Latest news with #EmmaChopova
Graziadaily
a day ago
- Business
- Graziadaily
From Runway To Playlist: Chopova Lowena X Sony's Alto Bag Hits All The Right Notes
We live in a post-Covid world that - let's face it - is no longer arranged to see young, independent fashion brands glide gracefully to success. The odds are less runway, more obstacle course. In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, dwindling sales and stockist pick-ups (never mind the Brexit-induced fees that have battered already stretched young business), designers entering the scene must now hustle harder than ever just to keep the lights on. Concrete solutions. No one's got them. And yet, as the storm clouds thicken, those who know how to build a full-spectrum brand universe - core community, watertight identity, evergreen products - stand a far better chance of keeping their boat afloat. Take Chopova Lowena, founded by Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena in 2017. The duo - the makers of fashion's most coveted kilts (sorry, Scotland) - have perfected the formula. Their charm-heavy, repurposed fabrics, and puckish punk-folk aesthetic have not only carved a very specific, Chopova-Lowena-shaped trench in London's fashion landscape, but also brought in a haul of accolades: several industry awards, the British Fashion Council/British Vogue Fashion Fund, and, crucially, a global fanbase. It helps that they've turned their idiosyncrasies into commercially magnetic product: carabiner kilts, yes, but also bags, perfume, scented candles, and a steady flow of collaborations. ©Chopova Lowena The latest notch in their belt? The Alto bag, created with Sony and designed specifically to carry the tech giant's WF-1000XM6 headphones. The partnership is as unexpected as it is oddly logical. Who made the first move? 'Sometimes it doesn't matter who made the first move,' they tell Grazia. 'Moves were made, and we ended up really happy together, and the Alto Bag was born! The end.' The Alto borrows from the brand's existing Sofia bag (' a bag made to hold all of your girlhood essentials in a fun way'), and adds a practical twist: it holds as much on the outside as on the inside, thanks to the Sony headphones attachment. 'We were excited by how much freedom we had to design fun accessories like the singing girl charm and clashing tartans. Designing it was fun and easy in a way because we felt an intrinsic need to have amazing headphones with us wherever we go; we are big on music as inspiration,' they say. ©Chopova Lowena X Sony The link clicks into place when you consider their tight-knit ties to the music world. Artists like Nia Archives, Fontaines D.C, and Charli XCX don't just wear the brand, they bring it on stage. So naturally, music was the invisible third party in the design process. And what was playing on their ears? 'Addison, the new Fever Ray remix album and Nia Archives,' they tell me. 'Of course, we made all of our design decisions with our current playlist blasting through our headphones.' And what if they were to put on their own festival, who would headline it? 'Addison Rae would be on at 6, and then System of a Down would headline. It would be a folkloric, strict dress-up code festival where you eat snacks and get drunk, but also feel good the whole time.' ©Chopova Lowena X Sony All of which makes their upcoming London Fashion Week show in September feel less like a seasonal presentation and more like the next chapter in an increasingly shrewd, self-sustaining fashion fairytale - kilts, clashing tartans, and now, the perfect soundtrack. Shop: The Alto Bag Henrik Lischke is the senior fashion news and features editor at Grazia. Prior to that, he worked at British Vogue, and was junior fashion editor at The Sunday Times Style.
Elle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
Listen Up! This Cool Girl Brand Just Dropped The Next It Bag
When Chopova Lowena released its Margaret bag, complete with a pocket for a jar of Hellman's mayonnaise, the shoulder style fast became a viral sensation. How ever would Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons follow an item that was not only filled with the kind of kooky irreverence that helps the news of an item travel far and wide, but was actually desirable to wear too? The answer: with just as much noise. Today, and exclusively here with ELLE UK, it's revealed that the London-based design duo have collaborated with SONY to create a carry-everywhere bag that also houses the Japanese behemoth's WH-1000XM6 headphones. The bag and the headphones are available together exclusively at Dover Street Market. Named the Alto, the crossbody style has been inspired by vintage travel case interiors and carries all the markers of a signature Chopova Lowena piece. There's the tartan fabric, characterful hardware, and fastenings that are as much of a design detail as they are functional. Let's not forget that this is the brand that made carabiners a veritable fashion piece. 'We were in touch with SONY and they told us about the launch of the WH-1000XM6s headphones. It was the perfect opportunity to work on a bag again since listening to music is so big in our world,' the designers told ELLE UK. 'We always want our headphones right by our side… or under our arm!' Music has long been an important part of not only the designers' process but also world-building too. 'It's one of our most important inspirations and the right song can immediately transport us into the world of a collection. We have one song for every season to get us to the right mood and feeling,' they added. It's Chopova who leads on the playlist making primarily with Lowena-Irons adding her favourites too. Together, they fill their South London studio with music from the likes of 'Warpaint, Cocorosie, Fever Ray. Those are our core.' On the Friday night of London Fashion Week this coming September, Chopova Lowena will unveil its SS26 collection with much anticipation. The duo choose to put on a show just once a year, which makes the September occasion all the more exciting. Hints from what we might see from Chopova Lowena could be lifted from the types of artists they've been listening to ahead of the show. They tell us that they (like very many of us) have 'been obsessing over the entire Addison Rae album,' but other artists included on this seasonal playlist paint a broader picture. 'We've also been listening to Sierra Ferrell, Biig Piig, Anohni, Sufjan Stevens, Tami T, Hapi, Wet Leg, Bright Eyes, You Say Party! We Say Die!, System Of A Down, Cherry Cola, Nia Archives, Saya Gray…. the list goes on and on. But a song that we listened to over and over again and to us is the song for the season is the The Mirror Dance by Helen Island.' What's for certain is that when Chopova Lowena call upon the usual musical stars that race to their front row, they'll be swinging the Alto with just enough time to clip their headphones in place before the show soundtrack takes over. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Freelancer
