London Fashion Week is known mostly for its unpredictability. Who knows where those one-leg trousers will pop up next? Or which East End church is going to supply the next day’s catwalk venue? But times are changing and this season — more than ever — London’s calendar is populated by designers who are as multicultural as the city’s seven million inhabitants. Rather than producing a mishmash of unwearable items, today’s designers come armed with business savvy.

Not for Osman Yousefzada the usual throwaway seasonal statements; he wants his garments to last for at least 20 years. Or take Modernist, the duo who trained at MaxMara and know more than a thing or two about a slick cut, lots of attention to detailing and proper, de luxe fabrics.

In this preview, six designers show us what they have to offer for next winter. The clothes might depict a rather sombre palette of greys and blacks, but they’re refined, sleek and surprisingly easy to wear.

OSMAN YOUSEFZADA

After a successful debut in September, Yousefzada, the Cambridge graduate-banker-turned-designer returns with a collection inspired by Central Asia. Born in the UK to parents of Afghan origin, he has created a distinctive silhouette by combining sensuous draping in luxurious fabrics. These come from an interest in the costume of ancient cultures, which he uses to produce unique and timeless pieces.

“I’m much more design-led than fashion-led,” he explains. “I might be inspired by the fold of a Buddha toga but then I’ll rework that into something very contemporary.”

For next winter, expect from him lots of grey, white and a polished look with plenty of clean lines.

MODERNIST

Runners-up in last season’s Fashion Fringe competition, Modernist was launched by Andrew Jones and Abdul Koroma. They met while they were working at MaxMara, which they both describe as the “perfect designer finishing school” and where they learnt about “the importance of fabrics” and “how details such as where you place a pocket can alter the way in which a garment falls”.

They hope to bring couture techniques and a polished finish to their sexy but refined and conceptual clothing line. If their all-blue spring collection is anything to judge by, the follow-up should be one of the week’s hits.

NOIR

In case you hadn’t already noticed, clothing with a conscience has become cool. At the top of the organic shed is Noir, a label worn by Sharleen Spiteri at last year’s G8 march in Edinburgh and by Naomi Watts, who liked the clothes enough to wear them on a recent cover of GQ.

A collaboration between Peter Ingwersen (a native of Copenhagen and previously a brand manager at Levis’s Red and managing director at Day, Birger et Mikkelsen) and Rikke Wienmann, it’s aimed at women who have ethical beliefs about fashion and still want to look stylish.

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