A look from the CSM collaboration. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Today, London; tomorrow, the world. The Hong Kong fashion label makes a capital statement in its bid for global domination
On Feb 19 at the Strand in London, a palpable sense of excitement pervades the pristine blue skies on the final day of London Fashion Week, as I.T Group-owned brand Izzue prepares for its historic moment-to be the first Hong Kong fashion label to stage a solo runway show in the capital. But this is no ordinary fashion morning, as it turns into a fashion mourning. News has spread at 10 am that famed Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld has breathed his last and died in Paris. Izzue has inadvertently chosen a prophetic day on which to make a triumphant statement of its own.
Outside, the ubiquitous crowds of voyeurs, bloggers, stylistas, influencers, KOLs (perhaps ironic that Hong Kong's oft-used acronym for "key opinion leaders" also could stand for "Karl Otto Lagerfeld"), the furred and the faux-ed jostle to find focus for the lenses of moment-defining street-snappers. The likes of British singer Lily Allen and fashion designer John Rocha arrive for the Izzue show, as does Hong Kong-born, London-based blogger and writer Susannah Lau aka Susie Bubble.
Not attracting quite the same screen time, though no less culturally visible, is Colombian artist Oscar Murillo with his wife and child. David Zwirner, the renowned gallerist who represents the artist, calls him this generation's Jean-Michel Basquiat. "Well, I live in London, as you know, so it's natural that I come to the shows," says Murillo, who recently staged the inaugural show at Zwirner's Hong Kong gallery in H Queen's.
Izzue x David Bowie (2009). [Photo provided to China Daily]
"I've been in Hong Kong quite a lot recently, so it's a great chance to see the Izzue cool over here in London."
Cool and innovative Izzue may be, but behind the scenes two hours pre-show in the lobby of the Me London hotel, I.T's chief commercial officer, Deborah Cheng, is a combination of pride and anxiety-almost like an expectant mother. "It's like I'm going into labor," half-jokes Cheng. "And you don't know whether it's going to be a boy or a girl, or maybe even twins! We spent so much time and effort to get the show on schedule for today. I really hope you guys like it."
What's not to like? Izzue, set up in 1999, has been on one continuous and experimental mission to pursue design innovation, brand collaborations and projects that pre-empt future trends, along with nurturing design talent by supporting the work of students through top-tier establishments such as Tsinghua University in Beijing and Central Saint Martins (CSM) in London.
Izzue's investment in London's creative scene marks the launch of its capsule collaboration with two CSM students, who were chosen following a design competition, alongside the activewear brand Phvlo and overseen by the school's MA fashion design course director, Fabio Peras. As well as being on the runway, the designs form part of a ten-piece portfolio currently selling in Selfridges.
In keeping with the I.T-owned brand's "Live it Real" mantra, the show gets underway at exactly 2 pm, parading Izzue's key items (or #izzueessentials) of striped tees, sweatshirts, trench coats, down puffers, bikers and shirts/blazers. The looks and theme reflect the difficulties of living in the now-questioning what drives feelings of insecurity or displacement in today's youth, and how they can best equip themselves to combat such emotions.
