At London Fashion Week this September, NEXMARKET threw open the doors of East London’s The Loom to anyone who loves fashion, art and music. Over three days, more than twenty designers, twenty artists and ten DJs, backed by AlphaTheta, showed what an invitation-free Fashion Week could look like.
Words by Brian James
Photos by Marcus Hartelt @marcushartelt
London Fashion Week access is often driven by an algorithmic agency which places follower numbers and a particular social media aesthetic ahead of those who have a genuine love for the art and those who practice it.
In recent times, LFW has been a place where the cultural conversation has often centered around inclusivity but where attendance at shows and presentations has usually remained exclusive and the preserve of industry insiders. An ecosystem that’s often defined not only by who’s invited into the room but where they sit in the room.
NEXMARKET, co-founded by Serena Lena, leading the commercial and partnership vision, and Youyou Zhou, leading the artistic direction, is a female-led creative platform built around one simple belief, that talent deserves access, and creativity deserves an audience. Rather than presenting fashion as something exclusive and elusive, NEXMARKET brings the people behind it closer to the people experiencing it.
Eschewing fashion’s tired, traditional closed doors image, NEXMARKET is blowing those doors wide open, committed to creating and curating spaces where visitors can meet designers face-to-face, discover the stories and processes behind their collections, purchase pieces directly, and experience live art and music. A more democratic form of fashion , one that’s inspiring and inclusive.
As Serena told Flanelle “Fashion Week can sometimes feel like a world you need permission to enter. We wanted to create the opposite. NEXMARKET is about giving emerging creatives a real platform, but also allowing people who simply love fashion, art or music to walk through the door and be part of it. You shouldn’t need the right name, connection or invitation to discover new talent.”
NEXMARKET debuted that vision and those values at London Fashion Week in September bringing together over twenty designers, over twenty artists, over ten DJ’s and various creative partners across fashion, electronic music, art, hospitality and design. Running from the 18th to the 20th September in East London at The Loom, a former wool warehouse with its own storied fashion history, it became an independent Fashion Week destination, open to both the industry and the wider public. More than a showcase, the space became a cultural conduit where designers and artists presented their work, DJs performed and visitors became part of the process, without needing an industry connection or being on a hierarchical guest list to attend.
The Loom became a living gallery where fashion and art co-existed , where designs were presented with context and narrative, and installations and live creative interventions continuously transformed the space. Integral to the creation of that immersive environment was the participation of accomplished architects Sasi Studio, the presence of Claudia Pang’s enchanting floral installation and myriad on-site hospitality options including Italian culinary giants Eataly, Botivo’s botanical aperitivo’s and capital-based beverage maestro’s Local Beer.
Talking to us about the diversity of disciplines on display, co-founder and Art Director Youyou Zhou said “NEXMARKET is built around exchange. We don’t want art, fashion and music to exist in separate rooms, we want them to influence one another and create conversations between artists, designers and audiences. Giving emerging creatives space to experiment is fundamental to what we’re building.”
A core part of that exchange ethos was NEXMARKET’s partnership with AlphaTheta, formerly known as Pioneer DJ, the global leader in DJ equipment and audio products. As part of their commitment to grassroots culture and the next generation of creative talent, AlphaTheta joined NEXMARKET to help create this holistic hub, providing a venue for DJ’s Capt Barbarossa, Sho Gabi, Cetta and others to showcase their talent.
As AlphaTheta told Flanelle, “DJing and fashion have always been closely connected through self-expression, identity and community. Supporting grassroots talent means creating opportunities for artists from the earliest stages of their journey, and NEXMARKET provides a space where these creative worlds can meet during London Fashion Week.”
The varied and various disciplines coalesced to provide an ambience and atmosphere which was the perfect accompaniment to the cohort of exciting and emerging designers who showed under the NEXMARKET umbrella. A collective comprised of a global array of brands, including London-based Russian designer Khatz Daniel whose deconstructed, intuitive tailoring caught our eye, esoteric jewellery brand Capsule Eleven whose pieces have been worn by everyone from Jorja Smith to Tyla, environmentally ethical luxury brand Anema, and achingly cool Polish brand Ifitried. Other brands whose collections we viewed on our visit to The Loom were Mala Espina, YMNM, Stamatoui Rafael and Harucette, together with the work of multidisciplinary glassmaker Liana Chan and perfumier Charma Fragrance.
London Fashion Week’s simultaneous scheduling meant that we unfortunately missed other brands who were showing such as Rushe’ Couture, Egyptian Blue and Derya Anastasya, but what they all shared was a palpable and authentic environmental empathy. In a world where over production and over consumption is already exposing much of our planet to cataclysmic climate change, many of the participating designers are committed to a made-to-order, limited-production and low-inventory business model. This revealed itself in the candid conversations we overheard where the designers encouraged visitors to understand the craftsmanship, people and stories behind the garments they were viewing. The retail process became less about simply completing a transaction and more about discovering why something exists and who created it.
That ethical intentionality which underpins all NEXMARLET does, was further evidenced through them highlighting the work of London-based charity Solace Women’s Aid, during the three day event. Solace support women and children experiencing domestic and sexual abuse, and visitors were introduced to the charity’s work and provided with a direct way to donate. An expression of the platform’s commitment to not only celebrate creativity, but to connect with its community and a cause that’s closely aligned with its female-led identity.
Building an inclusive incubator for creatives to share their stories and talents, NEXMARKET is providing a blueprint for doing things differently. One that’s a world away from Fashion Weeks usual high-energy histrionics. One where inclusivity takes precedence over exclusivity and where someone who simply loves fashion, art or music can walk through the door and experience Fashion Week without needing to have undergone an often arbitrary vetting process.
With a podcast on the horizon, those considered conversations we heard at The Loom will soon be reaching an even wider audience.
As co-founders Serena and Youyou told Flanelle “Creativity shouldn’t only belong to the people invited into the room. Sometimes, the most interesting things happen when you open the door.”
