Rave New World

Meet Linus Leonardsson, the London-based designer on a mission to redefine sustainable fashion with playful collections that exude glamour and gender inclusivity

Shattering the misconception that sustainable fashion cannot be glamorous, Stockholm-born designer Linus Leonardsson has masterfully rewritten the script. Their work blends an unapologetic sense of play with incisive social commentary — a dazzling fusion of fashion fantasy and moral consciousness.

After graduating from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts with an MA in Fashion Design last year, Leonardsson was invited by the Russian Fashion Council to make their runway debut at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia Spring/Summer 2020 show in October. The event marked the official launch of their eponymous brand, which has since flourished in the East London creative landscape Leonardsson calls home.

From collaborating with Belgian eyewear label KOMONO for their graduate collection, See You in the Fog, to developing a digital capsule in partnership with the 3D life-simulation video game Avakin Life, Leonardsson consistently challenges the boundaries of what a fashion label can be. Their collections are designed for all genders, imagining a future in which self-expression, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility are inseparably woven into every garment.

We had the pleasure of meeting Leonardsson during London Fashion Week (LFW) last week, where they co-hosted an intimate, immersive presentation on 16 February alongside their partner and fellow London-based designer, Christoph Ritter. The showcase, set in a brick-clad studio in Belgravia’s Eccleston Yards, blurred the line between designer and audience, transforming the space into a living installation.

It was here that Leonardsson unveiled their second collection, Rave New World, alongside an accompanying videography project that captures the collection’s vibrant, youthful, and rebellious spirit. The images featured in this article were shot live and direct at the LFW event, capturing the energy and immediacy of the presentation.

Drawing inspiration from Aldous Huxley’s novel, Brave New World (1932), the collection reimagines dystopia as a site of liberation. Rather than hierarchy and control, Leonardsson envisions a society where individuality reigns and self-expression takes centre stage. The pieces challenge convention with unapologetic colour, bold silhouettes, and an unflinching sense of joy — a sharp critique of exclusivity wrapped in couture.

Reflecting on the project, Leonardsson explained: “It’s become clear that one’s financial situation can directly influence their chances of surviving Covid-19. Self-isolation is a luxury not everyone can afford. I wanted to reimagine those secluded urban spaces as inclusive sanctuaries — places where people of every gender, background, and identity could exist unapologetically.”

True to form, the designer approached the collection with both creative and ecological precision. Every garment was thoughtfully crafted from recycled, deadstock, or low-emission materials, ensuring that beauty never came at the planet’s expense. Sustainability, for Leonardsson, is not a constraint but a creative catalyst — proof that ethics and elegance can coexist.

They told us: “I’ve tried to move beyond the cliché that sustainable fashion means dull fabrics and uninspired design. It can be exciting, empowering, and fabulous.”

Even the tiniest details reflect this philosophy: buttons of glass, wood, and mother-of-pearl were sourced second-hand, transforming discarded materials into objects of quiet luxury.

The knitwear element of Rave New World was realised through a collaboration with The Guestlist, a German platform dedicated to sustainable luxury that enacts its waste-reduction ethos through a pre-order system, delivering pieces directly from its Thuringian factory to the wearer. Supported by The Woolmark Company, Südwolle Group, Peterseim Strickwaren, and Karim Guest, Leonardsson ensured every piece was responsibly produced and distributed.

With each collection, Leonardsson continues to redefine what sustainable design looks and feels like. Their work balances fantasy and activism, challenging old hierarchies while celebrating self-expression in all its forms. If Rave New World is any indication, Leonardsson is not merely designing clothes — they are composing a manifesto for a more inclusive, imaginative, and conscious future.