MEET THE DESIGNERS

From the 9th of June to the 7th of July, 2021, very talented independent designers will be showcasing their amazing creations at our pop-up shop in the heart of Soho - 34 Great Windmill Street.

For a limited time only this new and exciting retail platform is sure to have something for everyone with each brand unique in style and background: contemporary modernity, retro-futuristic and couturesque womenswear, sustainable silk kaftans, up-cycled vintage and handmade jewellery, to note a few.

Let’s meet our designers:

Brand: Bulka

Designer: Nina Bogosavljev

Nina is a fashion and cosmetics designer from Belgrade, Serbia. In her own words, Bulka is unique, feminine, and artistic. 

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

My favorite piece is the “You should be kissed” dress. It will make you feel like you’re coming straight from a beautiful, romantic, forgotten serbian fairytale. It is a very feminine, silk dress with prints of ornaments from old Serbian monasteries.

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

The highlight of Bulka so far, has been shooting the video for my latest collection. I really had a lot of fun designing it, it has been inspired by my latest trip to India mixed with some Serbian elements.

Who’s your ideal celebrity to dress?

A celebrity I would love to dress is Eva Mendes, I am really in love with her style.

Brand: ZMAI

Designer: Neli Štrukelj 

Neli is a designer from Slovenia currently living and working in Berlin. Her goal is to find the perfect blend of sustainability, functionality, and aesthetics. Fascinated by all the possibilities that new technologies have to offer while still appreciating the traditional artisanal way of making things,  her work displays a blend of innovative technologies and traditional crafts. She is passionate about finding new ways to make fashion more sustainable without sacrificing style. Her brand offers innovative, vegan, handbags.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

That's a hard choice to make! It used to be a backpack since I've been using it myself for the last two years and I really love it but we just launched a new model - Diamond Crystal crossbody bag and now that's my favorite piece. It’s just so spicy! :) A true statement piece that will give an edgy touch to every outfit. Can be worn in hand or as a crossbody. The perfect size for city walks, summer events or a date night.

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

We are very happy that we got selected at the open call by the European Union and Slovenian Ministry of culture among hundreds of brands in creative industries. It was a big confirmation that we are moving in the right direction and our efforts are recognized. We are also very happy when we get positive feedback from customers who enjoy our bags. It gives us the motivation to keep going.

Who’s your ideal celebrity to dress?

Zmai means dragon in the Slovenian language. It's a symbol of power, success, and good fortune. In Chinese culture, only excellent and outstanding people were compared to a dragon. So I'd like to believe that every woman who wears a Zmai bag will feel as special, powerful, and admired as a celebrity.

Brand: Mona Cordes

Designer: Mona Cordes

Mona is German, and has lived in London for nearly 6 years, she studied for her BA at Middlesex University in Fashion Textiles and her Masters in Fashion Design at Kingston University. She thrives in vivid places, colourful spots with good creative and free energies around. Mona describes her brand as quirky, patterned, and multicolored.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

My favourite piece in the pop up is my patchworked custom skirt - it is sustainably made, from my 'CIRCUS INFINITY' collection of cuts and using screen-print patches.

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

Being a chosen press show designer from my BA uni in 2019 at Somerset House has been a big achievement for me as well being a LFW profile designer as of February 2021 feels pretty grande to me as of being a graduate of last year. Also, I can say I am proud, I won a year's studio sponsorship with SET which helped me to complete my 3rd and first collection 'VIVAL VIRTUEZ' straight out of uni

Who’s your ideal celebrity to dress?

@uglyworldwide would be a great person to dress and see in my clothing. Jazzelle's style is up my street and she would be my favourite instagrammer to dress.

Brand: Ana Ljubinkovic

Designer: Ana Ljubinkovic

Ana is a fashion designer and artist from Belgrade, Serbia. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts with a major in painting but started doing fashion just upon her graduation. As she describes it, her brand is artsy , kitschy, and couture - Ili Kitsch meets art meets (urban) couture.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

My favorite piece showcased in the pop-up is the red bomber jacket with my drawings, as it tells a story about love.

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

The highlight of my brand so far has been Lady Gaga wearing one of my favorite pieces with handmade cross stitch details inspired by Serbian traditional folk costume. Thank you I.DEA PR :)

Who’s your ideal celebrity to dress?

My ideal celebrity to dress would be Paloma Faith. I love her music and her personality and luckily she owns one of my dresses. I'd be glad to see Helen Bonham Carter wearing something I designed as well..

Brand: Foam Of The Days

Designer: Kristina Ivkovic

Kristina is the designer of Foam of The Days. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts Brera in Milan and has always been crazy in love with fashion. She is a person who thinks the more is more, and you can see it both in her fashion and on herself! In her own words, FOTD is unique, sustainable, and shiny.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

My favourite piece in the pop up is the blue fringe rhinestone jacket. This unique vintage denim jacket is upcycled with tons of rhinestones applied on it. Anyone who sees it falls in love with it straight away!

Who’s your ideal celebrity to dress?

Celebrity ? @badgalriri would be a perfect person to wear my designs. Bold, warm, and fashionable to the core!

Brand: Leila Vibert-Stokes

Designer: Leila Vibert-Stokes

Leila brings together nature and creativity in an explosion of colours and joy through her exquisite textile pieces.  She uses sustainable and eco-friendly materials and works with ethical manufacturers in the UK. Her brand is exuberant, creative and fun.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

Has to be the navy blanket throw. I have been moving into bigger pieces recently and this is just stunning. It is woven like a tapestry in such an astonishing way. Plus it is made from 75% recycled cotton and can be used as a throw, blanket or even as a woven wall tapestry.

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

It is actually just about to come up! I recently created a new piece called Hope - a huge digital flower bouquet and I have adapted it to be put up in these huge windows on the Albert Embankment! Installation is happening next week! Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined my work being printed 7ms long and 4 ms wide, and put on display right by MI6...

Who’s your ideal celebrity to work with?

I always design with someone like Iris Apfel in mind - a true original, who knows who she is unwaveringly and doesn't follow anybody else's rules. And I imagine my pieces in an over the top maximalist home when I create them (think along the lines of Tony Duquette's Dawnridge for example.). But I get most excited when I see my pieces in a home I wouldn't expect. I recently sold a throw to someone who has a truly minimalist style - white walls, clean lines, not much on the shelves - and it looked stunning! I love that my pieces are versatile enough to not be pigeonholed to a specific "look".

BRAND: LORA GENE

DESIGNER: LORA NIKOLAEV

Lora is the founder and designer of LORA GENE. She proves that simple designs have the ability to make a big impact. She owns an exciting, open-minded contemporary womenswear label that brings together conceptual thinking and meticulous attention to detail, quality and craftsmanship. Her brand is timeless, elegant and inclusive.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

the Slip Midi dress, because it combines the three above and it's something that really does miss on the market.

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

I think perhaps the feature in 13 best sustainable brands in the UK.

Who’s your ideal celebrity to work with?

My ideal celebrities to dress would be Eva Green and Cate Blanchet.

BRAND: CAMIFOLLA 

DESIGNER: CAMILLA GAMBARI

Camilla gets her inspiration from the Italian glamour and Scandinavian designs Camifolla makes unique creations from second-hand items and natural elements. Romantic and dainty, these limited edition pieces follow trends while being timeless. In simple words Camifolla can be described as “old meets new”.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

A pair of earrings I called the Sassy Kate. They are a unique piece, made from some clip-on earrings and shell pieces. They were a new experiment that I was not sure would work; when I added the turquoise shell pieces I thought they would make the piece either over the top or add the perfect final touch, luckily the case was the latter.

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

Is saying this pop up too much of a cheesy answer? I love working on this brand so every new step feels like a highlight.

Who’s your ideal celebrity to work with?

Zendaya. Her and her stylist Law Roach always create my favourite looks at any event, and if they were to choose a Camifolla piece I would be honoured as I hold their definition of style in such high regard.

BRAND: SEPANTA

DESIGNER:  YEVGENIYA POZIGUN

A design-focused British brand, founded in 2016 by two architects Reza Esmaeeli and Yevgeniya Pozigun, Sepanta is the collaboration of international designers from different design disciplines that see design as continuous study of nature and cultures. A fusion between art, fashion and architecture, we take the avant-garde of contemporary design and the world of beautiful, ancient motifs and patterns to create our stunning collection of jewellery. We create collections that are complex yet stunning in their simplicity. Sepanta is architectural, daring and sculptural.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

Mouj Earrings. We love how intricate, yet classic this piece is. The earrings feature two individual parts that allow the lower teardrop-shape component to move freely and create a shimmering effect. Enriched with crystals, these exquisite earrings are available in yellow and white colours to complement every contemporary jewellery collection.

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

Every event where we can meet our customers in person is a highlight!

Who’s your ideal celebrity to work with?

We would love Nicola Sturgeon to wear our Luxury Parria collection. We also would love to see Emma Watson wearing one of our Mouj pieces

BRAND: LEA NYLAND STUDIOS

DESIGNER: LEA NYLAND

Lea is half Danish half Norwegian and created her womenswear brand: Lea Nyland Studios in late 2019, after working for 6 years as a designer in the industry. Describing her aesthetic expression as creative speculation, her creations lean towards contemporary modernity, evoking feelings of curiosity and experimenting with construction, functionality and silhouettes.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

My favorite piece in the pop-up would either be the Pea Corset or the Flow Dress because those pieces seem to speak to a wide range of different types of women.

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

As I mentioned earlier I have been working in the industry as a designer for 6 years prior to venturing out with my own style and my own name. It hasn’t been that long but in that time frame I was featured in ELLE MAGAZINE, which is pretty cool!

Who’s your ideal celebrity to work with?

My ideal celebrities to dress would probably be Dua Lipa, Margot Robbie, Hailey Bieber, or even someone like Rihanna.

BRAND: LATSCHA ET COMPAGNIE

DESIGNER: FRANCOIS POURIA

Francois Pouria Latscha started his career in marketing for global luxury hotels in France and in the UK. His initial role was to lead the marketing of 32 InterContinental hotels in Europe and subsequently he joined Belmond as Global brand manager to rebrand its collection of hotels, trains and river cruises. Belmond is known for running the celebrated Orient Express train and is now owned by LVMH.

In 2020, François re-established an old family business named - Latscha et Compagnie. As the founder of Latscha, Francois has created a brand which continues the creativity and ambition of its original founders and offers a refreshingly new proposition for iPhone cases and accessories. In his words Latscha et Compagnie is a heritage eco-friendly brand that is both stylish and practical.

What’s your favorite piece in the pop-up? Why?

The blue case is my favourite piece. The lapis blue colour is taken from the beautiful garden of Majorelle in Marrakech which was the favourite property of Yves Saint Laurent, before it became a museum. 

It is the perfect colour to wear on holiday this summer to go to the beach or by the pool. Wearing the case as a necklace is also super practical as swimsuits have no pockets to fit an iPhone!

What’s the highlight of your brand? 

In April I received the phone cases I designed from my supplier. I was blown away at the quality of the products. It was also such a positive outcome of all the work involved.

Who’s your ideal celebrity to work with?

Camille Cottin from the Netflix series Call My Agent. In the series Andrea is always mega busy and she looks at her iPhone all the time. She would definitely benefit from wearing one of my cases and she is so stylish and French - just like Latscha et Compagnie!