.uk today featured the news mentioning the Fashion Scout star, "Central Saint Martins graduate Lawrence is known for her pastel-coloured knitwear" whilst ELLE UK commented: "her name may already ring some bells – she unveiled her s/s 2014 collection as part of Fashion Scout’s Ones to Watch show. Her focus is knitwear, modern pieces mixed with contrasting fabrics like denim and PVC."

Congratulations to Helen Lawrence, we can't wait to see next season's pieces on the catwalk! 

Written by Cass Gowing, Editor @CassGowing. Photography by Jamike Latif @JamikeLatif

CATWALK| Ones To Watch SS14: Hannah Williams, Helen Lawrence and Renli Su

Ones To Watch - Hannah Williams SS14 from FASHION SCOUT on Vimeo



Ones To Watch - Helen Lawrence SS14 from FASHION SCOUT on Vimeo.


Ones To Watch - Renli Su SS14 from FASHION SCOUT on Vimeo.

Photographs by Christopher Dadey

INTERVIEW| Ones To Watch SS14 Helen Lawrence

 

 

Ahead of the prestigious Ones To Watch show this season, the Fashion Scout blog team caught up with OTW winner and Central Saint Martins MA graduate Helen Lawrence to talk about her collection.

What was the imagery behind the collection?

I had dark romantic imagery in my mind when creating the pieces. However, I wanted a stark contrast to so that’s where the sweet, girly elements come in. The collection is balanced between dark and light.

Did you draw on previous experience?

Yes, it was a development of my MA work but the vision is simpler.

Is there an era which your collection takes inspiration from?

The 1970s with the colour blocking and funny shapes. I actually had some weird drawings in my mind when I thought of what patterns to use.

What fabrics did you favour?

I like to use unconventional fabrics and more creative textures in order to create something innovative.

For you, what was your standout piece?

You know what, it’s funny because I always loved the petrol/oily pieces but after seeing the show, I fell in love with the pink jumper and trouser combination.

By Georgia Hathaway @GeorgiaHathaway

Photography by Tracy Asslanian @Tracyasslanian

ANNOUNCEMENT| Ones To Watch Designers September 2013:

We are delighted to announce Hannah Williams, Helen Lawrence and Renli Su as the Ones To Watch designers for SS14.

Winner of the Graduate Fashion Week Innovation and Womenswear Awards, Hannah Williams has already captured the attention of leading international media. Her silicone moulded pieces and unusual fabric combinations aim to challenge the unconventional and her stand out design skills have resulted in a collaboration collection with one of the world’s leading retailers.

Central Saint Martins MA graduate, Helen Lawrence, received her design training under the skilled hands of Alexander McQueen and Mark Fast. Since graduating, Helen has collaborated with menswear designer Craig Green, and her ability of combining innovative techniques with unconventional fabrics and highly creative textiles is quickly garnering the interest of the fashion press.

A graduate of the prestigious China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Renli completed an MA in Fashion Design and Technology at LCF. The young designer’s fresh take on approach and form depicts an intrinsic bond between the wearer and the collection. With a return to nature, Renli works with reconstructed fabrics and hand-made techniques to create pieces of impeccable craftsmanship.

Ones To Watch is renowned for being one of the first places to see the very best in new UK and international design talent, Ones To Watch provides a sponsored catwalk showcase for three of the brightest emerging designers.

We spoke to Martyn Roberts, Director of Fashion Scout about the latest Ones to Watch winners: “This season presents a diverse range of exciting new talent. Ones To Watch is renowned globally for showcasing a highly creative selection of new talents and forms a recognised launch pad for the next generation of designers.”

The Ones To Watch showcase will take place at Fashion Scout on Friday 13th September at 1.30pm. See the full schedule here.