Unlike most industries, fashion is one that greatly values its intake of young talent. Incubators, scholarships, foundations and designated Fashion Week slots are all prepped and primed to welcome the new perspectives and innovative approaches of fresh-faced fashionphiles. It’s what keeps things exciting and moving forward – once creativity becomes stagnant and dusty, that’s when it starts to die. The new ideas brought to the table by young people are downright essential. They’re often the notions that are the most fantastical, unrestrained by the conformity instilled within frameworks and bureaucracy. To mark our celebration of the most vivid dreamers in fashion, it would only be right to feature some of the industry’s most exciting young talents, who are unafraid to think up the most fanciful things.

BINGRONG HUANG

Imagine plunging into a surreal, gothic world teeming with tulle and cascading volumes of fabric – for 24-year- old designer Bingrong Huang, this imaginary realm is a reality, brought to life by her otherworldly designs. A London College of Fashion student of Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear, Huang skilfully blends AI, 3D printing and traditional techniques to refine her avant-garde aesthetic with each project. Inspired by literature and cinema, her work investigates the death of individualism in modern society, using beautifully constructed pieces to symbolise human resilience in the face of adversity. With a focus on these thought- provoking themes, Huang infuses life experience into her garments, resulting in collections that are emotionally charged and fantastic to behold.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“The dramatic tension between societal oppression and human emotions.”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“Alexander McQueen inspired me profoundly by using his creations to encompass his anguish and the emotions of being unaccepted by society. I deeply empathise with his experiences, wherein design became the sole outlet for channelling his dissatisfaction and his own journey. Every time I watch documentaries about him, it evokes a whirlwind of emotions within me, igniting a greater desire for expressive design that resonates with my own emotional experiences.”

Why is it so important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“That is key to igniting humanity’s ability to envision the future and foster the drive to explore new frontiers. Triggering human imagination not only invites deeper exploration of the designer and their creations but also cultivates a greater curiosity in the audience. Creating works that evoke fantasy fuels my drive to craft more intriguing and avant-garde creations.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“Because of my deep passion for fashion, the process of creating new pieces brings me pure enjoyment. Fashion is something I pursue relentlessly, irrespective of cost, sacrifice or sleepless nights. Engaging with fabrics and sketching designs, I feel a magical surge of energy. The experimentation phase, whether it results in accidental discoveries or unfolds smoothly, presents countless possibilities that I find captivating.”

ZHAOYI YU

The phrase “Next Generation Couture” greets you as you glance at the biography on Zhaoyi Yu’s Instagram. Despite the infancy of his career, this self-proclaimed byline nevertheless rings true, with Yu’s exquisite garments already racking up an impressive array of editorial features. Blending romanticism with a whimsical twist to create demi-couture pieces, Yu graduated with an MA in Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear from the London College of Fashion last year. Rediscovering his natural aptitude for craftsmanship, Yu, 25, used his debut collection Out of Body to explore his struggle with ADHD, utilising translucent fabric to create dynamic pieces that paid homage to daydreaming minds and creative fluidity. Having already been featured in notable publications, the movement and elegance of his designs are already catching the attention of fashion’s valuable tastemakers.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“The beauty of fragility. This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers.”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“Elsa Schiaparelli. She is a romantic idealist whose passion and motivation for creation are not related to any ideology, and her designs are unrelated to natural laws. Her surreal world is full of irony and is always precise and logical, making it an incredible mix of modernity and extreme romance.”

Why is it so important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“Because I believe that my creations are akin to art, as they truly reflect the experiences and emotions of the creator throughout their life. This is what is known as the author’s imprint. I hope that my work evokes fantasy, as through fantasy people can resonate with the beauty I want to express, rather than just see a commodity waiting to be sold.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“When I was a child, I used to be a children’s clothing model. My experiences in fashion shows and studios left a deep impression on me. I also developed a strong emotional attachment to clothing. My work is based on human emotions so I hope that it can interact with people and be integrated into their lives.”

TILDA FULLER

Every summer, the fashion community bustles over to Granary Square in King’s Cross to watch the BA Fashion graduate show at Central Saint Martins, poised to sniff out fresh talent. Last year, Tilda Fuller – a former member of the BA Print class – was one to note. Her debut collection explored the undervaluation of traditionally female- dominated crafts, using sustainably sourced materials to patchwork and embroider outlandish silhouettes that felt equally kitsch and defiant. Incorporating the shape of an accordion into multiple looks, the 22-year-old artfully referenced historical tropes centred on women’s silence. Collaborating with fellow student Isaac Curiel to create a lace-laden headpiece that felt both regal and unruly, Fuller’s approach to design was well-rounded and considered.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“Celebrate the decorative, hard-working hands, women and eccentricity.”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“I’ve always had a huge appreciation for Iris van Herpen’s work, as well as Dries Van Noten and Schiaparelli – I love how they tell surrealist stories using print and colour to inform silhouettes. Chopova Lowena is a brand I admire, the designers make amazing clothes and have such a fresh, important perspective. But I’m definitely most inspired by my peers and fellow emerging designers, for their innovation and forward-thinking approaches – I know so many talented young fashion designers. I look forward to seeing them progress in the industry and watching the changes we all make.”

Why is it so important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“I enjoy designing with an abundance of print and colour. The silhouettes I create become maximalist as they work with the print. This builds a fantastical relationship between print and silhouette, making something new and avant-garde. It’d be brilliant to live in a world where I could pop on the tube wearing my designs. But that isn’t the case! In a sometimes drab and mundane world the clothes I make are like fine art sculptures for the body, to be as decorative, bold and eccentric as possible.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“I didn’t realise it until recently. Since graduating and working as a receptionist, my relationship with dressing and self-expression has changed. Before, I dressed very intrinsically, informed only by how I felt. Now, looking professional and a bit dull is important. I miss the buzz of our studios and the rush felt when creatively problem-solving. Working through a creative project is vital – it’s deeply ingrained in my nature to make things and work with my hands. I’m excited to reassociate with fashion and creative expression as I move forward in my design practice and career.”

HARRI

Sam Smith made headlines in February last year after they wore a black latex bodysuit to the Brit Awards, equipped with bulging knees and shoulders – a look they have Harri to thank for. Real name Harikrishnan Keezhathil Surendran Pillai, Harri, 29, is an India-born designer now based in London who graduated with a menswear MA from London College of Fashion in 2019. Establishing his signature style at the debut of his final collection, he was given a coveted spot as a BFC NewGen recipient for 2023/24. Influenced by his bodybuilding background and the contours of the human body, Harri consequently displayed his BFC-backed SS24 collection in September – a boundary-breaking spectacle that used choreography to emphasise the sculptural buoyancy of his inflated rubber creations. Rooting his interests in an exploration of form and texture, Harri has also finessed his talent for tailoring, using recycled Japanese nylon to edit traditional menswear silhouettes with protruding shoulders and collars. Draped in showmanship and boundless creativity, Harri is injecting a healthy dose of unpredictability into London’s fashion scene.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“My design ethos is always to challenge the current proportions in fashion.”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“I always look up to designers like Henrik Vibskov and Walter van Beirendonck for their raw and uncompromising creativity.”

Why is it so important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“Because, for me, fashion is a means of escapism and I love creating forms and shapes which I have never seen before. This escape through my practice is what balances me as a person, as a designer and also as an entrepreneur.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“I believe in the power of fashion as it helps me combine all my practices from imagery to tailoring in one world and speak to a broader audience from all around the world.”

IVAN DELOGU

Sardinian native Ivan Delogu, 29, makes clothes as love letters to powerful women. Having graduated with a BA in Womenswear from CSM in 2023, with the help of an LVMH scholarship, his upcycled debut collection aimed to showcase the complexity of the female experience in his hometown, drawing inspiration from ’70s performance art movements. Infusing elements of folklore into his character-led designs, themes of popular culture, heritage and poetry are explored. Cobbling together materials like cereal bowls and seaweed to make his elaborate and commanding creations, Delogu was awarded the Maison/0 Green Trail prize for finding innovative ways to approach the climate emergency. He was also handpicked by the Met Costume Institute’s head curator Andrew Bolton for a Sarabande scholarship, allowing him to continue studying for an MA at CSM.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“Ethical, cultural preservation, personal narratives, contemporary, authentic, inclusive, creative.”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“Romeo Gigli, a master of ethereal fashion, has the power to transport us to a world of enchantment. His signature egg-shaped silhouettes and poetic storytelling evoke a renaissance in fashion. His profound respect for women, reminiscent of revered Japanese designers, sets him apart. To stand before a Gigli creation is to be transported to a realm where imagination reigns and dreams come to life.”

Why is it important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“Because it allows me to see the world from new perspectives and expand my understanding of reality. I believe it is crucial to envision a new future and I am not afraid to take risks. Often, my creations reflect a deep connection to the spiritual and metaphysical realms, adding depth and meaning to my work. Fashion has the power to embody the characters from our everyday lives; like books and films, they have such an impact on us and we embody aspects of their look into our own.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“Fashion has always been a means of self-expression that is deeply intertwined with my identity. When I create, it is primarily for myself, as a way to communicate who I am to those around me. I disregard any preconceived notions or expectations from others when deciding what to create and, over the years, I have come to realise that fashion grants me a sense of liberation to express myself. There are many uncertainties, such as my future career and where I will reside after finishing my MA. Developing my personal style allows me to understand myself on a deeper level. This growth is visually manifested through the choices I make in my designs.”

YAKU STAPLETON

To have a clear vision and identity as a young designer is no small feat – one that Yaku Stapleton, 26, seems to have taken in his stride. After being awarded the BFC Foundation MA scholarship and the LVMH MA Fashion Scholarship to study at CSM, the designer debuted his final collection in February 2023. Entitled The Impossible Family Reunion in RPG Space, the offering featured swollen, padded coats, drooping cargo pants and giant cloth hammers, an affirmed nod to old-school video games that earned him the prestigious L’Oréal Professionnel Creative Award. The collection has since been bought by talent-spotting retail platform SSense, marking his integration into the landscape of contemporary streetwear. Drawing inspiration from Afrofuturism, Stapleton has developed a character-first process to design, basing the garments on what his immediate family members wear. Utilising unconventional methods like plasticine sculpting and 3D scanning, Stapleton is imparting his unique vision to create clothes that feel both laid-back and exciting. Retaining a clear design language, he released an SS24 iteration entitled Summer Cousins, maintaining the adventurous essence of his debut with an increased focus on functionality.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“Centre exploration, self-reflect often, exchange information and enjoy the process.”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“My imagination has been particularly influenced by three creatives: Charles James, with his exceptional skill in creating shape from fabric; [director and co- creator of Godzilla] Eiji Tsuburaya, for his visual storytelling and world building; and Henry Moore, for his sculptures and interpretation of the human form.”

Why is it so important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“As a child, playing imaginative games with my brothers was a big part of shaping my creativity. This early exposure to what I now understand as Afrofuturism deeply influenced my designs. I use the nostalgia for these moments as a driver for my fashion storytelling and embrace fantasy as a medium to allow people to explore different versions of themselves and find joy in the journey of self-discovery.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“Expressing myself is vital because it brings me moments of peace. Fashion was simply the first medium that I stumbled upon to allow this self-expression. However, I’ve been able to find this peace within other artistic disciplines too. Creating brings me a sense of clarity that almost becomes the core around which everything else in my life [revolves].”

YASHANA MALHOTRA

A digital banner on Yashana Malhotra’s website reads ‘Meet the Team’. It’s a page which assigns every role – from CEO to seamstress to HR – to the designer, each iteration differing from the next with the help of a flamboyant hairstyle. Although humorous in its tone, the unconventional spirit displayed there is a testament to the approach Malhotra, 28, has to the rest of her work. A talented painter and videographer as well as designer, she graduated from CSM with a BA in Womenswear in 2021, becoming increasingly recognised for her distinctively elaborate dresses. Featuring swollen skirts and sleeves, Malhotra’s aesthetic finds its voice through metallic fabrics and modular silhouettes, which are intended to be reminiscent of fine art while giving the body an unrestricted freedom. Known to carve abstract mirrors to use as embellishments, Malhotra’s creativity extends well beyond the creation of her garments, nodding to an all-encompassing philosophy that makes her such an exciting talent to watch.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“Fun and straight to the point.”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“I have always looked toward artists more than designers. Lee Bul’s [1990 performance art piece] Sorry for Suffering… fascinated me. She went out into the world unforgivingly and I find great joy in that.”

Why is it so important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“The reality is extremely saddening, so the ignorance in/of living through fantasy overrides that.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“How we dress and present ourselves is very telling. It’s like seeing people’s secrets, their moods, their choices, and all of that can be read by what covers their bodies when inhabiting the outside world.”

EDEN TAN

Eden Tan is no stranger to virality. The CSM grad charmed audiences with his debut collection On Borrowed Fabric, the spectacular culmination of his BA in Menswear. In a crafty exploration of waste in the fashion industry, Tan presented six looks, all developed using uncut rolls of fabric. A press frenzy promptly ensued, with industry professionals and lovers of fashion swooning over the 23-year-old’s creative perspective of design. Simple, brilliant and with an innovative outlook on sustainability, the young designer was subsequently awarded the L’Oréal Professionnel Young Talent Award for 2023. A prestigious accolade, the prize nods to a bright future for Tan, with previous winners including heavyweights such as Grace Wales Bonner and Richard Quinn. Drawing inspiration from trailblazing visual artists like Lucio Fontana and Christo and Jeanne- Claude, Tan’s design philosophy is centred around finding new, untrodden pathways and thinking of unique ways to approach collection development.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“Be specific always.”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“Truth be told, I have never been a fashion obsessive. There are designers that I admire, but it’s often for the reasons that fashion doesn’t respect.”

Why is it so important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“The outcome of my work I don’t and can’t control. There is a procedure to it, and sometimes it might end in fantasy, but the process to determine the work is methodical and intentionally anti-fantasy. I try to remove as much of my personality from my work as possible. It is never meant to be about me.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“Fashion, but more so clothing, is a structure to work within. It is a game with deep-seated infrastructure, tropes and limitations, which, when tweaked, reveal uncharted territory. Finding that territory is the intention of my work, in whatever walk of life.”

INDIIA HUNNIKIN

CSM Knitwear graduate Indiia Hunnikin has a knack for turning heads. Having received a BFC scholarship to fund her studies, Hunnikin showcased her debut collection Slaggamuffin Centralé last summer. Presenting a sex-drenched reimagining of harlequin-esque silhouettes, Hunnikin’s creative approach was shown to be refreshingly brash and bold. Infusing the collection with Catholic symbolism alongside militaristic detailing like shoulder palettes and cummerbunds, topped off with a spattering of nipple covers and crotch skimming, the 23-year-old talent showed that she is clearly not afraid to ruffle a few feathers. Drawing on a gaudy colour palette of mustard yellow and bright red, Hunnikin proved she knows how to stand out from the crowd in all the best ways.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“Victoria’s Secret for intellectuals ;-)”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“Westwood, McQueen, Meadham Kirchhoff, for their conviction and execution of narrative.”

Why is it so important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“To both challenge and escape our “real” culture.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“It holds power that is deeply undervalued. Fashion is the language I am most fluent in – I can say so much more than through words.”

JESSIE VON CURRY

Every so often, a designer comes along who is committed to pushing for change. Jessie Von Curry – an MA student studying Costume Design for Performance at the London College of Fashion – is one. Using her creative flair to emphasise the crisis of rapid waste proliferation, Von Curry, 35, has anchored her practice in exploring sustainable solutions. She emphasises the impacts of greed and exploitation on the quality of life in developing countries, with a project entitled Waste Mountain using 90 pounds of second-hand clothing to create a garment that harshly reflects the reality of overconsumption.

Describe your design ethos in 10 words or fewer.

“Dreaming as resilience, designing as resistance and reimagining co-evolutionary futures.”

This issue is dedicated to fashion’s most vivid dreamers. As a young fashion obsessive, which designers have enticed your imagination?

“The American sculptor and performance artist Nick Cave. I saw his costumes in Texas back in 2012. His sculpted forms made of found materials find a balance between the familiar and the otherworldly. Facing his costumes in person feels like a powerful ritual of confronting one’s own demons, limitations and assumptions and stretching into a new realm of possibility. By fusing sculpture and performance into costume, Cave helped me recognise costume’s critical role, which greatly inspires my work.”

Why is it so important for you to create fashion that evokes fantasy?

“For me, dreaming and designing are acts of resistance. I think the fantasy in fashion is its denial of its reliance on extraction and exploitation. As someone who worked in sustainable business before pivoting my career into design, I’m interested in fashion that directly confronts this fantasy. I think design is most powerful when used as a tool to run with the “What if?” questions. For instance, this featured piece, Lucifer, was an exercise in reimagining the future evolutionary state of one of the largest flowers on earth, the parasitic Rafflesia corpse flower. I see the power of clothes to bridge stories between species, which feels necessary given our planetary crisis. I often forage for natural materials for my work and feel most drawn towards embracing the entangled multi-species life that makes up our environments.”

Why is fashion a vital form of creative expression for you?

“I’ve always struggled to find the right words in a given moment so I often rely on visual forms, like clothing, to express what I cannot. This tendency to reflect my emotional world through clothing has stayed with me from childhood. I’m also interested in how what we wear changes our experience and understanding of ourselves, as well as our interactions with others. In this way, I think of fashion and costume as a multi-sensory embodied experience, a daily performance for oneself and the interface to one’s greater world.”

Taken from 10 Magazine Issue 72 UK – DARE TO DREAM – out now!

DREAM BIG: THE DESIGNER WAVE

Photographer JOHN SPYROU
Fashion Editor GARTH ALLDAY SPENCER
Text BELLA KOOPMAN
Models ELFIE REIGATE at Kate Moss Agency and WAWA at Nevs Models
Hair SKY CRIPPS-JACKSON at The Wall Group using Davines
Make-up TERRY BARBER at David Artists using MAC Cosmetics
Set designer BEN GARCIA HUGHES
Photographer’s assistant SEAN MORROW
Fashion assistants GEORGIA EDWARDS, CHARLOTTE SWINDELLS and SONYA MAZURYK
Hair assistant ALICE SCHNEIDAU
Make-up assistant HELAYNA SHELTON
Casting SIX WOLVES
Production ZAC APOSTOLOU

Shoes throughout by CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN