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Browns Focus ‘Series Two’ launches to shine a light on new global talent

Tom Bottomley
16 June 2022

Browns has today launched its second phase of its “platform dedicated to the designers of tomorrow”, Browns Focus ‘Series Two’.

Now available at the Browns East store at 21 Club Row in Shoreditch, and on the Browns website, it follows on from June 2021’s first edition of the retailer’s revisit to the days of its standalone Browns Focus store on South Molton Street, which originally launched in 1997.

It was an incubator for new talent globally which championed designers such as Christopher Kane, Simone Rocha and Hussein Chalayan, and was an addition to the original Browns store which opened in 1970.

The Browns Focus store closed in 2017, but this another reminder of the Browns legacy of supporting new designers and emerging talent.

‘Series Two’ includes seven design talents including Ahluwalia, Bethany Williams, FEBEN, Namacheko, Nicholas Daley, SELASI and Wales Bonner, who have all produced exclusive capsule collections.

Designs by Wales Bonner, Selasi and Ahluwalia

The collections will be “spotlighted through creative and community centric activations”, continuing the Browns legacy of supporting new designers and emerging talent.

Ida Petersson, Buying Director at Browns, said: “Browns Focus is our way of shining an extra strong light on our newest global talent outside of the general buys we do each season. It’s a platform to showcase each designer’s unique talent and how they work, not just with their brand but also with their communities.

“The next generation of designers need all the support they can get right now, which is why I love Browns Focus as it gives designers a moment they deserve. The legacy of Mrs B (Browns founder Joan Burstein) and her work with young designers is one of the most inspiring stories in our industry and I’m honoured and humbled to be able to continue this path here at Browns.”

Design by Bethany Williams

This year’s line-up was chosen by Browns’ New Gen buyers, Joseph Brunner and Stephanie Bannock, who have worked closely with each partner to build out capsules that represent the individual aesthetic and DNA of each of the brands.

Browns Menswear Buyer Joseph Brunner, said: “They are absolutely the brands of the future. The proof is in the pudding. Alyx and Marine Serre, for example, were once very much seen as emerging brands and are now firmly established with a seat at the table.

“Additionally, a lot of next gen or emerging designers go on to work for big houses and brands, with Marie Lueder, who has gone on to design Kanye’s Donda merchandise, being one example.

Designs by Nicholas Daley, Namachenko and Feben

“The brands we have collaborated with on this iteration of Browns Focus have made significant impact on our industry in a short space of time. Each brand has a unique outlook on design and sustainability, which is exactly what we’re looking for in terms of brands of tomorrow.”

Browns Womenswear Buyer Stephanie Bannock, commented: Young designers have really been moving the needle and setting trends for a while now which is why we've seen so many established brands taking the chance on fresh talent.”

This season’s programme has been brought to life in partnership with HOME by Ronan McKenzie, a photographer and stylist known for creating a multifunctional creative space designed to inspire, share and support the next wave of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) talent.

It’s been built to celebrate and support the values and ambitions of R.O.T.A (Representation On The Agenda), the Browns internal network celebrating the breadth of communities within the company, and wider industry.

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