Fashion may feel like it’s in crisis mode right now, but its future is in the hands of a new generation – and if they have anything to do with it, it’s actually looking quite bright. This is especially true of London. The city is known for its scrappy, DIY spirit, and a wealth of talent that has always somehow managed to make it work. Which is why, this season, we’re homing in on the UK capital to spotlight some of the most exciting talent working in the city right now and ask them what it’s like to forge ahead in new, innovative ways. From the driving force behind one of London’s coolest concept stores to the fashion commentator sparking vital conversations on social media, these eight women are expanding the parameters of the industry’s existing ecosystems.

YING SUEN 

Ying Suen is the co-founder of APOC Store, a hub bringing together an incredible roster of independent designers from across the globe. APOC opened its first permanent IRL space in east London in July, after curating a pop-up shop in New York earlier this year. 

“Fashion is broken in so many ways, but there are more people than ever refusing to accept the way it is and focusing on building alterna - tives. At APOC, we create collaborative eco - systems that nurture artists rather than exploit them. We prioritise fairness and autonomy over what’s easiest or most profitable. “I’m inspired by my friends and everyone around me. Living in London for the past 15 years, I’ve been surrounded by people building things for themselves. It’s a challenging city, but its energy has shaped who I am. I grew up in Manchester, and if I’d stayed there I would have been a completely different person. “As a woman working in fashion, the big - gest challenge I face is myself. So many of the barriers are internalised –doubting myself, second-guessing, trying to unlearn the ways we’ve been conditioned to feel guilty for taking up space. Yes, there are structural barriers, but what I’m grappling with now is how to move through them without becoming burned out. How do I stay open and still push forward?” ED

TORISHÉJU DUMI

If you mixed Catholic tradition, Nigerian mysticism and a strong understanding of flattering structural silhouettes, you might get something like Torishéju Dumi’s work. Born in north-west London to Nigerian-Brazilian parents, the designer debuted her Torishéju brand in Paris last year with a show opened by Naomi Campbell. 

“I think the priestly garments I saw at mass were my first introduction to fashion. I fell in love with the garments, the ritual and the whole ceremonial atmosphere. I am a designer obsessed with form, texture and history. I find inspiration everywhere, anyone and anything can spark something –most recently, it was [the animated film] An American Tail. “Being a woman today comes with a whole spectrum of feelings and emotions. It’s not something I find easy to explain, it has to be felt. I look up to my mother so much. I consider her part of the industry because, without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. As with anything in life, you have got to work twice as hard as a designer if you’re a woman –and, with AI evolving, maybe even three times. But human minds are incredible. Keep exploring. Take more accountability for the world we live in. Slow down, life’s too short to run through.” HD

ELLEN POPPY HILL

Ellen Poppy Hill is rapidly gaining attention for her lovingly crafted, upcycled clothes. Through her one-off pieces, renewal ser - vice and rejection of the fast-paced fashion cycle –she shows just once a year –Hill models an alternative relationship to clothes, which is based on care, not endless consumption. 

“I get inspiration from found things, from reading, artwork, talking to people and even from certain sentences. Everything is accumulated, and the accumulation becomes inspiration for colours, textures and jewellery. “When I was thinking about my last col - lection, I carried this one sentence around for a while: ‘No point in making myself comfort - able.’ I wondered why I felt so connected to it. It represented a kind of strength and resilience, a letting-go of what’s expected and finding a new energy. That’s what I’m constantly trying to do with this brand, because it’s so hard to get a foothold in this industry. “It’s not new information that it’s hard to be a woman in fashion. But I also think that, if you continue to be yourself and have the confidence to do things the way you want to do them, the industry makes space for you. It will be there to listen and try to understand, and I think that’s something people want to be a part of.” AP

LAURA ANDRASCHKO

You’ve probably seen Laura Andraschko’s designs all over your Instagram feed. Inspired by the fash - ion of the 00s, the Berlin-born, London-based designer’s clothes – most notably her snarky “My Boyfriend Went to Eton” and “Chalet Slut” baby tees –count Charli xcx and Lotta Volkova as fans, along with countless others. 

“My parents had a restaurant in Berlin that was open late, so a lot of eccentric people would walk in, and that really sparked my interest in fashion. I love to explore themes like elitism and hedonism, and I’m inspired by everything from twisted movies to gothic architecture and paintings that make me feel uneasy. I try to stay playful in everything I do –by all means, don’t take my work too seriously. “If I’m honest, working in fashion as a woman is pretty horrible. It’s a misogynistic industry, and the women who work in it always seem to be up against each other. It feels like a club of men, and women are a secondary class: just look how many female creative directors there are at the big houses. A lot of the excitement and spectacle is gone. Clothes are trimmed to be sellable and boring. “I try not to get too involved in the industry, and build my own little world with my own rules. Rei Kawakubo has always been someone I look up to for her rigour, and Phoebe Philo. I’m also in awe of my contemporaries building their own ecosystems outside the existing fashion machinery. We need more space for process, not just product, and less obsession with the new. And more women in positions of real power, not just visibility!” ED

FEBEN

Since graduating from the British Fashion Council’s NewGen initiative last year, Ethiopian-Korean designer Feben has taken her eponymous brand from London to Milan and back again –though her most recent collection was inspired by the Hamptons, and Little Edie’s Grey Gardens. 

“There isn’t one particular moment that I fell in love with fashion; I have so many memories and experiences that drew me to it. I love collecting different objects and my inspiration could come from anywhere –a conversation or a colour, for example. My A/W25 collection, Staunch, was inspired by Little Edie from Grey Gardens . “My work takes a surrealistic approach to prints, draping and the female form, inspired by what I have been exposed to. I believe we are all on our own journeys and there’s no point in com - paring, but it goes without saying that some roads are longer than others. The system is not designed for [women], especially Black women, and there’s plenty that needs to change. Doors need to open and voices need to be heard. “I think that it’s important to not take things too seriously –at the end of the day, they’re just clothes –but my advice to any woman starting out in the industry today would be to try and leave it better than you found it.” IVD

KAZNA ASKER 

Kazna Asker’s work blends streetwear silhou - ettes with traditional Middle Eastern textiles, while keeping both protest and sustainability at its core. Her designs have shown support for Palestine, with her A/W24 presentation titled What are we fighting for? 

“My brand combines my Yemeni heritage with my British upbringing, fusing traditional Middle Eastern fabrics and silhouettes with streetwear and tailoring. Most of my inspira - tion comes from my family and community in Sheffield. “The last thing that inspired me was making bracelets with a youth theatre group, but for S/S26 I’m hosting a weekend pop-up exploring how local businesses can create a family-like dynamic in communities. I want to take the interactivity of fashion beyond a 20-minute show and create a two-day event instead. “I’ve always felt empowered being a woman in the industry, especially because Muslim hijabi women are my main muse, so working alongside them and making them feel confident is always inspiring. The main challenge is not being taken as seriously as male designers. Fortunately, I come from a family of resilient women and watching my mum overcome sim - ilar challenges has shown me the strength that comes with perseverance.” IVD

VALÉRIANE VENANCE

With fans in Lorde and Arca, French designer Valériane Venance celebrates women’s bodies with her ethereal corsetry and bespoke silver rib cages for her cult label Indépendantes de Coeur. “My love of fashion began with my obsession for the dresses my grandmother made – I wore them every day – and my dad’s shoes that I would wear around the house. That captures the essence of the Indépendantes de Coeur aesthetic.

“I create pieces that carry emotion and the memory of historical periods I love, with my own sense of modernity. I’m less interested in offering a product than in offering something personal. What matters most to me is creating garments that hold a certain power, something the wearer can feel. That’s what I hope to pass on –power, confidence, freedom. “Working as a woman in fashion today is lay - ered. Some days, there’s clarity and strength; on others, the noise is loud –but there’s beauty in navigating it. The invisible challenges are often the hardest to name. But I think many of us carry an instinct for quiet resistance and resilience. What’s important is to move forward. I admire the women who’ve stayed true to their vision and built something with integrity and respect, like Ellie Grace Cumming, Simone Rocha, Martine Rose and Rei Kawakubo, of course.” IVD

ANASTASIA VARTANIAN 

Since launching her Instagram page, Anastasia Vartanian AKA @fatannawintour has grown an audience of more than 100,000 followers. Filled with forgotten fashion moments, memes and cultural deep dives, her work is a reminder that fashion commentary is alive and well.

 “I fell in love with fashion journalism when I saw Confessions of a Shopaholic. The main character’s magazine column intrigued me: the idea of creating an identity for yourself through your writing. In the entertainment industry, there’s so much PR-speak – I find it refreshing to speak openly, like a friend would. “One thing I find frustrating is that women are more harshly judged for their appearance. I’ve always wanted to be judged for the contents of my brain, which makes writing a pretty good career choice. I admire people who work in fashion but maintain a healthy distance, so they can observe in a more objective or critical way. I’m thinking women like Dana Thomas, Teri Agins and Amy Odell. “I would love the industry to be more acces - sible for people from different economic backgrounds. There’s a veil of glamour in fashion that not many people want to pierce. Talking about the less glamorous parts of the industry will make people realise they are not alone, and hopefully advocate for something better.” HD

Hair Christos Bairabas using Oribe, make-up Kyle Dominicusing Merit Beauty and Augustinus Bader, movement direction, Simon Donnellon at New School Represents, styling assistant Jessie Silver, make-up assistant, Matilde Ribau, production, Eliza Murray and Gemma, Courage at Bene Studio.