The Dreamers
DilArA fin Di Koglu
Dilara Findikoglu is another
Central Saint Martins graduate
who caused a storm on the
London fashion scene by doing
things her own way, in all its
crimson-hued, gothic glory. The
Turkish-British designer made
her London Fashion Week debut
at a Soho strip club; a year later
she staged a controversial show
at a church. But Findikoglu’s
goal isn’t to shock so much as it
is to make people think: about
the patriarchy, discrimination
and other dark issues that
plague the world. Inspired by
the occult, horror, history and
punk, Findikoglu’s creations
are not too fantastical to have
been sported by the likes of
Bella Hadid and Madonna.cAroline hu
As a child, Caroline Hu was encouraged by her father to
learn oil painting. Years later, the Chinese designer showed
all the sensibilities of a painter through her Matisse-
inspired debut at New York Fashion Week last February.
For the collection, Hu layered, smocked and pleated fabrics
like tulle, velvet and silk, resulting in the appearance
of brushstrokes when seen from afar. Her irresistibly
romantic dresses, intended to be worn by everyday
women and not confined within the world of couture,
would certainly bring a dose of dreaminess to the street.chArles Jeffrey loverBoy
The label shares the same name
as the underground club nights
that he used to throw in London
to fund his Central Saint Martins
education. Those DIY parties
drew a host of wild, eccentric and
above all stylish club kids, and
their energy now reverberates
throughout Jeffrey’s menswear
collections shown at London
Fashion Week. Playful, rebellious
and queer in both senses of the
word, Jeffrey’s designs often
feature artwork (scribbled,
printed or painted), the use of
tartan (a nod to his Scottish
roots) and an uncontainable
explosion of colour. In Jeffrey’s
world, the party is never over.