The Next Generation Is Here... Part One

The heritage of Browns lies within the future stars of the fashion industry. To this day, we continue to champion new and emerging fashion talent to ensure you are the first to get your hands on these sought-after brands. This season is no exception with the introduction of 31 Next Gen brands. 

The womenswear buying team scour the globe each season and this year they sourced some amazing brands from South Korea, Germany and Georgia including a long list of UK exclusives.

This month, our Next Gen designers are starting to drop and we are thrilled to introduce you to pushBUTTON, Low Classic, MATÉRIEL, Delada and Supriya Lele.

Founded in 2003 by ex K-Pop star Seung Gun Park, pushBUTTON has already established itself as a cult brand in South Korea. Where does the unusual brand name come from you ask? Well, it takes its inspiration from Seung’s muse Madonna and her song ‘Hollywood’ that include the lyrics “push the button, don’t push the button” which, BTW is now totally stuck in our heads. His collections often play with bold colours and mash up decades with each silhouette. pushBUTTON was one of the first in South Korea to put streetwear on the runway and has a strong youth-driven DNA at heart. The shapes are oversized, the styles are vintage inspired and the attitude is fearless. 

Low Classic has a slightly different approach to design than its South Korean counterparts, stepping away from the popular streetwear style and instead being one of the few modern minimalist designers in Seoul. Designer Myungshin Lee started her brand in 2009, designing for the sophisticated yet playful woman. With a strong Asian influence, the fabrics are fluid in a variety of soft shades and each piece is wearable day-to-night. 

MATÉRIEL is the name given to the premium design collective that works within one of Georgia’s oldest fashion manufacturers, Fashion House Materia. Established in Tbilisi in 1949, these runway rebels still managed to partake in fashion shows internationally during the Soviet era and now lead the way for young Georgian designers to showcase their talents. Sub-brand MATÉRIEL offers new designers the opportunity to work under a label collectively. Current designers Aleksandra Akhakatsishvilli and Lado Bokuchava have created a selection of beautiful basics with unique cuts and structured fabrics. 

Headed up by creative director Lada Komarova, Delada embraces the memories of her childhood in her native Russia during its final years as part of the Soviet Union. Nostalgia is her main source of inspiration and her life behind the Iron Curtain is evident in the utilitarian silhouettes and muted colour palettes. Her AW18 collection transforms into a variety of shapes due to the pieces ability to unbutton and reattach in whichever way the wearer chooses. This freedom of style is inspired by the people who travelled to Russia’s metropolitan cities such as St. Petersburg and Moscow after the collapse of the Union, wearing their Soviet issue practical clothes and mixing them with whatever modern fashion piece they could find in order to “fit in” with the crowds.

Recent Royal College of Art graduate, Supriya Lele’s designs are heavily influenced by her British-Indian heritage and this translates through her use of traditional Indian fabrics across a series of unconventional silhouettes. In her teen years, Supriya was a self-confessed “punk goth” who had only worn a sari “a handful of times.” It wasn’t until she studied fashion that she really embraced her heritage and created a dialogue between the two cultures. For AW18 she references her punk days with the use of sheer tops and neon colours and mixes with sari style draping and a traditional Madras check print. 

Our next generation and casualwear junior buyer Costanza Lombardi has a fantastic eye for talent and detail and is constantly flicking through Instagram, checking out the latest graduates and jetting off to see the freshest designs up close and personal. We caught up with her to hear more about these exciting new additions.

What are the 3 big trends from your new brands for AW18? 
Tailoring, checks and the 90s are back.

What are your key items for the season? 
An oversized shirt from Delada, the neon velvet dress from Supriya Lele and a blazer from Low Classic.

The exclusive not to miss?
MATÉRIEL is a new and exclusive brand from Georgia that I’m obsessed with. I was pinching myself in their showroom as I was so excited about their upcoming collections. I can’t wait to get my hands on the silk red dress.

We are pumped to have such an amazing variety of new talent at Browns and the best news is there is still more to come this season across ready-to-wear, bags, shoes and accessories. Watch this space for the latest drops across both menswear and womenswear.

SHOP NEW IN

Words by Alexandra Oliver