A buyer's take on London Fashion Week and emerging designers, with Mytheresa's Tiffany Hsu

Summary

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The Glossy Podcast

Episode: A Buyer's Take on London Fashion Week and Emerging Designers, with Mytheresa's Tiffany Hsu
Date: February 27, 2026
Host: Zofia Zyglinska (International Reporter at Glossy)
Guest: Tiffany Hsu (Chief Buying Director, Mytheresa)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into the unique character and creative edge of London Fashion Week (LFW) 2026, focusing on emerging designers and the buyer's perspective. Zofia sits down with Tiffany Hsu, Mytheresa’s esteemed chief buying director, to discuss standout shows, the practicalities and challenges of bringing emerging brands to global retail, and London’s dynamic mix of multicultural talent.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Distinctive Spirit of London Fashion Week

• Creativity & Non-Commercial Edge:
  Tiffany underscores that LFW is celebrated for creativity and ideas that diverge from mainstream, commercial fashion—unlike New York, which is more “constrained to the fashion norm.”

  "When you come to London Fashion Week, you always want to see something that's refreshing, something that maybe you haven't seen in the market or like a new idea, something a little bit out there, maybe a little less commercial." — Tiffany Hsu [05:21]

• Romantic Gothic Themes Dominating the Season:
  This year's collections are united by a romantic, gothic feel with rich, dramatic looks, abundant shearling, opulent furs, and regal references.

  "I actually thought this Fashion Week was very romantic, Gothic... Even brands that you didn't normally relate to that kind of theme felt quite opulent." — Tiffany Hsu [08:39]

2. Standout Shows and Brands at LFW 2026

• Burberry: Remained true to its heritage but with a commercial, accessible luxury. Outerwear made a strong statement.

  "It was... quintessentially Burberry with Daniel's take. It's commercial in a good way... very luxurious." — Tiffany Hsu [07:39]

• Other Highlights:

  • Joseph and their dramatic outerwear
  • Simone Rocha for romanticism
  • Chipova Lorena’s shift into theatrical gothic, featuring corsets and tartans
  • Erdem’s consistent gothic romanticism
  • Connor Ives' silk pieces noted for opulence
  • Richard Quinn, again recognized for regality

• Memorable Moment:
  Reference to Margot Robbie’s Margot Robbie's Wuthering Heights tour look, created by Dilara and drawing attention to the intersection of pop culture and London’s fashion scene [10:36].

3. The Reality Behind Supporting Emerging Designers

• What Buyers Look For:

  • Creativity must meet the practical requirements of production, delivery, commercial viability, and price point.
  • Not all runway pieces are producible or scalable for e-commerce; often, the most creative designs are special orders or limited editions.

  "A lot of the time you appreciate a collection or the creativity of a designer, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the product is easy to retail in a digital retailer environment." — Tiffany Hsu [11:56]

  "If we buy very little, it disappears on the website. And I don’t want the brand not to do well either... There is a balance." — Tiffany Hsu [12:45]

• Challenges with New Designers:
  Buyers must see actual pieces (not just show samples), and brands must be able to reproduce what is shown. Sometimes, buyers have to wait before a brand can scale up for larger retail orders.

  "As a retailer, if we're gonna pay, we need to make sure we get the product, and that is usually the biggest challenge… Sometimes they send down the runway something very special, but they can’t reproduce." — Tiffany Hsu [13:19]

• Discovery Process:
  No advance notice from most brands; discovery occurs via social media, university shows, and word of mouth [16:07].

• Competition Among Buyers:
  Some competition exists (mainly around exclusivity deals), but for Tiffany, the drive is to provide clients with the newest and coolest options [17:32].

4. London’s Global and Multicultural Scene

• London is an “incubator” for international talent thanks to globally respected fashion schools like Central Saint Martins and LCF.

• The city’s schedule is uniquely international, hosting designers and brands with backgrounds in Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.

  "London’s a big melting pot of culture and creativity... a lot of London designers are known to be thinking outside of the box." — Tiffany Hsu [05:21]

  "I think New York is also very... different cultural backgrounds are well presented in New York... But New York, I have to say, probably way more ahead... supporting multicultural background designers than London has." — Tiffany Hsu [26:26]

• The episode touches on cross-cultural nods in collections, such as Chet Lo and Connor Ives incorporating Chinese influences during Lunar New Year [29:11].

5. The State and Strength of E-Commerce for Luxury Fashion

• Why Mytheresa’s Model Works:
  E-commerce wins by offering convenience, curated selection, swift shipping, and digital immediacy.

  "What we are offering that's different to bricks and mortar... is the convenience and the customer service. Everything is very instantaneous. You see something on Instagram, you want to shop, you can have it on your doorstep tomorrow." — Tiffany Hsu [32:34]

• But Physical Experiences Still Matter:
  While online cannot rival the “emotional part” and sensory experience of boutiques like Dover Street Market, Mytheresa tries to bridge this with in-person events [34:04].

6. Designers to Watch: Buyer Recommendations [35:04]

• Excluding established names, Tiffany recommends:

  • Theo (Daniel Delval) — “Conceptual, well-crafted, beautiful collection”
  • Dilara — “Personal favorite; beautiful, but with limited retail availability”
  • Steve O. Smith — “Incredible craftsmanship, shortlisted for the LVMH Prize”

  "My personal favorite is definitely Dilara, and then also Steve O. Smith... The collection is so beautiful... more people need to see this collection." — Tiffany Hsu [35:28]

• Zofia adds Libero and Raw Mango as noteworthy, with a nod to India's growing fashion presence in the UK [36:06].

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Gothic Romanticism as the Defining London DNA:
  "The darkness, the romantic darkness, is a very uniquely London kind of DNA, I have to say." — Tiffany Hsu [09:47]

• Production Realities:
  "Sometimes what’s in the show isn’t... able to put in production or they can’t produce more." — Tiffany Hsu [13:19]

• Discovery and Competition:
  "Instagram includes fashion stuff, new brands, memes, cute pets... I’m not hunting, but it comes through." — Tiffany Hsu [16:59]

• On Physical Versus Digital Retail:
  "We do a lot of things physically, but in terms of a retail environment... the reason why e-commerce is taking off, it's really just the convenience that we're offering." — Tiffany Hsu [34:34]

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Important Timestamps (MM:SS)

• [05:21] — Tiffany on what makes London Fashion Week exciting for buyers
• [07:39] — Insights on Burberry and drama as a trend
• [08:39] — Discussion on the “romantic gothic” motif
• [11:56] — The buyer’s challenge: creativity vs. commercial retail
• [13:19] — Deep dive into production realities for emerging brands
• [17:32] — Buyer competition & exclusivity
• [24:03] — Collectibles: When fashion becomes art, not just retail
• [25:46] — London’s unique multicultural atmosphere & comparisons to New York
• [32:34] — The value and future of e-commerce in luxury fashion
• [35:04] — Tiffany’s top three emerging designer recommendations

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Conclusion

This episode provides an authentic look at how a leading global luxury buyer evaluates talent and trends at London Fashion Week, all while candidly outlining the balancing act between creative vision and retail reality. Listeners are left with an enriched sense of what makes London unique in the global fashion calendar, and the challenges and joys of championing tomorrow’s style leaders.

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Transcript

[Jill]

Hey guys, it's Jill. You may not know this about me considering all of our fashion talk on the podcast, but I am a big time browser. A shopper, not so much. Part of that is because I'm a sucker for a statement look and I know that the cost per wear is just not going to be there. When I wear something once it has its little moment on Instagram and then I'm on to the next outfit, usually for a glossy event. That's why when it comes to fashion, I actually borrow most everything when that's an option. And I've recently become a fan of Vivrel, which in terms of designer accessories has options upon options upon options. We're talking millions of dollars in new inventory every single week. Vivre is an exclusive fashion and lifestyle membership, unlocking access to thousands of hard to find handbags, jewelry, watches and diamonds. You can just pay a monthly fee and then you make the rules. You can rotate often or you can feel free to take a while with that Celine style that you just can't let go. So check it out. Go to www.virel.com and apply for a membership today using code GLOSSY to get 50% off your first three months of membership. The code also allows you to skip the Virel wait list. That's v I v r-e l l e dot com. Use code GLOSSY for 50% off the first three months of membership. Join Glossy sister brand Modern Retail for their annual marketing Summit taking place April 20th through 22nd in Huntington Beach, California, where brand leaders from Amica Beauty, ThredUp, PacSun and many more will dive into how they're navigating a marketing landscape that is changing more quickly than ever before. This summit will equip you with the knowledge, strategies and connections you need through our one on one meetings, working groups, casual networking and more. Don't wait. We're offering $200 off with the promo code SUMMIT2026NOSPACES. Again, that's S u m m I t2026NOSPACES. Go to ModernRetail Co MarketingSummit to learn more and secure your pass. Brands and retailers may be eligible for a complimentary pass, so apply on the event page to see if you qualify.

[Danny Parisi]

Hello and welcome back to the Glossy Podcast. I'm senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and I'm here with our international reporter, Zofia Zyglinska. Hello Zofia. How's it going?

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, good. Thank you for having me on again.

[Danny Parisi]

Of course. I know you have had a busy week because London Fashion Week Just ended a couple days ago. We're recording this Thursday. London Fashion Week ended on Monday. You, by virtue of being in the uk, had to go to London Fashion Week and go to all the shows. So I know you've been running around. We have an episode this week where you had a discussion with a buyer about the perspective on London Fashion Week. Can you tell us about who your guest was and what you guys talked about?

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Absolutely. So I had the great pleasure of having Tiffany Hsu, who's the chief buying director at Mytheresa, she went to some of the shows at London Fashion Week and wanted to kind of talk about her perspective on emerging designers, kind of what's going on locally, and talk about some of the biggest and most interesting shows. So ones like Burberry or Connor Ives, Simone Rocher, all of those and many more that we talked about on the episode.

[Danny Parisi]

So I'm sure you'll get into it, but can you give us a quick. I want to know what you thought of some of the shows you went to or any interesting trends you saw at London Fashion Week?

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, I think that we've seen this a little bit already, and there's some articles going around, but I think there's a gothic, romantic kind of feel to London that maybe is quite unique compared to the other weeks. And I think this season we saw that even more across many collections. There was a lot of shearling, a lot of furs. It does feel like there's a kind of more boho spirit to. To the London scene at the moment, everywhere from Burberry all the way through to others like Simone Rocha or De Pezza, even.

[Danny Parisi]

Yeah, well, it sounds like a good conversation. It's also keeping in line with our similar conversation we had around New York Fashion Week last week. And we were going to be doing two more episodes on Milan and Paris as Fashion Month continues. But that is in the future. Today we're talking London Fashion Week. Let's listen to Zofia's conversation.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Hi, Tiffany. It's so lovely to have you on today.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Hi. Thank you. I'm very happy to be here.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

It's so nice to talk about, you know, London Fashion Week this season because obviously, typically February is a bit of a smaller set. It doesn't seem like there's as many designers usually, but London, I feel like, was a bit of an exception. I spoke to Laura, who's the head of the bfc, and she said that the number of presentations and the number of shows had actually increased. So there's even more people on the schedule than usual. So tell me, you know, Tiffany, what was some of the things that you were looking forward to going into London Fashion Week?

[Tiffany Hsu]

I think when you come to London Fashion Week, you always want to see something that's refreshing, something that maybe you haven't seen in the market or like a new idea, something a little bit out there, maybe a little less commercial. I guess this is what you normally expect to see at London Fashion Week. Like something that's really, really different to New York having. Coming back from New York Fashion Week, you know, you always expect to see, you know, much more creativity. Yeah. And things that is a little. Maybe a little less constrained to, like, the fashion norm. And that's what you normally kind of want to see in London because, you know, London's a big melting pot of culture and creativity, and a lot of London designers are known to be kind of thinking outside of the box, so to speak.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, there's been some really big ones with that, you know, this season in particular, I think with some of the designers for London that you guys stock. I mean, I'm assuming Simone Roger is one of the ones that you have on your schedule. Tell me about some of the others that you have supported in the past.

[Tiffany Hsu]

So we have Simon Rocha, we have Erdem, we have Roxanda. We used to have Christopher Kane. Yeah. And then we've worked with brands like N. So we still work with brands like Nancy Dorjaka, who didn't show the season, but we continue to support the brand. So there's quite a lot that we work with and continuously look for newness. And Tove, who also didn't show. We also have that.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, it does seem like there was some missing additions, and I think that there are quite a few designers who end up only showing in September nowadays, either because of cost or just because they want to make a bigger impact with their collections. In terms of, I guess, the shows that you did follow this past Fashion Weekend, I know that the biggest tentpole event is always Burberry. So what did you think of the collection?

[Tiffany Hsu]

I really liked it. I thought it was, like, you know, very quintessentially Burberry with, you know, Daniel's take. It's very. It's commercial in a good way. Like, it's easy to wear, easy to understand, but very luxurious. I think also, you know, there's a lot of outerwear going down the Runway, which is very much what Burberry is about. So, yeah, it's kind of nice to see luxurious things in London fashion Week, because that is also something you don't see so often. Very rich.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, it definitely felt like that. I know that Burberry had some great big furs, and I think it's something that we actually saw earlier than the week with the first Fashion Week show from Joseph as well. And that one was also showing up with, you know, bigger furs, bigger kind of outerwear pieces, and something that has a bit more drama. It does feel like drama was a bit of a theme.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Right. 100%, I thought. I keep on thinking Wuthering Height, just because, you know, it just came out, but I actually thought this Fashion week was very romantic, Gothic, like a lot of brand, so very romantic. Very kind of Gothic. Y. Even brands that you didn't normally relate to that kind of theme felt quite opulent. Like Chipova Lorena is normally kind of pucky, but the season felt so theatrical, you know, that she used corsets and the kind of the Scottish pleating, the tartans, just made everything very regal.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, I think. I agree with that. I think that with her collection, obviously it was a presentation this time around, but it was definitely very, I think, Gothic and, as you said, romantic. And I think that you see that opulence as well with, like, Connor Ives, like, with some of the silk pieces as well.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yeah. Because Erdem is always Gothic and romantic, I think, in my mind, you know, and so is Simone. So, like, I feel like you're seeing a few others who's doing things that's. I mean, obviously Delaria, who didn't show, is also like, the perfect example of, like, romantic Gothic. And that's very London, I think it is. It's a very unique. It's a very unique. I think the darkness, the romantic darkness, is a very uniquely London kind of DNA, I have to say.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

It's not something that you really see with Milan and Paris as much. I guess that energy, the spirit, feels a bit more like it.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yeah, it's very like Leigh McQueen, John Galliano, you know, it kind of. Yeah, yeah.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

And obviously it's important to note that Dallara actually did make one of the items that Margot Robbie wore for the Wuthering Heights tour in London. And that was.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yeah, I think. More than one.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Was it more than one?

[Tiffany Hsu]

One or two?

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I saw one, but maybe there was

[Tiffany Hsu]

one more than one. Is it just one? The one with the hair plait?

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yes, that's the one. Yeah.

[Tiffany Hsu]

That was insane. No, I love Ellaria's collection also. I mean, you know, like, Richard Quinn's collection was Very, again, gothic and regal.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah. And I think that the regal aspect made a little bit more of a note this season as well, because the King came to visit one of the shows, Tolu Koka, who presented earlier in the week. So that's something that was a bit different to this week. And this was obviously amid the issues that were happening with the royal family and Andrew obviously getting arrested this weekend. So the timing maybe didn't quite line up for the royal collection, but definitely something that was happening there. And I know that in terms of what you were saying before, it's all about the creativity, the energy, and I guess some of that emerging notes that are maybe not seen on some of the bigger, more polished runways. Tell me, in terms of emerging designers, how do you end up thinking about those and who to stock and who to support?

[Tiffany Hsu]

It's quite hard, to be honest, because a lot of the time you appreciate a collection or the creativity of a designer, but it doesn't necessarily mean the product is easy to retail in digital retailer environment. So it already boils down on something that's very simple, like production, delivery and commerciality and price point. Even though there are a lot of brands or designers that I admire a lot, but sometimes the product isn't actually made or can scale for the size of our business. So, yeah, we sometimes have to wait a season or two when they're like ready, then they'll pick them up or keep our eye on it. So, yeah, there's like the right timing when we pick it up. I guess it's a bit harder when we are not like say, you know, a concept store when you can just buy very little. Because if we buy very little, it disappears on the website. And I don't want the brand not to do well either, you know, for the brand and for us. So, yeah, there is, is a balance.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I wanted to ask you how you make those deals, you know, like with emerging designers, is there like that a stepping stone, progress and at what point are you kind of ready to sign?

[Tiffany Hsu]

So there isn't really a program because I think everyone is different, everyone's ability is different and everyone's set up as a company is very different. But I think what's very important from the get go is, you know, we go see physical collections. So not just a show, we go see what's actually for sale. Because sometimes what's in the show isn't that they're not able to put in production or they can't produce more. So, you know, what they're able to produce is Very important. The price point is very important. I mean, not being cheap or expensive, you know, just like the perceived value is very important. And they're being, they're able to deliver the product is very important. Because as a retailer, if we're going to pay, we need to make sure we get the product. And that is actually normally the biggest challenge or hurdle for a young brand. And sometimes they send down the Runway something very special, but they can't reproduce whatever they send down the Runway, then that isn't really a point for me to pick it up. And then if they're going to only allow me to buy maybe a watered down version or a T shirt with a print, then that is a challenge because I also cannot repurpose, present the brand the way I wanted to be able to show our customer how amazing the brand is. I don't want to sell the water down version. So there isn't a protocol. It doesn't really matter how long you've been in the business. If we like the collection, we will pick it up. But what's very important is the brand or the designer need to be able to produce it. And that is a challenge.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I think that's so interesting that the collection that you're seeing and especially with some of these very exciting brands, might not end up what you can actually buy. That's something that I think a lot of people don't expect when you're looking at some of these collections.

[Tiffany Hsu]

No. And that's why they're special order, because they obviously probably cost a lot to produce, so they can't do upfront production and they end up being special order, which is also fine. It's just a slightly different business model to E commerce like ours. It doesn't mean we don't love the brand or appreciate the design, but it just probably has to go down a different route in terms of selling the product.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

And when you have a scene like London's where a lot of the times designers will be debuting or showing their collections for the first time, are you already familiar with those brands before coming to London Fashion Week? Or will it be like the first time that you ever see them? Do you ever get like advance notice?

[Tiffany Hsu]

Basically, we don't get advanced notice so much. Unless if I go to a Somalti graduation show and then maybe you have seen someone before. No, you don't. We don't get advance notice. Unless you follow someone on Instagram that maybe didn't do a Runway. Now they have, then you keep an eye on it. But other than that, you know. Yeah, it's mostly through social media or like, you know, student collections, if they're so new, or like, word of mouth, obviously. You know, I have a lot of friends in my circle that will talk about things. You're like, oh, let me check it out. Yeah, so it's a bit of everything.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

And does that mean that your Instagrams, you're just constantly hunting for brands to find, in that case, to look for across the market?

[Tiffany Hsu]

Well, you know, Instagram includes fashion stuff, new brands, memes, cute pets, you know, a lot. I'm not hunting, but it comes through.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah. And I wanted to ask as well, you know, in terms of when you do get an exciting collection and you know that it might be something that's commercially viable as well, is there a rush of competition from the buyer's side to, like, snatch up before maybe someone else gets them before they run out or. Yeah,

[Tiffany Hsu]

they don't run out. But, you know, some retailers like to ask for exclusivity, so then if the brand has exclusivity, then maybe you can't tap into them. So there is a sense of rush in that sense. But there is not so much competition out there for me at the moment. So. Yeah, no, of course, you love to be the first in to the one that you support because, you know, we also want to have our clients to have, you know, what's the coolest, what's the newest first. So, yeah, no, it's important, but not necessity.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, definitely. And in terms of those emerging designers, maybe one that you're not stocking quite yet, but someone you're definitely watching, you know, tell me about the ones that are piquing your interest.

[Tiffany Hsu]

I mean, I've been in touch with Dilara for years, you know, but the collection, that is retail, but it's actually quite limited.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Hsu]

And I love Steve O. Smith's collection, like, friends with him. So, you know, I wear the collection, but, you know, it's a couture collection, so, you know, until they can, or if Maybe never, but maybe we can, like, show it to our couture clients. So, yeah, it is quite difficult. And then there's the emerging brand. I can't quite pronounce the name. The Vivexley.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I believe it's Thea Valli. It's from Daniel Del Val, who is obviously the. I think he was the LVMH winner for this year. Is that right? So, yes, it's Daniel Delval who showed in London this season.

[Tiffany Hsu]

You know, the collection's beautiful and it's Conceptual, but so well crafted. But you know, I, I don't know if it's retail or not at the moment, but you know, I think brands also like they, they move on and they develop, don't they?

[Zofia Zyglinska]

So yeah, definitely.

[Jill]

Hey guys, it's Jill. You may not know this about me, considering all of our fashion talk on the podcast, but I am a big time browser, a shopper, not so much. Part of that is because I'm a sucker for a statement look and I know that the cost per wear is just not going to be there. When I wear something once it has its little moment on Instagram and then I'm on to the next outfit, usually for a glossy event. That's why when it comes to fashion, I actually borrow most everything when that's an option. And I've recently become a fan of Vivrel, which in terms of designer accessories has options upon options upon options. We're talking millions of dollars in new inventory every single week. So depending on the occasion, I could play up a throwback look with a little Dior saddlebag, or I could round out a New York It Girl look with a bag by the Row, or I could carry the latest by Bottega because Jacob Elordi inspired me like everyone else and I don't have to feel guilty about changing it up. Vivre is an exclusive fashion and lifestyle membership, unlocking access to thousands of hard to find handbags, jewelry, watches and diamonds. You can just pay a monthly fee and then you make the rules. You can rotate often or you can feel free to take a while with that Celine style that you just can't let go. So check it out. Go to www.vivrel.com and apply for a membership today, using code GLOSSY to get 50% off your first three months of membership. The code also allows you to skip the Virel wait list. That's V I V R e l l e.com use code GLOSSY for 50% off the first three months of membership.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I think actually on that note, because this is something that I've been talking to a lot with designers in London that a lot of their business is now based around kind of custom orders or work for private clients. I'm wondering, is there maybe other areas of the business that you're exploring bringing these emerging designers into, for example, maybe limited time capsules or maybe more of like a event presentation, Just something where it's not quite so obvious in terms of a buy that goes directly onto the E comm.

[Tiffany Hsu]

I think it's a little tricky purely because It's a commercial business. I need to be able to sell something ultimately. But I am, like I said, you know, like, we do have couture clients, so who maybe. Obviously, we don't sell couture pieces, but we do connect them with, like, you know, couture designers. So I'm quite open to, you know, show clients, like, a selection of, like, really beautiful brands that I think they might love. The problem is we are the connection to the product and the customer, so they will have to be happy with the product. So it is quite hard to say, oh, yeah, here is the collection I show you, but then I don't stock it because we also do customer care, we do the service. So it is something that we can't just say, okay, you go buy that brand, but I don't care what happens afterwards, because we are here as a service and a connection. So we need to make sure we are happy with the quality of the product as well and that they can deliver and it fits. So there's quite a lot of it that comes to kind of giving this type of service. So, yeah, I think that is something that we need to still explore. But definitely something on the back of my mind, because you do want to show them what's the most beautiful things and things that I'm inspired, you know, about, and, like, I'm excited about, and I want them to see it too. So, yeah, it's not easy, especially when you have, you know, a young designer who has maybe doesn't have a maison who makes collections and productions that it's immaculate. So.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, exactly. And I think that's the case with Daniel Delvile, like, because essentially these are, like sculptural pieces. This is almost art as much as it is.

[Tiffany Hsu]

I think they're more collectibles. Yeah, I don't think you want to wear that. You want to keep them, don't you?

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, exactly. And I know that, you know, with London, I think it's a bit of a unique place because of the way that it integrates and relies. And you mentioned this earlier about it being a melting pot of cultures, whether that's, you know, Chinese designers who are showing on schedule or else Chinese brands that are also showing on schedule as well. And there's also links between the Middle east and London. It does feel like there's a lot of connections that are happening there that you don't have with the other capitals. Tell me about a brand like Mithradate, for example. What does it bring to the market? And I guess what's the connection, like between its local market and London. What do you see that as a buyer?

[Tiffany Hsu]

That's a very specific. I can't say I have much true. Much thought on it that there is a connection because it has. Because the designer is European and the founder is Chinese.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yes. And then shown in London. So it's quite. I guess it's trying to be international.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Do you see London being unique in that kind of setting where it does feel like it has more international designers and very kind of specific designers on the schedule compared to maybe some of the other fashion weeks? Like New York feels very New York. Milan does promote.

[Tiffany Hsu]

There's a lot of Asian designers though. They might be from New York, but they're all Chinese or Vietnamese or there's a lot. So like, actually I have a group of New York designer friends, they are all Asian who like maybe grew up or they based the collection in New York, but they all have very different cultural backgrounds to America.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Is that like, is there a comparison there, I guess between the U.S. new York fashion Week and the London one? Like, are they doing well to represent those cultures considering the kind of minority presence there?

[Tiffany Hsu]

I think so, yeah. I think New York is also very like different cultural backgrounds are very well presented in New York. I think the collections are very obviously very. Has a very different vibe to London brands, but I think that's just what the American market is. But yeah, I mean, I would say there's a lot of like very well known American brands. They actually have, you know, designers. I mean, if any, I think they have more like well known Asian designers who has like super established houses.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Compared to like London, I think London is more of a newer thing, I think also just because, you know, like, you know, central SA mounting obviously and LCF has a lot of international students because they are so famous. That kind of incubated a lot of foreign designers. But I think New York, I have to say, probably way more ahead of the game on supporting multicultural background designers than London has. I think for London, it's from recent years. Yeah. I mean, some are like Vera Wrong with Philip Lim. They've been there for a very long time.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, that's true. I mean, absolute icons.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Household names that. Vivian Tam. Yeah. They're like household names in America.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah. Anna Suri as well. Yeah, we have a lot.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Exactly. A lot of great names. They have a lot. And they have a legacy of it, I think. Like, I can't name someone like that for the uk.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

That's true.

[Tiffany Hsu]

So I think it's recent years we've seen much, much more diverse backgrounds, you know, like in the uk and I think also Paris Fashion Week has. They're also very well known. Having a lot of established Japanese designers showing Paris.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, that's true. I think the link between Paris and Japan is very strong.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yeah. I would think, you know, in terms of, like, supporting multicultural designers, I have to say, I feel like maybe New York has done a big Asian. That's it. Not multicultural, because it wouldn't be fair. Asian. I think, you know, you hear about them more in the U.S. yeah.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

And I think that's a very fair point. I only ask, of course, because London Fashion Week was happening at the same time as Lunar New Year, so I think that there was a bigger focus with that. You know, certain designers actually went into that with some of their collections. Whether that was Chet Lo, who highlighted a lot of interesting Asian artists and.

[Tiffany Hsu]

But he is Chinese.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I know. Exactly. That's what I'm saying.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Cultural background. Yeah, it's great. I mean, Corner did a little bit of Chinese inspiration here and there as well.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I know. It was the chinoiserie across the yellow coat, wasn't it? That was very, very good.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yeah, love that.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Hsu]

And then I went to a Self Portrait screening yesterday in Chinatown.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I meant to go to that one. It looked very cool.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Oh, really? It was really, really fun. No, it.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Fun. And some great films as well.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yeah, yeah. And very proud to be Chinese.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I mean, Self Portrait's brilliant brand and they always do try and make an effort in London as well, but also in New York and other markets. I was going to ask you before, because I know that you mentioned Central Saint Martins and lcf, and it feels like London has still got a little bit more of that pipeline between the universities into the fashion colleges. I would say most, if not all of the top designer spots right now in the biggest fashion brands in the world are taken by people who went to those schools. Do you end up following some of these designers?

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yes. I'm just trying to think who went to where, but, yes, I don't know where my went to school. I don't think Central Semantic. Dimna did. Dimna went to Semantic. Yeah, Dimna did. So I think you can't not follow Dimna.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, I think there's quite a few who have and obviously who've walked through the doors. Whether that's the creative director of Givenchy right now, JW Anderson, who's obviously designing across brands.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Of course. Yes, of course. Sorry, I just felt like you assumed there's maybe three top schools in the world. And everyone wanted this. Three top schools.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

No, not even close. I mean that's what's I think so surprising about CSM and LCF is that even in spite of the changing environment, they're still churning out quite a lot of those top people.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yeah, three. So you have Central St. Martins, you have the Royal Academy Antwerp and then maybe you have the Royal Academy of Arts. That also. I don't think recent years, not so many, but Samartin probably more.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Then that's kind of it.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Stella McCartney.

[Tiffany Hsu]

I feel like this is too. That's the Martin. Yeah, I went to St Martin's Me too.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

All of us I think ended up going there at some point. And then final topic. I know that it's an interesting time right now for, for the state of E retailers. Retailers and I guess the fashion kind of department store space right now. It feels like there's a bit of a shakeup with what is happening with retailers and concession models and all of those different formats around brands getting their collections into multi brand stores, whether that's online or in stores. So tell me with Mytheresa, what is your I guess approach or philosophy to the current environment of E retail and why do you think it's working?

[Tiffany Hsu]

I mean there are etails that didn't work as well. So I think it is working just because we've moved into the digital age and the convenience is what we can offer. It's like what you see on your phone, you can purchase it straight away. You no longer have to go and wait in line for service in department stores, you don't have to travel. So you know what we are offering that's different to bricks and mortar. Besides our great selection is the convenience and the customer service. Everything is very instantaneous. You see something on Instagram, you want to shop, you can have it on your doorstep tomorrow. This is something that a bricks and mortar store cannot do. So yeah, I think because everyone is time poor, everyone has no patience, everyone wants, want to have the things that they saw straight away on their phone and that's when we come in. And I think that. And you know it's not just fashion like down to your grocery or I don't know, the sheets and your cleaning products, everything. You know, you shop online these days so it's just really a way of life now. Yeah. Is that what you mean why the E commerce is taking off?

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, I think so. I mean I think that there's obviously some brick and mortar experiences that are still working because they center that experience.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yeah. Of course. And that's something we cannot offer. The emotional part of, you know, going to a beautifully curated store such as Dover Street Market, that is. That is, you know, experience of senses that we cannot offer until you receive that package. And you'll be very happy. But, you know, for sure, you go

[Zofia Zyglinska]

to one of the Mytheresa events, which are legendary from what I've heard. Like, that's. That's also something that I think, you know, can't be replicated online.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Exactly. That cannot. So, you know, we do a lot of things physically, but in terms of a retail environment, I think the reason why E Commerce is taking off, it's really just the convenience that we're offering.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

I love that. And I guess as a final takeaway, then, for people who are looking towards London but maybe are not as familiar with the local fashion scene, who would you say are the top three designers to watch?

[Tiffany Hsu]

Oh, this is really hard to watch. So they have to be not established already.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Not established already. So let's say that we have Burberry is out, Simone Rocher is out. Let's do someone a little bit newer.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Okay. Well, obviously, I just mentioned. So Theo's collection. Yes.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Daniel Delval.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yes. And my personal favorite is definitely Delaria, and then also Steve O. Smith, because they don't show very often and they did a small presentation this time earlier in the week. But, you know, the collection is so beautiful and you only see them online and I'm like, you guys have to do more. More people need to see this collection. It's so beautifully crafted. It's incredible.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, it does feel like that craftsmanship element's so good.

[Tiffany Hsu]

And he was also shortlisted for LVMH Prize. Yes.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Yeah, he was. I think that that's always like, a marker of quality. I think from my side, it was probably Libero. And I'm interested in seeing Raw Mango as well, because obviously the Indian fashion scene is a big thing in. In the uk, but also in its local market. Did you see that show, Raw Mango?

[Tiffany Hsu]

I didn't go to the show. I. Sometimes I don't go to all the shows, but I will follow them closely digitally.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Okay, brilliant.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yeah. Unfortunately, I was a little bit under the weather, so I didn't go to as many shows as I have wished.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

Well, I hope you get to see more in September. In that case, there's going to be a lot more exciting shows happening in London. Are you going to be going to Milan now?

[Tiffany Hsu]

Yes, I'm going to Milan tomorrow and then followed by Paris, which is. Yeah. My fashion month just started. New York, and London's the smaller one for me.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

All right. I think that that's everything from us for London Fashion Week. Thank you so much for Tiffany, for joining us for the podcast. It was such a pleasure to have you on.

[Tiffany Hsu]

Thank you. Thank you for having.

[Zofia Zyglinska]

And that's all the time that we have this week. Don't forget to give us a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you're listening to this, it really helps us out a lot. Thanks for listening.