BEHIND EVERY DESIGNER STANDS ACOMMUNITY OF DEVOTED FAMILY, RIDE-OR-DIE FRIENDS AND DEDICATED TEAMS. HERE, FIVE OF BRITISH FASHION’S BRIGHTEST RISING STARS CELEBRATE THE POWER OF THEIR COLLECTIVES...
BIANCA SAUNDERS + YVONNE, CARRINGTON AND ASHLEY SAUNDERS
AT FIRST GLANCE, THE SAUNDERS SEEM a normal family, but among them hides the discerning eye of one of Britain’s most exciting fashion stars. At 30, Bianca Saunders has risen in ranks of the industry, building on her education at Kingston and The Royal College of Art to become a leading light in menswear. And, increasingly by demand, in womenswear.
If she ever needed to know that there is a female customer for her clothes, then her sister, Carrington, 21, proves it. On social media, to her own growing audience, Carrington is quick to say that her pieces are by her sister. The very same designer who is dressing Harry Styles and Hailey Bieber and attended the Met Gala with Usher. ‘You know when musicians have a hype man? That’s how I feel,’ the younger sister shares. ‘She has really impacted the way I look at clothes, and makes me want to be more adventurous.’
Though it might only be her name on the label, Saunders has made her brand a family affair. ‘Everyone helps when they can,’ the designer admits. ‘I’ve had my cousins and brothers in photoshoots and my mum does my backstage catering.’ When she’s not whipping up meals behind the scenes, her mother, Yvonne, is a hairdresser. Having access to that salon environment has been an invaluable resource for Saunders, who often turns to the clients for advice and expertise.
Looking back, some of Saunders’ earliest fashion memories, while growing up in South London, are of how her mum would often choose matching clothes for her and her older sister, Ashley. Now, however, mum is keen to get in on the matching action. ‘She uses us like her catalogue and shops what we’re wearing, so she can be twinning,’ Saunders says, laughing.
For the Saunders family, sharing is caring, and takeaways from childhood endure, especially Yvonne’s schooling on the importance of quality, well-made clothing. Her lessons on being ‘immaculate’ have clearly spread beyond her personal approach to inspire Saunders’ work.
NENSI DOJAKA + SINDI DOJAKA, NICOLE DE MARCO AND MICHAL WISNIEWSKI
EVEN WITHOUT THEIR MATCHING monochrome wardrobes as a visual marker, it would be easy to spot Central Saint Martins-trained designer Nensi Dojaka and her loved ones on the ELLE set. The foursome – Dojaka, her architect-student sister, Sind
