Meet The British Fashion Council's 2023/24 NEWGEN Recipients
Aaron Esh, DERRICK, Kazna Asker and TOLU COKER joing the likes of Conner Ives and Di Petsa for this year's recipients.
The British Fashion Council has announced the recipients of 2023's NEWGEN initiative.
Chosen by the likes of critic Sarah Mower MBE, stylist Donna Wallace and ELLE UK's own Editor-in-Chief Kenya Hunt, the five new designers have been picked for their 'creativity, strong design aesthetic and point of difference' according to the BFC.
In its 30th year, the NEWGEN programme has supported designers including Alexander McQueen, Grace Wales Bonner and Christopher Kane, providing emerging designers with mentoring, financial grants and recognition in an increasingly competitive industry.
'Celebrating this year's recipients is all the more exciting in light of the 30th anniversary of the initiative,' Caroline Rush CBE explained. 'We are focused on creating an environment for creative and innovative businesses to succeed, and continue to nurture socially responsive and dynamic designers at the zeitgeist of British culture.'
The five up-and-coming designers are set to join ELLE UK favourites such as Chet Lo (the designer who almost single-handedly revived Y2K favourite popcorn knit and worn by Lizzo in our September 2022 cover shoot), Connor Ives (the upcycling king of slow fashion) and Di Petsa (a Greek designer celebrating self-love) making a 22-strong group of the UK's most promising fashion stars.
Here are the five new recipients for 2023...
Aaron Esh
LVMH 2023 finalist and Central Saint Martins graduate Aaron Esh is designing menswear with a twist.
'I want to propose a new vision of masculinity,' he told DAZED. 'We want to show there can be allure to menswear with softness, redefining what masculinity means within a wardrobe.'
DERRICK
Another Central Saint Martins graduate, DERRICK, has taken his student aesthetic to Saville Row, creating an elevated yet relaxed brand with everything from ripstock to silk.
'Lockdown forced me to be contemporary,' the Oxford-native told 1GRANARY, 'To get back to clothes but in a way that feels innovative, responsive and zeitgeisty.”
Kazna Asker
Sheffield native Kazna Asker combines her British upbringing and Yemeni heritage to create genderless streetwear with flair.
'The story that I try to convey is always based on sincerity,' She told YUNG. 'I design in matching pairs – a complementing look for men and women – to represent the brother and sisterhood of my community. My muse is always inspired by the strength and prayer of Muslim women, so I prioritise Islamic modesty within my designs.'
The Winter House
The London-based jeweller The Winter House creates unsettling and arresting silver jewellery. Made to order, these pieces are full of religious and nature-filled shapes and iconography.
TOLU COKER
Tolu Coker, a Central Saint Martins graduate, often works with reworked fabrics (namely: denims, recycled leathers and re-used plastic and lace scraps) to create her bold and playful designs. She's inspired by her native country of Nigeria, and her time in West London.
‘I’ve always been interested in the concept of identity and the role which clothing plays in how we navigate and perceive ourselves and others in society,' Coker told Wallpaper. 'Clothing is such a significant part of our identities, it creates a visual commentary of who we are at any given time, and plays into the perception of how the world sees us.’
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