A tough year in fashion — but hard-working designers are coming up tops

The new names to know in men's fashion

Jake Burt and Stefan Cook, designers, Stefan Cook

The fashion industry is in crisis — that’s no secret. Since the onset of the novel coronavirus, brands have been faced with unsold stock, delayed payments, early discounting, cancelled orders, and closed production facilities and distribution centres. Consumers are taking their money elsewhere — health, fitness, and home improvement are thriving.

At the epicentre of this problem is emerging designers, the bright young talents only a few years into business are impacted the most. They are rich in ideas and spirit and low on resources. Now, a generation of them is endangered by the pandemic.