The fashion industry is a notoriously hard market to crack. And for many young aspiring designers, getting a collection into stores can often feel like an impossible dream.
That’s where ASOS Fashion Discovery comes in. Since its launch in 2016, the competition has garnered a devoted audience of fashion fans and helped launch the careers of some very exciting young designers.
Open to labels which have been trading for less than five years, this is very much about the fledgling fashion startups. Winners receive £50,000 in funding and their collections will be sold on ASOS for at least two seasons – and they'll have exclusive access to some of the best brains in the business.
Right now the latest iteration of the competition is down to its final phase, with 10 Fashion Discovery finalists waiting to find out which two will be this year’s winners.
And in the true spirit of ASOS, this isn’t a closed-industry event; the public can also get involved, by voting for the winner of the coveted People’s Pick award. The designer who takes home this prize will have an edit of their collection sold on ASOS for a season. If they bag the main competition prize as well, they’ll be awarded an additional £10,000 instead.
So without further ado, let us introduce you to this year’s finalists. You only get one vote, so make it count…
Cast your vote here!
Voting opens at 10am BST on Tuesday 17th April and closes at 10am BST on Tuesday 1st May 2018.
Tolu Coker
@tolucoker
Hailing from west London, Tolu Coker puts an emphasis on timeless unisex designs. Employing print and texture in modern fashion sometimes means compromising on quality, but that’s something Tolu Coker refuses to do. Celebrating the production process and helping with the public’s conscious education means Tolu Coker doesn’t take any shortcuts.
“I love how clothing can bring people together and empower us all, so starting my own brand to continue that process and journey was inevitable,” says the designer, who also moonlights as an illustrator. Which probably explains her wish to speak to people through her clothing. Slashed denim, lace, prints; they're all angled to convey ideas and start conversations.
Collage by Meriç Canatan
Bans Illustration
@bansillustration
Bans Illustration was born out of Brixton, with a focus on self-love and wearability. “I like to think of each of my pieces as having healing qualities for whoever wears them,” says Bans, whose sense of humour often masks some deeper motifs within her work.
The brand was born as an art project and evolved organically from there. “I've been an artist for as long as I can remember,” says the young designer, who’s always pleased when her pieces turn heads as she walks down the street.
Not for wallflowers.
Collage by Meriç Canatan
Fortie Label
@fortielabel
Every now and again a designer comes along to challenge the status quo. This is exactly what Essie Buckman is hoping to do with her Vogue Italia -acclaimed brand Fortie Label.
The 20-year-old, who counts Rihanna as a fan and was chosen to appear in the 2017 Central Saint Martins BA press show, is busy using her designs to "demolish outdated stereotypes and unify women". This is fashion with a real cause, and we’re into it.
Collage by Meriç Canatan
Desree Akorahson
@desree_a
Inspired by luxury brand Delpozo and its use of bold shapes and colours, designer Desree Akorahson set about starting her own label. With the help of a few friends and an old sewing machine, her creations are now under the eyes of ASOS’ expert panel.
Drawing inspiration from the '60s, Akorahson encourages creativity and self-expression through her work. With bright primary colours and laser-cut details, you'll know an Akorahson design when you see it.
Collage by Meriç Canatan
CARBS
@wearcarbs
“Everyone should have some CARBS in their life,” says designer Jessica Deacon (a self-proclaimed glitter enthusiast). With a playful and bold wearer in mind, Deacon’s designs aren’t aimed at any specific demographic or age group, just people who like to have fun with their clothes.
“I used to really struggle to find clothes that I liked – usually, if I found something I loved that was unique, I couldn’t afford it!” says Deacon. “I design what I want to wear but can't find.”
With a host of unique, bright and playful pieces, CARBS’ designs are the perfect antidote to monochrome and minimalism.
Fun fashion? Yes please.
Collage by Meriç Canatan
Katie Gementera
@katiegementera
Katie Gementera designs for the statement-makers. Inspired by childhood and drawing on themes of nostalgia and playfulness, Gementera employs contemporary silhouettes and whimsical accessories to create her designs.
Counting herself as part of a generation which carefully considers its identity – often under great scrutiny – Gementera has no plans of being put into a box, saying she sees her clothing "evolving with no constraints of staying within one brand concept".
"I'm inspired by anything from art to movies to photographs," she continues. "Even one small detail can trigger a whole collection." Watch this space.
Collage by Meriç Canatan
Sullen Girl
@sullengirluk
Another shortlisted designer who’s preoccupied with the female condition is Sullen Girl. Inspired by photographer Larry Clark, Sullen Girl turns female stereotypes into bold, unapologetic and wearable statements.
With his game-changing designs, the designer says he "wanted to create a collective identity for girls – to give them something which would make them feel empowered". From '70s British punk fangirls to old Chinese martial-art film posters, the references behind Sullen Girl’s silhouettes are diverse and consistently fresh. Expect the unexpected.
Collage by Meriç Canatan
LYPH
@lyphapparel
Gender neutral clothing has been a priority for many fashion brands over the last few years. LYPH has a focus on this too but it comes not just from a desire to be on trend, but rather from an obsession with design and functionality, and a rejection of conventions. LYPH is all about creating playful, unisex cuts.
The concept of sticking to one type of look is alien to LYPH – they’d rather merge trends and silhouettes, and imagine something new every time.
Collage by Meriç Canatan
Krasimira Stoyneva
@krasimira_stoyneva
Another finalist with a view to shaking things up is Krasimira Stoyneva. With designs tailored to the risk-takers, Stoyneva makes clothes for people who aren't afraid to express themselves through personal style.
Crucially, ethics is at the forefront of the brand; she creates all her clothes using sustainable, synthetic hair and pushes the boundaries of art and fashion by being innovative through her use of unique materials. For Stoyneva, the way to further the sustainability agenda is to put collaboration at the heart of everything: “I intend to collaborate with other sustainable designers to be able to offer more exclusive ranges and extend my vision to new products.”
Collage by Meriç Canatan
Wesley Harriott
@wesley_harriott
And finally we turn to east London, where Walthamstow-based Wesley Harriott is using striking silhouettes and multifunctional fashion to create a new type of fashion brand. Harriott doesn’t just see himself as a designer but as a storyteller. “I have created my brand as an outlet for those narratives,” he explains.
Once again, this is a brand with a noble cause: “At the core of Wesley Harriott lies a vision to tell stories of empowerment and to offer style that amplifies a woman's perception and presence,” says Harriot, who challenges fashion’s sometimes limited view of womankind.
Collage by Meriç CanatanLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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