Browns relaunches Browns Focus, its emerging designer support initiative

A long-time supporter of young fashion designers, backing graduate initiatives such as Designers’ Nest and the Graduate Fashion Week, Browns followed a creative path towards the enhancement of young designers’ work by launching digital creative experiences and capsules under the project Browns Focus. The designers included: Commission, Conner Ives, MAXIMILIAN, and Mariah Esa for womenswear and Bianca Saunders, Labrum, LUEDER, Saul Nash, and TSAU for menswear, share their personal stories and offer their visions, inspired by the ‘icons’ that have influenced them the most.

It seems like the designers were given a free pass when it comes to what they wanted to create, as well as the narratives they wanted to push, making this project all about them and their work. Young brands have a strong sense of personal storytelling, and this trait is highlighted through the stories behind the products created as part of Browns Focus. LVMH prize finalist Biana Saunders got inspired by a trip her mum took to Jamaica in the 70’s, aiming to make a collection that looks “neat and well presented” which as her brief stated: “forms core dressing in Black culture.”  MAXIMILIAN Davis’ tailoring was inspired by his childhood memories in combination with 19th-century paintings that followed the passing of the 1834 Emancipation of Slavery Act. Central Saint Martins graduate, and LVMH prize finalist, Conner Ives worked solely with upcycled fabrics, concluding to a series of silk dresses made up of scarves and outerwear made up of fleece blankets, and Saul Nash insisted on his brand’s objective, pushing the boundaries between activewear and luxury. All 9 designers dug deep into their brands’ ethos as well as what their work has to offer to the industry and the world at large, in terms of product and messaging.

Fashion companies need to maintain and push initiatives such as this one, offering their resources, platform, and business input to the next generation of designers; the group of creatives that keep the notion of innovation in the industry alive and who seem to need support more than ever.

Explore the capsule collections here

Words: Natassa Stamouli
Image (Cover): Saul Nash X Browns Focus