Fashion Scout announces winners of AW18 Ones to Watch

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jan 17, 2018

Young designers Maddie Williams, I Am Chen, Susan Fang and Kristel Kuslapuu have been announced as the winners of Fashion Scout’s Ones to Watch Award. The four winners will receive the opportunity to showcase during London Fashion Week in February.

Maddie Williams, I Am Chen and Susan Fang will exhibit in a group showcase in the Vestibule Catwalk Hall on Saturday 17 February, while Kristel Kuslapuu will showcase within the Fashion Scout Presentation studio on Sunday 18 February.

This is the first time in Fashion Scout’s history that winners have been invited to showcase at LFW in two different formats.

The designers were selected by a panel of six industry experts including Fashion Scout founder and director Martyn Roberts; Hattie Crisell, Acting Fashion Editor at The Times; Ida Petersson, Womenswear Buying Director at Browns; Emma Firth, Online Fashion Editor at Hunger; Kendall Robbins, Fashion Programme Manager at The British Council, and Fabio Piras, MA Course Leader at Central St Martins.

Edinburgh College of Art graduate Maddie Williams was chosen for her collection inspired by Goddess-like figures, Art Brut and Ancient Greek philosophy, while Susan Fang presented a new air-weave technique.

Hong Kong-based brand I Am Chen aims to challenge the definition of knitting by creating garments made by advanced machines with new techniques, and Estonian based knitwear designer Kristel Kuslapuu’s collection is about dark secrets, phobias, social anxieties and traumas.

Fashion Scout Founder and Director Martyn Roberts commented: “This season’s Ones to Watch truly demonstrates what the award was created to showcase and we are excited to have expanded the award across the catwalk and presentation studio to fit with our winner’s creative views. We have a bold and colourful eclectic mix of designers from diverse cultures, making Ones To Watch the highlight of the A/W 18 schedule.”

Previous winners of Ones to Watch include Phoebe English, Eudon Choi, Georgia Harding, Typical Freaks and Joanna Berling.