Just Around the Corner: Nine brands attending for the first time

UK fashion trade show Just Around the Corner (JATC) is set to return to its home cities next week, with two events on the roster for its seventh season.

While the Manchester edition, located in the city’s Freight Island venue, will run from August 2 to 3, JATC’s London show, held in Truman Brewery’s T1 and T2 spaces, will take place from August 7 to 9. The Northern event will also include a partnership with renowned journalist Eric Musgrave, who will be taking over the JATC social media channels for the two day period.

Among an array of new features, like its expanded sustainability offering or its new ‘The Edit’ zone, the upcoming editions will also be home to a number of brands attending the show for the first time. In this article, FashionUnited has outlined a selection of the new faces that will be in attendance.

Bensimon

Bensimon’s origins are rooted in repurposing military surplus, which its founder Serge Bensimon would customise alongside his brother Yves. Eventually transforming into a ready-to-wear brand, the French label has now established a strong retail presence throughout France, Belgium and 18 other countries, in which it operates 30 stores and has a number of retail partners, including Printemps. Its offer, which focuses on functionality and durability, covers men’s and women’s apparel, footwear and accessories, all of which still draw inspiration from the brand’s military-based roots. A particular highlight of the brand is its Bensimon tennis shoes, which were at the forefront of a Galeries Lafayette exhibition in designs rejuvenated by big name designers.

Odd Molly

Based on the merging of Californian and Scandinavian lifestyles, Swedish womenswear brand Odd Molly aims to create seasonless garments that prioritise sustainable production. The company, which is listed on Nasdaq Omx Stockholm and was founded in 2022, first began in brick-and-mortar retail during 2013, and has since followed a retail expansion strategy that has seen it open stores throughout Scandinavia and garner a number of retail partners in the US and Europe. Over its lifetime, the brand has won a number of awards, such as the International Baltic Fashion Award, and has supported nonprofits and music festivals, namely Sweden’s Queens of Pop.

Caroline Svedbom

Caroline Svedbom founded her eponymous brand in 2013 with the goal of creating jewellery for women of all ages. Drawing inspiration from the Mediterranean, the handmade jewellery collection is created in a family-run studio located in Athens, Greece, where craftsmanship is at the centre of production. Pieces are made using crystals that derive from Austria. The Swedish designer, who is the fourth generation in her family to work in jewellery, has a wide retail footprint, spanning a number of European countries, many of which are in Scandinavia, and beyond.

Boardies

Founded in 2014, vibrant swimwear brand Boardies boasts a strong line up of retail partners that house its colourful men’s, women’s and kid’s swim collections. The independent company, which is based between London, Bali and California, includes the likes of Selfridges, Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom and Harvey Nichols among its stockists. Its in-house designed pieces aim to encourage shoppers to express originality, whilst also integrating the use of sustainable materials, such as Tencel Lyocell and Econyl, two organisations it has previously partnered with. For SS22, Boardies has teamed up with retail partner Liberty on a limited edition collection of four swim shorts, seeing the merging of its own designs with Liberty’s archival prints.

Chalk

Kent-based brand Chalk, while initially a lifestyle and homeware company, has extended its values into apparel through a collection of British designed clothing and loungewear. Following its main principles of comfort and versatility, it aims to create pieces that can compliment any wardrobe. Alongside its clothing, Chalk also offers a selection of homeware products, such as baskets and rugs, as well as a UK-made home fragrance collection. The quintessentially British brand is growing its community of independent stores and boutiques throughout the region, with a particular focus on this sector due to its drive to help local high streets thrive.

Happy Socks

As the name suggests, Happy Socks is a brand completely dedicated to bright, statement socks. Its global store footprint has expanded across the US, Europe, South Africa, Latin America and Asia as it looks to bring its positive outlook on footwear further afield. Started back in 2008, the Swedish company set out to manufacture “never-before-worn” designs, with looks that draw inspiration from art, fashion and pop culture. The brand has previously collaborated with the likes of Zandra Rhodes, record label Studio Barnhus, Smiley and an array of musical icons, such as David Bowie and Queen.

Doughnut

Doughnut’s formation was inspired by a graduation trip of two young travellers, who created the brand as a response to their search for the ‘perfect travel backpack’. Since its founding in 2010, the bag brand has readjusted its designs to take on a more sustainable approach to manufacturing while continuing to push its values that revolve around bringing fashion together with functionality. For this season, the brand has adopted a more active theme, complete with the goal of encouraging people to embrace the outdoors through bags made for different outdoor needs. This also includes the introduction of crossbody bags and phone bags. Its retail presence is particularly prominent in Hong Kong and Taiwan, however it also serves an array of global retail partners, such as Free People, Dolls Kill, Anthrolopologie, Amazon and Zalando.

Miraclesuit

During its 25 years in the industry, Miraclesuit has followed a mantra that everyone deserves to have a bathing suit they absolutely love. The US label, which is part of the shapewear group Miracle Brands, designs swimsuits that aim to be figure-flattering, with looks that are both meant for slimming and plus sizes. To achieve this, the brand uses its trademark Miratex material, which it said has three times the control of ordinary swimwear fabrics. While its selection can be purchased internationally on its own e-commerce website, the brand also has dedicated online and retail partners in the US, Austria, Canada, the UK and the Netherlands.

Camper

Spanish footwear brand Camper has been producing its designs for more than 145 years and has continued to remain committed to striving for traditional values that it has held since its debut. The independent, family-run business offers products both online and through a select distribution network, alongside its roster of 300 Camper stores located within over 40 countries. From its base in Mallorca, the brand’s designers and technicians work together in a bid to combine natural materials with innovative footwear technology, following a target of reducing its environmental impact.