Kristel Kuslapuu FW18 at London Fashion Week

With London Fashion Week well underway, there comes a point in the schedule where you realise you’ve taken on way too much. After all, with two main locations for shows and presentations, and several other satellite venues used to host dreamy showcases, it soon becomes a question of choosing a venue to hover over as it’s just unrealistic to manage the hopping between venues. Day 3 was, and always is that day.

I started and ended day 3 with a banging migraine and ended up missing several shows because of it, the only upside of this vile situation being that I was wearing an awesome outfit (with terrible shoes as I had broken my toe 4 days earlier). My photographer friend and London Fashion Week sidekick, Ralph and I instead took a midday break to skulk around Holborn’s independent coffee shops and talk about upcoming collaborative shoots we’re working on. On our walk back towards Fashion Scout, we decided to take a wander in and check out a static presentation by one of fashion Scout’s FW18 Ones To Watch winners, Kristel Kuslapuu. Here’s a top tip for you Voyeurs, if you have static presentations on your LFW schedule, go 15 minutes before closing and you’re guaranteed an awesome view and the chance to get right up close with the designers work. You might even be able to get the models to pose for you like we did.

Kristel Kuslapuu FW18 Presentation at London Fashion Week 2 models posing in brightly coloured knitwear

Kristel Kuslapuu FW18 Presentation at London Fashion Week

Back to the work. Kristel Kuslapuu is a new designer to the Fashion Scout schedule, after the Estonian knitwear designer showcased at Talinn Fashion Week she caught the eye of the judging panel who brought her talent to the FW18 line up. Although new on the scene here in London, this isn’t Kuslapuu’s first rodeo. She scooped the prizes of 2008 and 2009 SuperNoova in Estonia, Lithuania Fashion Injection and ERKI Fashion Show, alongside being showcased for Estonia at London Fashion Week in the International Fashion Showcase for 2014. Phew, time to take a breath.

Kristel Kuslapuu FW18 Presentation at London Fashion Week Sweater dress

Kristel Kuslapuu FW18 Presentation at London Fashion Week Group shot of models

The succinct FW18 collection is inspired by dark secrets, phobias, social anxieties and traumas. The individual pieces themselves, discuss serious subjects through highest levels of self-irony. Most of the bold, colourful designs in the collection are hand knitted as a protest against fast, convenient fashion – a rebellion that we’re seeing more and more of throughout the Fashion Month model. A twist is added by portraying serious topics with cute and fuzzy materials, such as yarns from alpaca, camel, goat and sheep. Flirting with sculptural forms, bold colours, unique patterns, the collection shares provocative messages and symbols, transcending the traditional gender conformity. Bright, vibrant and definitely eye catching.

Kristel Kuslapuu FW18 Presentation at London Fashion Week Models wearing oversized sweaters and a star crown

Kristel Kuslapuu FW18 Presentation at London Fashion Week 2 models chatting on stage

I wonder what he said to her?

“For me winning was a reassurance that I am at the right place doing the right thing. The excitement of fulfilling one of your dreams is indescribable. I really do feel like I have found something that I am meant to do. Whilst years are passing I feel more and more obliged to give back to mother Earth and having this opportunity to share my art with the world is as given from above. I feel very grateful.” Kristel Kuslapuu.