Fashion Forward winner announced
Oxford
luxury hotel, The Store
Oxford, and independent design talent management body, Oxford Fashion Studio
, are delighted to announce Ella Douglas
as the worthy winner of ‘Fashion Forward’, the inaugural edition of the establishments’ joint fashion design competition, aimed at independent UK designers.
As part of the competition, a group of talented young designers presented their creations to an illustrious panel of judges, including: Anusha Couttigane, Head of Advisory at Vogue Business
; Erin Robertson, fashion designer and winner of Project Runway
(Season 15, 2016); Hannah Kane, Editor and Lecturer at the London College of Fashion
; Tiffany Saunders, Fashion & Runway Director at Oxford Fashion Studio
; George Graham, Founder and CEO at Wolf & Badger
; and Simon Drake, General Manager of The Store
.
Ella Douglas – who by coincidence, is Oxford born and bred – will be installing her creations from 3rd t
February 2025, to be showcased throughout ‘fashion month’. Ella’s work will face Oxford’s bustling Broad Street, gracing The Store’s spectacular floor-to-ceiling windows, once belonging to Boswells department store, whose premises the hotel now occupies, and previously used to display a treasure trove of fashion, accessories, cosmetics and haberdashery items. Ella will also be e-tailing her winning collection on both the UK retailer Wolf & Badger
– purveyors of independent designers – and via Oxford Fashion Studio’s new digital platform, providing an added spotlight on independent talent.
Hannah Kane, Fashion Consultant at London College of Fashion, says, “It’s a pleasure to support and play a role in this significant initiative to shine a light on the best emerging talent that Britain has to offer. We are delighted to congratulate Ella Douglas, and look forward to seeing her winning proposal come to fruition.”
Carl Anglim, Director at Oxford Fashion Studio, says, “The creativity and originality of emerging designers across the UK is truly inspiring. Oxford Fashion Studio was founded in 2009 to support that talent and now operates across the fashion capitals. We are thrilled to be back in Oxford offering a platform for emerging designers where Boswell’s once stood, and we applaud Ella Douglas for her outstanding concept that has made her our deserved winner.”
Ella Douglas’ distinctive approach to avant-garde design draws inspiration from queer identities, subcultures and unconventional aesthetics. A recent graduate of Central Saint Martins, Douglas’ bold design elements include 17,000 hand-applied spikes and industrial-influenced textures, forming a unique fusion of identity, narrative and unapologetic style. Douglas’ window display at The Store Oxford will base itself on transforming the grit of transportation into an opulent fashion statement, in line with her collection being a reimagining of trucker culture and queer aesthetics. The backdrop will be adorned with Oxford Trucking Hats arranged over distinct repurposed tyre shelving, to form a blurred mosaic of hues amidst a sea of parking tickets. The interactive window – equipped with QR codes for wider collection engagement – will create a captivating juxtaposition against the city’s traditional university charm, whilst paying homage to its rich motor industry heritage.
“In today’s social media-driven world, fashion often exists only in 2D, online. The chance to showcase my brand in person to a diverse audience is a privilege, essential for an emerging designer.” Ella Douglas.
“Boswells was one of the world’s oldest department stores dating back to 1738. It was family- owned and much loved by the local community. In the tradition of great British department stores, it was a place of discovery. We want to carry forward this incredible legacy and remain a hub of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship,” said Simon Drake, General Manager at The Store.” Simon Drake, General Manager of The Store.
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