The laminate floor in a disused back room on the sixth floor of Tate Modern is currently experiencing an unusual amount of foot traffic. The space, under the instruction of the emerging British designer Aaron Esh, is being transformed into a venue for his debut show at London Fashion Week, where he will present a co-ed collection and unveil his womenswear for the very first time on Monday. The space ‘spoke to him’, he says, because ‘it reminded me of a flatshare in my student accommodation… it’s urban, unpretentious and raw.’
Esh, who graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2022, knows that capturing attention within a schedule of big-name designers — including Erdem, Burberry and Simone Rocha — is key. Shows last just a few minutes, and it’s hard to stand out. ‘Everything is ultimately about content,’ says the London-born designer, who is project managing his own show that is being supported by Newgen — the British Fashion Council’s funding initiative for emerging talent. ‘I wanted to be able to control the lighting, the vibe, the tone of the photography… This is really my chance to communicate visually the brand’s point of view.’
