Fashion Scout names Tolu Coker as Merit Award winner
London based eponymous brand Tolu Coker has been named as the winner of
the autumn/winter 2019 Merit Award by Fashion Scout, which will see the
unisex fashion label making its debut at London Fashion Week in February.
The Merit Award was created in 2009 as a new talent initiative to
develop new designer businesses and support them on their global goals. As
winner, Tolu Coker will receive a package worth 20,000 pounds across three
seasons including a fully sponsored catwalk show with Fashion Scout.
Tolu Coker, a graduate from Central Saint Martins, has been creating a
lot of buzz for her unisex brand that centres around inclusivity, diversity
and social responsibility. Her designs have already been worn by the likes
of Rita Ora, Rihanna, Emily Sande, and Demi Lovato, and they even saw her
clinch three awards at the ITS 2018 competition across both the fashion and
artwork categories – The Diesel Award, The Vogue Talents Award and The ITS
Time For Coffee Award.
Originally from Nigeria, Coker isn’t just a fashion designer, but also a
textile designer and illustrator, and that all comes through in her designs
which feature reworked denims, recycled leathers and re-used plastic and
lace scraps across striking and daring silhouettes, bold illustrative
prints and embroideries across its environmentally conscious clothing,
shoes and accessories.
Central Saint Martins graduate Tolu Coker wins Fashion Scout’s Merit
Award
Coker states that the brand’s ethos is all about identity with the aim
of serving as a creative outlet for “youthful expression of political
reform, changing social and economic climates and new emerging identities”.
Within her designs Coker showcases her own identity by embracing dual
heritage and cultures by reconstructing the black identity within the
western world with the addition of personal prints, embellishments and
personal old polaroid photos of her family.
Previous collections have focused on giving social ‘outsiders’ a space
within the community by representing their stories and challenging
conventional perceptions of power, aesthetic beauty and stereotypes.
On hearing she had won the Merit Award Tolu Coker said in a statement:
“It came as somewhat a surprise and it’s also a challenge, preparing for a
debut show because I’m a one-woman band. But I’ve been ready for a new
collection since graduation and I have new stories to tell, so while it’s
nerve racking, I’m very excited!
“It’s such an honour and it’s come at such an important time because
storytelling is such an integral part of my brand and my artistry – I’m
passionate not just about designing, but also about how I communicate my
design and use my voice. That freedom of expression requires financial and
logistic support, so this definitely feels like a step in the right
direction. I’m really looking forward to the mentorship, pr and business
advice too, it’s such a necessary resource.”
Fashion Scout’s founder and creative director Martyn Roberts added: “We
are extremely excited to award Tolu Coker the Merit Award following her
exceptional collection showcased at the selection panel.
“Her brand was an easy decision for the judging panel to award Merit to,
due to her originality and exciting concept of implementing past
generations and dual cultures into her work. Fashion Scout are excited to
give Tolu Coker the opportunity to continue building the brand and profile
here in London.”
Coker, who has worked at Maison Margiela, J.W. Anderson and Celine, as
well as collaborate with established labels such as Dr Martens, Swatch and
illy, follows in the successful footsteps of past Merit Award winners
including Eudon Choi, Phoebe English, David Koma, Roberts|Wood, Han Wen,
Xiao Li, Katie Ann McGuigan, and .
Tolu Coker will show her autumn/winter 2019 collection on February 15 at
Fashion Scout during London Fashion Week.
Images: courtesy of Tolu Coker/Fashion Scout