New girls: meet the three bright young designers adding to the female-orientated schedule at this season's London Fashion Week

It's a woman's world at the shows this weekend as rising stars of the style sisterhood stride onto the scene. Emma McCarthy praises the ladies
Party princess: Molly Goddard's work centers around bright neon tulle ballgowns
Emma McCarthy17 February 2015

With each shiny new set of catwalk shows we wonder: who will tickle the fashion industry's collective pickle? This season we're spoilt for choice. One thing is for sure - it's going to be a woman.

From Fashion East alumni Ashley Williams and Claire Barrow to rising stars Marta Jakubowski and Phoebe English, London's showcase is brimming with girls. In fact, more than half the labels on the schedule have female creative directors.

The British Fashion Council - spearheaded by female power duo Caroline Rush and Natalie Massenet - couldn't be happier about the spiking oestrogen levels. "We are thrilled to welcome so many bright young female entrepreneurs to the schedule," says Rush. "The UK is renowned for nurturing emerging fashion designers and it's this support that reinforces our reputation as the capital of creativity."

Here we introduce three debutants.

Sadie Williams

Born and raised in Ladbroke Grove, Williams's love of textiles first blossomed in the fabric shops on Goldhawk Road. Her graduate collection was considered to be one of 2013's finest, thanks to the architectural gilded neoprene gowns described by fashion critics as "sci-fi priestesses" and "disco Daleks".

Sadie Williams's designs for & Other Stories

Now she has work with J W Anderson and Marc by Marc Jacobs on her CV, as well as a window display in Selfridges. In November, a collaboration with high-street label & Other Stories revealed a more commercial side to her work - with lashings of glitter as standard.

Molly Goddard

She dropped out of Central Saint Martins a year ahead of graduation but that hasn't prevented this west Londoner from thriving. Her calling card? Eye-wateringly bright neon tulle ballgowns which delight the capital's most dedicated party princesses.

Molly Goddard's BA collection shows a bright future for the designer

With internships at John Galliano and Meadham Kirchhoff and a collection for ASOS under her belt, the emerging talent - who cites the Spice Girls and Barbie as inspirations - has been snapped up by Dover Street Market.

Last year Goddard presented "off schedule" in a church hall - transformed into a teenager's party, complete with karaoke hits and 20 of her best friends. Her first on-schedule presentation this Friday is not to be missed.

Samantha McCoach

Inspired by her grandmother's 40-year career as an Edinburgh kiltmaker, LFW newbie McCoach has turned the family business into a coveted fashion label.

Sam McCoach's label Le Kilt brings the traditional Scottish staple bang up to date

Launched in 2014, Le Kilt offers up punked-up tartans - the label is named after the legendary Eighties Soho club - and nostalgic secondary school classics, all handmade in Scotland the old- fashioned way. It's set to make its fashion week debut on Friday. Of course, it will be in the wardrobes of those on the front row in which it will make its biggest splash.

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