ANNOUNCEMENT| Fashion Scout Announce Provisional Schedule for Feb13

Fashion Scout is thrilled to release our provisional Schedule for our Feb'13 catwalk showcase. Fresh from rebranding as a global platform to showcase the very best of British and international creative talent, over 30 catwalk shows, presentations, installations and exhibitions will take place throughout the week. 

This season will see critically acclaimed young Chinese designer Yifang Wan return to Fashion Scout for a second season, this time to take the inaugural stage as the internationally acclaimed Merit Award winner for A/W13. Directly after, our newly announced and eagerly anticipated Ones To Watch award winners - Patrick Li, Yeashin and Yulia Kondranina - will showcase their designs to a global stage.  

For the first time, established emerging talent platform, Kiev Fashion Days will present a curated selection of new designers from the Ukraine in a collective catwalk showcase and exhibition in partnership with Fashion Scout.  Whilst a catwalk showcase of new designers from Istanbul will also take place throughout the week.

Returning names to the Fashion Scout stage include former Merit Award winners Phoebe English and Heohwan Simulation, former OTW winners Ming Pin Tien and Nova Chiu as well as iconic established designer Pam Hogg. 

Fashion Scout's showcase will take place 15th-19th February 2013 at our catwalk home, Freemasons Hall, Covent Garden. The fourteenth season of Fashion Scout, as founded by Martyn Roberts, will be the first season since our global rebrand.

For press and sales contacts (including ticket requests) please visit www.fashion-scout.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter @FashionScout for exclusive news and updates

NEWS| Georgia Hardinge collaborates with River Island

Former Fashion Scout Merit Award Winner Georgia Hardinge partners with high street retailer River Island on a collaborative collection for Spring / Summer 2013. Since her debut  in 2010, the London-based designer has gone from strength to strength, recognised for her talent for creating interesting textures and patterns. River Island who have previously collaborated with William Tempest, use these creative ventures to give a designers a wider audience.

The debut high street collection will follow Hardinge’s feminine aesthetic and use structural, textured shapes set to feature in both clothing and accessories. After being approached by River Island, Georgia Hardinge expresses being “immediately excited” about the project.

"I absolutely love what River Island are producing at the moment - there is a definite buzz around the brand and they are really bringing something fresh and new to the high street." Georgia says.

The collection will launch with a short film directed by Alex Turvey and starring Ben Grimes at part of Fash/Of this season, another collaboration the designer is excited about saying “it allows the mood of a collection to come to life”.

Read more on Vogue.co.uk

By Vanessa Omoregie (@wewearblack). Images from River Island and Natalie Ilina

NEWS| Maia Bergman announced as H&M Design Award 2013 Finalist

After rave reviews from Fashion Scout’s Graduate Showcase, designer Maia Bergman adds to her already blooming collection of accolades which includes winning Vogue Italia’s Young Vision award, and now a finalist for H&M’s 2013 Design Award. 

The young designer who wowed audiences last season with her overtly girly aesthetic and detailed use of embellishment talks to H&M about her work and her inspirations from “90’s matchy-matchy” to artist and fashion designer Stephen Sprouse. 

This year’s H&M Design Award invited students from 19 major fashion schools in Europe where 24 talented students including Maia Bergman were brought together to  meet with Head of Design at H&M, Ann-Sofie Johansson. Talking about her simple silhouettes and seemingly random placement of colour, Maia’s work exudes an effortless sophistication that doesn't deny itself of playfulness or charm, which is something that makes her stand out in the competition.

The winner of the 2013 Design Award will be announced at Mercedes-Benz Stockholm Fashion Week at the end of this month, will receive a prize of €50,000, and have pieces from their collection developed to be sold at H&M stores during A/W 2013.

Find out more about the H&M Design Award.

By Vanessa Omoregie (@wewearblack)
Images from H&M and Asia Werbel

ANNOUNCEMENT| Ones To Watch Winners Feb13

Fashion Scout are pleased to announce the Ones to Watch winners for Feb13: Patrick Li, Yeashin and Yulia Kondranina. 

Chinese born, London based, Patrick Li featured as part of Fashion Scout’s Graduate Showcase and has since been snapped up by Joyce. After gaining experience under both Hussein Chalayan and Victor and Rolf, Patrick has developed a signature crisp fresh style, epitomising the youth and effortless modern elegance.

After being awarded the Most Creative Student at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards and selected by Vogue as one of the best fashion graduates of 2011, South Korean YEASHIN went on to create her own charming label. Inspired by the juxtaposition of 1960s England and traditional Korean outfits, her collections inject a sense of humour into her myriad coloured pieces.

After graduating with an MA from Central Saint Martins, Yulia Kondranina presented her elegantly gothic graduate collection during London Fashion Week. With a focus on promoting the concept of handcraft coupled with a love of intricacy, Yulia’s heavily woven, sculptural garments tell a dark romantic story.

The Ones To Watch showcase is internationally recognised for presenting creative talent from both British and International designers to a global audience and is one of the first places to see the very best in new design talent.  

Fashion Scout Director, Martyn Roberts on the announcement: “This season we are excited to present a diverse range of new talents to the market. Ones To Watch has always been recognised as a launch pad for next generation of designers, and our selection celebrates some the most innovative new designers from both the UK and around the world.”

This season’s esteemed Selection Panel included Hilary Alexander, Jessica Bumpus of Vogue.co.uk, Hannah Emslie of Selfridges, FS alumni and former Merit Award winner Georgia Hardinge, acclaimed stylist Rebekah Roy,  Fashion Scout Founder and Director Martyn Roberts and FS Talent Scout Charlotte Gunstone.

The Ones To Watch showcase will take place at Fashion Scout this February. 

Images: Patrick Li, Yeashin and Yulia Kondranina

BREAKING NEWS| Vauxhall Fashion Scout Relaunches as Fashion Scout

We are pleased to announce that Vauxhall Fashion Scout has re-launched as Fashion Scout, The International Showcase. Having worked with and provided an unrivalled platform for designers among the likes of Peter Pilotto, Eudon Choi, Pam Hogg and Fyodor Golan to name a few, Fashion Scout's international outreach not only supports the best in innovative British talent, but that from all over the world.

Alongside the best innovative British talent, Fashion Scout provides unrivaled platforms in London and Paris for carefully selected collective showcases from China, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Asia. 

This season, Fashion Scout's 14th, is set to be a particularly exciting one for international talent. Chinese designer Yifang Wan has just been awarded the Fashion Scout Merit Award and is set to debut her AW13 collection during Fashion Week at Freemason's Hall, heralding a new generation of Chinese design. We will also introduce a showcase that includes the very best in upcoming international design talent from Kiev and Istanbul.

Since launching fourteen season ago by founder Martyn Roberts, Fashion Scout has attracted the attention of the media's top press and buyers from Suzy Menkes, Sarah Mower and Susie Lau to globally recognised fashion personalities such as Rei Kawakubu, Laura Bailey, Henry Holland and the late Anna Piaggi. We've built a reputation for being the leading international fashion showcase and look forward to the many exciting times ahead.

Fashion Scout Director Martyn Roberts stated exclusively: "This is an exciting leap forward for Fashion Scout.  The UK produces some of the most creative fashion talent in the world, and Fashion Scout will always show the best of them, but there is also a generation of fantastic new talent coming through from other countries.  Whilst Fashion Scout's aim stays the same - to show the best creative fashion talents - our vision is now global.  

Fashion Scout's London and Paris events are renown throughout the industry as talent showcases.  They attract the top international press and buyers and people in the know hungry to discover new ideas and talents.  Creativity is the lifeblood of the fashion industry and Fashion Scout is in the heart of it."

For more information, please visit our new website http://www.fashion-scout.co.uk/

NEWS| E Tautz launches capsual womenswear collection

After a successful show at London Collections: Men showcasing a classic and timeless look of the English gentleman, Patrick Grant of E Tautz announced the label’s foray into Womenswear for Spring / Summer 2013.

Despite being a Menswear brand the designer’s celebrity fans who include Alexa Chung and Laura Bailey expressed the need for a womenswear alternative to his shirts. Catapulted by a visit from a Japanese stockist who requested smaller versions of the shirts, Patrick Grant says “It’s a unique take for womenswear, it’s a man’s shirt, it’s a man’s instruction, it’s the same fabrics”

With the capsule womenswear collection launching on Matches.com this coming Spring, fans of E.Tautz are asking if this will inspire more from the line in the future. “This is the start” Patrick says talking about gaining exposure for the womenswear line on the same par as the menswear range, and giving credit to London Collections: Men as a great business opportunity for designers in the city.

Take a look at the story on Vogue.co.uk

By Vanessa Omoregie, @wewearblack. Images from VFS A/W12 at Fashion Scout by Rowan Papier

NEWS| Helen Bullock illustrating for SHOWstudio during LCM

Helen Bullock has been adding her artistic touch to London Collections: Men as SHOWstudio's fashion illustrator. A designer already known for her illustrative approach to fashion and personal design process, she has produced a variety of artworks that stay true to her style for a number of shows. Simplistic and quirky with pops of colour, the illustrations only serve in adding another layer to the talent we saw across the three days. Having studied at Central Saint Martins and worked under the likes of John Galliano, Helen Bullock has become known as much for her work on paper as with fabrics.

By Josh Walker (@josh_walker_)

Images from SHOWstudio's coverage of MAN and SIBLING's show

NEWS| Hellen Van Rees MOAM and FOAM Exhibition

From January 10th former Fashion Scout Ones to Watch designer Hellen Van Rees participated in the MOAM & FOAM photography exhibition. For this project fifteen Dutch photographers and fashion designers, including Hellen van Rees, collaborated to reinterpret classic images by iconic Dutch photographers. 

Hellen teamed up with photographer Sanja Marusic and reinterpreted the above photo by Anton Corbijn. 


You can visit MOAM at the gallery of the Amsterdam photography museum at Vijzelstraat 78 from January 10th till March 17th 2013.

By Cass Gowing, Editor

Images from Hellen Van Rees and BRANKOPOPOVICBLOG

NEWS| E.Tautz A/W13 Catwalk Review

If any show at London Collections: Men encapsulated the essence of the British gentleman, it was E.Tautz's AW13 collection. In a colour palette of grey, black and orange, simple pieces of classic tailoring walked the runway. Suits, double-breasted coats and jumpers were all present and along with the appearance of cloche hats the entirety gave the essence of both quality and style. Patrick Grant is the creative force behind E.Tautz and along with having the whole collection produced in the UK, is constantly introducing influences from the military into the brand's Saville Row persona. In 2010, E. Tautz was awarded British menswear designer of the year at the British Fashion Awards and has since continued to make its mark on the world of menswear design.

Congratulations to E.Tautz and Patrick Grant for the consistently high level of praise received for said collection in the press. 

By Josh Walker (@josh_walker_)

Images - BFC

NEWS| Baartmans and Siegel A/W13 Presentation Review

For London’s second menswear-only showcase, former Fashion Scout design duo Baartmans and Siegel took to Covent Garden’s Odeon cinema to present a line-up of looks grounded in the duplicity of war-time heroes gracing such screens, and the adolescent vulnerability beneath that toughened exterior.

It was a theme evident in the uniformity of looks presented, with a gradient palette of greys, punctuated with intermittent crimsons, and pillar-box reds; and more explicitly in signature British-military ‘Red Coats’, updated with a dropped-shoulder and loftier-fit than that of their 18^th century fore-bearers.

Despite Wouter and Amber’s dual-heritage roots, this collection was indubitably British- if not for the acquiescent nod to British textile via herringbone suits (updated with exposed zippers, and fur-trim hoods)- for the tonal references to the London landscape: fundamentally grey in-part of characteristically wet weather, but with a vibrancy both in the pillar-box post boxes dotting the city’s streets, and the energy- and diversity- of our quintessential fashion character.

It’s that same essence that London Collections captures, and why Baartmans and Seigel thrive- and why we’re proud to have had them present with us.

Keep up to date with Amber and Wouter via their Twitter, and tweet your thoughts on their Autumn/ Winter output to us, @FashionScout.

Image source: Fashion156

NEWS| Baartmans and Siegel interviewed by GQ

Vauxhall Fashion Scout alumi, Wouter Baartmans and Amber Siegel - known as Baartmans & Siegel - took to London's second menswear-only showcase this week, presenting Autumn/ Winter '13 as part of the new season's London Collections: Men. Before the three-day event kicked off, the design duo caught up with GQ to discuss inspirations, and points of reference- detailing men that encompass the synonymous label's ideals, and what makes London special.

The pair also hinted at their post-presentation get-away destination- in keeping with the previous season's run. No doubt they'll be taking a well-deserved break in a set-up similar to the images we left last season's show with.

Check out the full GQ interview here, and return to our blog tomorrow for a review of their collection.

Images: GQ-magazine.co.uk

NEWS| TOBEFRANK A/W13 Presentation Review

The wooden shelves filled with literature seem a fitting house for the AW13 collection of VFS's former One to Watch TOBEFRANK. Presented as part of the London Collections: Men, the collection embodies the essence of being a real gent, featuring pieces designed for the stylish man who appreciates both traditional and contemporary clothing of the highest quality.

Comprised of jumpers hand-stitched by Yorkshire shepherdess Sue Wiles, blazers and shirts, the collection is inspired by English literature and the story of designer Frank Phillips' father who has worked his way to success from being born into a lower working class family. Combine those influences with the label's authentic style and you have a showcase of incredibly personal pieces.






TOBEFRANK will be exhibited until Wednesday 9th January.






By Josh Walker (@josh_walker_)

Image from Derrick Kakembo, Fashion156

NEWS| Joe Turvey A/W13 Fashion East Presentation Review

Former Fashion Scout Ones to Watch designer Joe Turvey showcased his A/W13 collection yesterday as part of Fashion East's installation at London Collections: Men. 

Illustration focussed sweaters and splattered dalmatian inspired prints with sequin accents littered the collection, whilst the monochrome -with a splash of red- palette made the parallels to Cruella de Vil  clear. Heavy blazers, bomber jackets and oversized hoodies gave the collection a darker feel - juxtaposing handsomely with the dalmatian theme and real-life pup in one model's arms. 

View more images of the Fashion East installation here alongside their review on VogueUK. 

By Cass Gowing, Editor

Images from BFC and Fashion156

NEWS| Joe Turvey A/W13 Preview with Fashion 156

Former Fashion Scout Ones to Watch Menswear designer Joe Turvey is today showcasing his A/W13 collection as part of Fashion East's installation at BFC's London Collections: Men. Ahead of the initiative, Fashion156.com presented one of his looks as part of their London Collections: Men Preview. Meanwhile Style.com focussed on Joe in their 'Designers to Watch' feature. 

Stay tuned to the Fashion Scout blog for a collection review of Joe and all Fashion Scout's alumni's A/W13 lines. 

By Cass Gowing, Editor

Images: Joe Turvey and Fashion156.com

NEWS| Joe Turvey interviewed by Drapers ahead of London Collections

With the London Collections: Men just around the corner our former One to Watch winner Joseph Turvey, who has been selected to be a part of Fashion East's A/W13 menswear installation, has been interviewed by Drapers. In a conversation covering what we can expect from his new collection, as well his thoughts on London Collections: Men and Fashion East, the designer has promised fun pieces that work "with a darker palette… a heavier silhouette," and experiment with black whilst retaining the humour of previous seasons.

We caught up with Joe last month and he told us, "I really can’t wait to be a part of the Fashion East installation... the location is amazing and the other designers are very talented and I’m looking forward to being a part of it."

Since graduating from the London College of Fashion with a masters in Menswear Design, the illustratively creative aesthetic Turvey is known for has been nothing but on the rise. With the London Collections: Men taking place between Monday 7th and Wednesday 9th of January, we very much look forward to seeing what he has to offer.

By Josh Walker (@josh_walker_)

Image: screenshot from Drapers

NEWS| Math Collective and Eudon Choi in Grazia’s Top 7 Designers to Watch

Grazia kick the New Year off in style with their Top 7 Designers to Watch For in 2013, featuring Fashion Scout’s Math Collective and alumni Eudon Choi. Sharing our talent for spotting great young designers, the two make the list selected for their unique vision putting them under the publication’s fashion radar.

Starting as a menswear designer, Korean born Eudon Choi’s graduated from RCA and has since gone on winning Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s Merit Award in 2010 and made an impact winning the BFC Elle Talent Launch Pad. His unique taste for precision and quaint but bold detailing has gained fans at Dover Street Market who picked up his graduate collection as well as celebrity fans in the likes of Sienna Miller and Jade Jagger.  It was his impeccable SS13 collection however that sets him apart and lands him in Grazia’s Top 7 and“really pushed our style buttons”.

Originally studying graphic design Shahzad Mohayudin of Math Collective shows he hasn’t let go of his design roots with an eye for creating elegant looks from geometric shapes. With a strong debut at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Math has had his line picked up by online retail favourites My-Wardrobe and has audiences buzzing with praise for his feminine and street  savvy style. “Definitely one to watch for 2013” says Grazia; We see big things coming for Math Collective.

By Vanessa Omoregie, @wewearblack. Images from GraziaDaily.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE| Fashion Scout Blog chats to Merit Award Winner A/W13 Yifang Wan

 

A Fashion Scout blog exclusive - we chat to newly announced Merit Award Winner for A/W13, Yifang Wan. Yifang will be joining the names of Felder Felder, William Tempest, David Koma and Hermione de Paula as Fashion Scout's acclaimed Merit Award Winners. Yifang Wan will be showcasing her A/W13 collection at Fashion Scout's home of new talent London Fashion Week home, Freemason's Hall - both on the catwalk and as part of our Exhibition Space. 

Congratulations Yifang - how are you feeling ahead of the next collection now that you have the support of the 'Merit Award' in place? Is there an added sense of pressure knowing all eyes are on you, or are you looking forward to getting preparations for Autumn/Winter '13 underway?

It is such an honour to be recognised by Fashion Scout’s panel of experts as the prestigious Merit Award winner for the Autumn/Winter 2013-14 seasons. To be ranked alongside previous winners, any young designer like me would feel added pressure! But I always enjoy a good challenge. I have been working hard on my upcoming collection, and I hope you guys would love them as much as my ones so far.

Prior to your MA collection earlier this year (in reference to the work you produced for your 2010 BA), your work was comparatively pared down with a palette of duskier pinks and neutrals, and a silhouette dictated by the folds and fall of draped silks. Talk us through the developments that led to the unified duotone, linear cut, and accentuating blocks of Autumn/Winter '12, and Spring/Summer '13.

The starting point for my Autumn/Winter 12 and Spring/Summer 13 collections was optical illusion. At that time I was looking at 60’s minimal art and sculpture, and got excited about the scales, materials and geometric patterns involved. I started to experiment with different cutting.
I always see fashion as a soft sculpture form and I have been challenging myself to combine both soft and hard sculptures together. That is why I’ve introduced the solid belt. Considering the softness of the human body and the structure of the skeleton, belts can be made to twist and sit perfectly on the waist, hip and neck. 

Can you hint at whether the contrast we've seen between the softness suggested by the movement and feel of your fabrics, and the solidity of the blocked belts, and geometric necklines will continue into your Autumn/ Winter '13 Merit Award collection? 

I am excited to say that the design of my Autumn/Winter 13 Merit Award collection is based on a brand new concept. However, I see myself as a designer who cares a lot about shapes and structures, you will still get a feel of simple, clean, minimalist and the contrast from my previous collections with new elements added to it.

And finally, what- if any- are your expectations of the future with the springboard that the Merit Award provides? 

Winning the prestigious award was a very encouraging achievement, especially as it has been a tough journey to get there. I now have a huge confidence boost to continue to innovate and push myself to the forefront of the fashion industry. The sky’s the limit!

Sara McAlpine (@sara_mcalpine) Images by Asia Werbel