London is a fashion mecca. Whether it's boasting the latest high-fashion trends in its high street windows or fostering growing funky street wear styles in its outlying markets, creative designers and eager fashion gurus have taken over the city's various boroughs for years.
This bustling environment is prime for catwalk and celebrity trends and provides a canvas for well-known designers to unveil their latest seasonal collections. But the foggy streets of London are often less welcoming to upcoming designers looking to get in vogue with the fashion-conscious public.
For several years, recent graduates and original new designers have been showcased at the Alternative Fashion Show in Spitalfields Market - among other underground shows - where they've been able to throw their name out there in hopes of attracting any sort of interest.
But other than that, how is it that designers counter the overbearing presence of the high streets and fancy name brands, while staying true to their own unique vision? The answer seems to be that they do it their own way: they bust out something different and hope the racks of clothing will start spinning in the right direction.
Here, Lauren Burke takes a look at a few innovators who have navigated the backstreets of the London fashion world and lived to tell the tale...
