IZZUE has been a heavyweight on the Asian fashion scene since 1999, and is known for producing wearable garments with a rebellious bite. It’s collaborated with numerous fashion houses, like label NEIGHBORHOOD for the NHIZ line, which tapped into the toughness of Harajuku in Japan, and made a bold splash with the military-learning collection, ARMY, which relied on saturated colours and repurposed insignia.

This season, the Hong Kong-based streetwear label won’t be stewing in the past but instead looking towards the future. The brand will be celebrating the launch at LFW for the first time in February 2019. Why London? Because the English zeitgeist has always been woven into their garments. “The DNA of the brand has always embodied ‘British Punk’,” I.T. Apparels (IZZUE’s parent company) chief commercial officer Deborah Cheng told Dazed. “The anarchic and rebellious spirit that London has come to represent, with a genuine connection to British youth culture, is a philosophy and aesthetic that runs throughout the brand.”

The latest six-piece capsule collection boldly uses transformation as a theme and will be debuted in the city that has long inspired IZZUE’s DIY punk aesthetic: London. Collaborating with fresh-faced students from Central Saint Martins MA Fashion course, this new line from IZZUE is grounded in being radical yet durable.

The fashion house engages with young creatives – in the past it has provided funding for design competitions amongst Chinese university students – so it’s no surprise IZZUE turned to the minds at Central Saint Martins with a challenge to create a multi-functional garment. The winners of the competition, Harriet Claire Cox and Margherita Mazzola, were inspired by geometric sculptural art and origami. They created a hooded jacket, which depending on the occasion, could also be zipped down into a sleeveless dress.

Cox and Mazzola then worked alongside PHVLO, a sustainable clothing label, and a team of IZZUE creatives to produce a wrinkly-paper-looking pattern made from completely sustainable materials. This final visual was then printed onto all the garments, resulting in a menswear and womenswear collection that celebrates sustainability and transformation with a modern mindset.

Cheng acknowledges the power of a release that works with plucky students and eco-friendly production methods. “The brand is ready to reveal more to the market and now feels a wonderful opportunity,” she says.

After conquering China, and soon London, we can’t wait to see how IZZUE will surprise us again.

IZZUE will be showing its AW19 collection on February 19 and is currently available at Selfridges.