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Emerging Fashion Brand Nominee
BOA, Alice Olivia Cross
Influencer and businesswoman Alice Olivia Cross, is the founder of Because of Alice or BOA as it is best known. Saying no to fast-fashion and ever-changing trends, BOA offers timeless, classic pieces. The brand caters to all age groups and offers inclusivity in an industry that rarely is. “It gives me confidence when I just feel well dressed, but it [referring to BOA] also takes away the stress and pressure of having to think about what I'm wearing every single day. I've got this timeless capsule wardrobe that I can keep going back to, reinventing and restyling in a million different ways.”
Amid the coronavirus global pandemic where a number of businesses were shutting their doors for good, Alice who had already built a strong online presence, launched BOA. It was naturally the next step for her. As part of the generation that saw the rise of Instagram, she bought into the influencer world long before it had been established as a career route. Though she considered herself book smart, Alice didn’t take the traditional academic route. Mostly she wanted to get out into the world, and see first-hand what it was all about.
JASWANT, Jaswant Stoecklin
Jaswant Stoecklin is a Swiss designer and the founder of her eponymous, luxury shoe brand JASWANT.
“I had to really bounce back from a lot of adversities. I had to realise that it might not happen in six months. It might not happen in a year or two, but some day, it will become a reality. That's really what I kept on believing. It was really all about keeping a vision even through the difficult times and the difficult days.
There were some really hard moments; some rough moments; some difficult moments, but to me, it was all worth it because, what I learnt when I hit rock bottom, when things were bad and when I was told to stop everything, is to become completely fearless of failure and business. Fearless of other people's opinions. Fearless regarding taking risks. That was something that I really gained. The difficult moments helped me to leap forward.
This brand is really a reflection of who I am and every detail; my visual identity, my diverse background; which is defined by a lot of contrast of cultures and so many things and different worlds coming together. That's what I try to translate into my work when I create a shoe or a collection. When I mix fabrics or textures, the sense of contrast is always something I think about.”
THE CLCK, Shannon Jennings
Shannon Jennings is the CEO & Founder of TheCLCK, she has spent the last 7 years in the Fashion and Beauty eCommerce space working with several well-known retailers and brands. From leading influencer, social and content marketing in-house at Shopcade, Arcadia & The Very Group to starting her own business THECLCK partnering with some of the top fashion brands including Topshop, PrettylittleThing, Public Desire and Ionic London. Now having relaunched THECLCK, the brand is steadily growing and it’s no wonder when the woman behind it has a tenure of experience in the fashion industry. The brand's message is body positivity and had been in the works for over two years before launching, just at the beginning of its impact, we caught up with Shannon to discuss all things The CLCK and what the future holds for the brand.
Each x Every, Simon Ngu & Joana Feuerharmel
Visionary Simon Ngu is the founder of disruptive shoe brand Each x Every, and alongside luxury shoe designer Joana Feuerharmel the duo is intent on making a profound impact within the fashion industry. Their mission: to make beautiful footwear wearable for each and every woman. Simon believes that no woman should have to compromise on their well-being because they choose to express themselves by wearing shoes they love. Yet the unspoken truth of luxury footwear is that fashion often comes at the cost of comfort. Each x Every are out to re-write this narrative.
The brand's moniker Each x Every, reflects their philosophy that they are a brand for each and every woman no matter their lifestyle, foot size or fashion preference. The first brand of its kind to offer three different widths for every style across their collection, a statement within itself, Each x Every is taking the reins of women's footwear, and they aren't stopping until they revolutionise the footwear game.