With London Fashion Week over and the ushering in of a new season comes a fresh slew of brands to know and swiftly add to your wardrobe. Who better to ask about the emerging designers to watch than a fashion insider whose job it is to scout new talent?
Ida Petersson, Womenswear Buying Director at Browns Fashion, talks us through the six brands she's excited about this season, from eye-catching rain-proof outerwear to Picnic At Hanging Rock -esque feminine florals.
Click through to familiarise yourself with the brands we'll all be wearing this season.
Low Classic
Seoul-based brand Low Classic, led by Lee Myeong Sin, Hwang Hyun Ji and Park Jin Sun, remixes clean, classic pieces with a contemporary flourish. Think trench coats with statement buttons and excess fabric on the seam, and workwear-appropriate trousers with wrap waists and side ties.
"It's effortless dressing at its best," Petersson says. "The tailoring is out of this world and the pricing is extremely well considered." Founded in 2009, the brand is huge in the Asian market, but only just reaching European shores. Petersson's top pick? The slouchy black suit, perfect for business casual.
Poiret
Poiret may be exciting news for AW18, but the brand's history is just as interesting. The founder, French designer Paul Poiret, freed women from the restrictive corset at the turn of the 20th century and became unofficially known as 'the father of haute couture'.
Now, Anne Chapelle and Yiqing Ying are relaunching the Parisian house, focusing on pleats, draping and artful tailoring. "A revived couture house with real heritage and a modern twist," Petersson says of the brand. "This is a classic in the making, the cuts and fabrics are impeccable." Rihanna and Naomi Campbell are already fans, so count us in.
Matériel
Matériel, a Georgian-based collective, was established in 2012 on the foundations of one of the biggest textile producers in the former USSR, Fashion House Material, which dates back to 1949. Rather than looking back, though, this group of designers, including Lado Bokuchava and Aleksandre Akhalkatsishvili, are the country's freshest homespun talent.
"This design collective comes from the hottest emerging fashion country of the moment, Georgia," Petersson says. "Matériel delivers on all levels with wearable clothing at a great price point." Think cutaway silk midi dresses, faux leather trousers, and flared corduroy suiting. Prices start at £275, so Matériel sits nicely among the new wave of mid-range brands like Rixo and Ganni.
byTiMo
Romantic, frou frou, feminine dresses aren't going anywhere fast; they dominated summer and they'll continue to rule your autumn wardrobe. byTiMo, the Norwegian brand founded by Tine Mollat in 2004, does this aesthetic very well, and Browns is stocking eight styles from its AW18 collection.
"byTiMo has managed to balance the right amount of '70s nostalgia that makes this dress collection perfect for this and next season's trends," Petersson says. "We have eight styles to choose from, but the high-neck lace dress looks straight out of Picnic at Hanging Rock." We're pairing with stomping boots for cold weather-cool.
Kassl
Thankfully, rain-proof outerwear is moving away from Duke of Edinburgh Award territory and there's a host of brands creating jackets made for damp British days. Kassl, one part style, one part utilitarianism, is one such brand.
"Functional outerwear is having a moment, and this oil coat brand is both fashion and function at its best," Petersson says. Kassl's raincoats range from statement colour-pop hues to sleek minimalist pieces. Our favourite is the black with neon stitching, one of nine styles exclusive to Browns.
George Keburia
If your summer mood board included shots of Kendall, Gigi et al wearing micro shades, it's most likely thanks to George Keburia 's influence. "George is one of the geniuses behind the micro shades worn by everyone in the last year but beyond this, his ready-to-wear collection balances the masculine and the feminine with razor sharp precision," Petersson says.
Georgia is throwing up some incredible talent at the moment, and George's pastel-hued, art-inspired pieces are among the country's emerging designs. Our favourite is the Pepto-Bismol pink cycling short and blazer suit.
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