If it's true that you can see the approaching of a revolution in clothes, then arguably there’s no better place to look than 2024’s breakout brands to predict what might lie ahead in 2025. Beyond the noise of the fashion news cycle, the ever-changing musical chairs at historic houses and the liquefaction of staunch retailers like Matches, in fledgling studios creativity prevailed in the face of it all. There were small wins, big ideas and personal breakthroughs.
Some sought sanctuary amid soaring inflation and political turbulence, like Paolo Carzana, who staged an intimate London Fashion Week debut in his back garden. Others fortified themselves through their communities, such as Willy Chavarria’s resistant portrait of America and Jawara Alleyne’s joyful tribute to Caymanian culture. Many made a case for slowing things down, exploring practices that are kinder to our planet while giving more time to create with purpose. This gust of change was felt in Michael Stewart’s statuesque beaded gowns for Standing Ground, the padded dramatics of Duran Lantink, and the deadstock alchemy of Ellen Hodakova Larsson. At a moment when building a brand from the ground up has never felt like a taller task, above all there seemed to be a deeper focus on what makes it all worth it – a love of craft and a need to put things out in the world.
