Rising talents spotted in Paris
For more than 20 years, the Paris fashion and accessories trade shows Who’s Next and Premiere Classe have spotted new talents in partnership with Not Just A Label and helped them in their international development.
Here are 3 not-to-miss rising talents, who will display their Spring Summer 18 collections from the 8th to the 11th September in Paris at Who’s Next and Premiere Classe.
ADILEV DESIGN
Adi Lev’s design philosophy comes from an attraction to the dark and forbidden worlds of body modification and fetishism. Creating each piece by hand, Adi’s ‘floating’ geometric forms aim to inspire a new impression of human aesthetic.
As each collection evolves, so does her unique ability to expand and redefine the idea of jewelry by creating distinctive pieces that accentuate different areas of the mouth, nose and body while maintaining a fine, minimalist approach.
In 2016, she was selected as one of the 10 accessory designers to participate in Premiere Classe’s competition The Future of Fashion Program which she won in January 2017. Since then, her jewelry has been exhibited all around the world and is being sold at concept stores and boutiques internationally.
How would you define your brand?
Fine edged jewelry.
Why did you participate in The Future of Fashion Program?
It’s great exposure and a great opportunity to expand my brand internationally.
What were the successes, for you personally, of Who’s Next/Premiere Classe?
Exposure to more people from all over the world, new orders from chain stores, new quality contacts and costumers. Following on from this, I have opened a new studio in Tel Aviv!
What are your projects for 2018?
My projects for 2018 involve expanding my collections to diamond and gold jewelry and adding interesting materials to my silver jewelry, while still challenging myself with new sophisticated ideas of how to connect my jewelry to the body and to the individual. The most interesting thing to me is to solve technical « problems”; In a philosophic way, I believe that every problem has several completely different solutions, we just need to change the way we think to be able to find them.
Follow Adi Lev on Instagram and Facebook.
GABRIELA ALEXANDROVA PARIS
Gabriela Alexandrova is the ready-to-wear winner of the Who’s Next young designer competition The Future of Fashion Program. A Parisian of greek and bulgarian origin, she launched her brand in 2015. She is led by her 10 years experience as artistic director of Press and Publicity for luxury and fashion press, and the desire to express her personal vision of beauty.
“There is, I am sure, a «golden formula» of THAT ONE perfect piece that embodies you so well that it becomes a kind of a second skin, your identity. This garment goes beyond its functions and through time it creates with you an intimate history, one of complicity and confidence. This unique position between self-definition and utility is for me the most exciting thing about clothes. Making them is altogether the work of a craftsman, a psychologist and a film director.”
How would you define your brand?
I make friend-clothes. I love that my clothes are that piece in your wardrobe that you can put on when you’ve had a bad day because you can count on them, they’ll never let you down, they won’t disappoint you, you can count on them. You feel and look good in them. Because for me, the two go together. Elegance and sensuality start with that very intimate contact of your skin against your clothing, that elegance and sensuality come with clothes that make you feel at ease and make you want to move beautifully; it’s subtly thanks to the cut of the clothes. As for style in itself, I am inspired by the years when the modern closet was created (for me that’s between the 1920s and 1980s, from there we’ve gone full circle) but I try to keep my clothes current and up-to-date with an almost obsessive attention to detail.
Why are you taking part in The Future of Fashion Programme?
The name says it all! It’s very flattering to have that as a ‘title’! What an honor and what a responsibility, “The Future of Fashion”!
What has Who’s Next/ Premiere Classe given you?
Everything! Before coming here for the first time, my knees were literally shaking. I was so anxious because it was practically the first time that my work was going to be confronted with the reality of the market and with real people that represent that reality. In that sense, my participation gave me everything! It was like writing on a blank page. I met my first buyers, I heard their opinions, I saw myself through the eyes of people in the industry. It was simply the foundation of everything.
What are your projects for 2018?
Now I’m on my fourth collection, I’m more and more comfortable with the running of the brand. In 2018 I’d like to start doing accessories and probably pre-collections. I hope to continue working with my current buyers as well as getting some new ones. I’m also launching an online boutique to make the collections available ‘instantly’.
Follow Gabriela Alexandrova on Instagram and Facebook.
PRONOUNCE
Pronounce is a high end designer brand established by Yushan Li and Jun Zhou, based in Milan and Shanghai. Yushan graduated from MA Fashion of Central Saint Martins and Jun graduated from London College of Fashion and Istituto Marangoni.
Yushan and Jun share the same aesthetics, both trying to build a modern sophisticated menswear wardrobe combining east and west.
Inspired by different male stereotypes, these two designers keep pushing the boundaries between a boy and a man. PRONOUNCE was the urbanwear category Prize winner from Who’s Next’s latest The Future of Fashion Program competition.
How would you define your brand?
Effortless cool, not trying too hard.
Why do you want to participate in The Future of Fashion Program?
Thanks to Not Just A Label, we get the chance to work with The future of Fashion Program, and we did learn from all the process, which will lead to another level for our brand.
What were the successes, for you personally, of Who’s Next / Premiere Classe?
To work with designers focusly, and provide a platform to get more exposure.
What are your projects for 2018?
London Fashion Week AW18, we are really excited about it!!