Chopova Lowena CLOTHINGS

Central Saint Martins alumni Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena’s eponymous ready-to-wear label fuses Bulgarian handcraft aesthetics, garish '80s rock climbing equipment, and an attitude of punkish insouciance. Coalescing patchworked pleated kilts suspended from chunky leather belts with embroidered puff-sleeved frocks and kaleidoscopic knits, Chopova Lowena’s eclectic offerings are bold, dynamic, and entirely one-of-a-kind. Adding another layer of uniqueness to the London-based label’s womenswear is its exclusive use of found materials. Sourced from all over Bulgaria, floral and check-patterned deadstock textiles, upcycled fabrics, even old tartan aprons and plaid blankets are cleverly transformed into edgy, avant-garde constructions. Melding folkloric craftsmanship with off-beat aesthetic tropes, Chopova Lowena’s designs find unexpected unity in the seemingly disparate.