Westminster alumni Robyn Lynch, Paolo Carzana and Steven Stokey Daley have all received the British Fashion Council’s (BFC) NEWGEN award and will exhibit their work in the Design Museum in London this September.
The trio are among 22 designers who make up this year’s NEWGEN winners. The initiative, which launched in 1993, celebrates and supports up and coming talent in the world of fashion, offering financial help, showcasing opportunities, a free space for them to work and mentoring sessions to develop critical skills to future-proof their businesses.
To celebrate 30 years of the initiative, the Design Museum is hosting an exhibition to showcase the work of recipients throughout the years. It will highlight how careers in fashion are made and how London continues to be a fashion hotspot for budding fashionistas.
Starting on 16 September, the exhibition will coincide with this year’s autumn London Fashion Week and will run to 11 February 2024. It will be sponsored by NEWGEN recipient Alexander McQueen and will be curated by Sarah Mower MBE, a BFC ambassador for emerging talent. The exhibition will showcase around 300 designers that have been part of the initiative.
This year’s three Westminster NEWGEN recipients will exhibit their work alongside fellow alumni Ashley Williams, Claire Barrow and Priya Ahluwalia. Their work will be displayed among other iconic styles such as the famous swan dress worn by Björk at the 2001 Oscars and a replica of Sam Smith’s inflatable latex suit he wore at this year’s BRITs.
Robyn Lynch founded her brand after she graduated from Menswear MA at Westminster in 2018 and has gone on to reach great heights. Inspired by her Irish roots, she leans into stereotypes, turning them into symbols of pride. Robyn made her London Fashion Week debut in June 2020 with her collection supported by the sportswear brand Rapha.
Paolo Carzana graduated from his Fashion Design BA Honours course in 2018 and made his London Fashion Week debut that same year with his vegan and organically-sourced collection The Boy You Stole. The Welsh designer’s work has grabbed the attention of many industry leaders and has even been worn by A-listers such as FKA Twigs.
Steven Stokey-Daley is a London-based menswear designer who finished his Fashion Design BA Honours course in 2020 and launched his own label later that year. His graduate collection was picked up by stylist Harry Lambert and was later worn by Harry Styles in his music video Golden. The singer can now be seen regularly donning Steven’s looks.
Professor Andrew Groves, Professor of Fashion Design, said: “It’s truly thrilling to see what our talented graduates, Robyn Lynch, Paolo Carzana, and Steven Stokey Daley, have accomplished. Their recognition through the British Fashion Council's NEWGEN award is a testament to their exceptional creativity and dedication.
“They continue to exemplify the innovative spirit of Westminster's approach to fashion education, and this achievement not only recognises their individual efforts but also highlights the long-term impact of Westminster's commitment to nurturing emerging fashion talents.”
Tim Marlow, the Director and CEO of the Design Museum, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with the British Fashion Council to showcase and explore the youthful energy, creative vision and rebellious spirit that is so central to their NEWGEN programme. Visitors are going to be stunned by many of the instantly recognisable fashion items on show, but we hope they’ll also be captivated by the breadth, depth, diversity and world class talent that has emerged from the London fashion scene in the past three decades.”
Learn more about Fashion courses at the University of Westminster.
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