BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS SHOWCASE AT SELFRIDGES -The iconic store names its future fashion design stars

"The idea is for each designer to grow and become a prominent part of London Fashion Week," Iancovici told us. "We really wanted to support the designers at a young age and give them a little boost."

SELFRIDGES (www.selfridges.com) has recruited five of the country's most exciting emerging fashion talents.



2012’s Bright Young Things are:

WOMENSWEAR

Sorcha O’Raghallaigh – womenswear designer and illustrator
Adam Andrascik – womenswear designer
Maarten van der Horst – womenswear designer
Alice Lee – womenswear designer
MASC - womenswear designer

MENSWEAR

Shaun Samson – menswear designer
Astrid Anderson – menswear designer
William Richard Green – menswear designer
Alex Mattson – menswear designer

ACCESSORIES

Oliver Ruuger – accessories designer
T.lipop – menswear and accessories designer

ART & DESIGN

Becky Sloan – artist and propmaker
Tinker & Tailor – artists and interior designers
Archie McLeish – graphic illustrator and product designer
Nuha Razik – photographer

FOOD

Jack Coleman – coffee roaster
In addition to the designers selected by the Selfridges team, one of the Duke Street store windows will showcase the work of seven designers from the University of the Arts London’s prestigious Future Map programme. The Future Map graduates to feature in the window are Alex Kwan, Chieh Ting Huang, Joanna Mires, Jy Yeon Suh, Karin Soderquist, Matthew Nicholson and Pip Jolley.

Image above: Bright Young Things- Shaun Samson, Maarten van der Horst, Alex Mattson, Sorcha O’Raghallaigh

"We are constantly looking for new design talent, whether during London Fashion Week, graduate shows or in Paris trade markets, and these five ticked different boxes," said the store's contemporary buyer Alex Iancovici. "They all really capture the breadth of the Selfridges customer. Masc has this very dark androgynous feel, while Maarten's work is very playful and colourful. Sorcha has worked with Nicola Formichetti and Lady Gaga, so it's really great to have her design exclusive pieces for us."