FLANNELS X PRESENTS:

THE CREATIVE COUNCIL

Meet The Creative Council, a next-generation advisory board filled with six of the most exciting voices in the industry

22.03.23

Ambition. Talent. Creativity. Multi-hyphenates with mega-hustle energy. Rule breakers forging their own paths. Powerful personalities shaping their own worlds. Meet the newest members of the FLANNELS family; six of the most exciting voices in the industry. Together, they are The Creative Council; a next-generation advisory board – of sorts.

Over the coming months, each member of The Creative Council will present unique projects, curating thought-provoking content and sparking new conversations. FLANNELS X - the new multimedia events space in our London flagship on Oxford Street - will become their creative playground with a series of talks, exhibitions and exclusive pop-ups taking place.

Meet The Creative Council…

1. ELGAR JOHNSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CIRCLEZEROEIGHT

It takes a certain amount of grit to trade in a dream role at Condé Nast’s GQ and start out on your own. But that’s exactly what Elgar Johnson did. The role in question? The magazine’s fashion director.

In his own words, an unconventional choice for the role, Johnson brought a relaxed, sportswear aesthetic to the title in a time of strict tailoring and suits, fresh from his stint at iD. But the pandemic saw him wanting to do his own thing: CircleZeroEight. Fuelled by his obsession for sports – Liverpool FC in particular – and music, the result has been a thing of beauty with the likes of skater Boo Johnson, footballer Declan Rice and boxer Ramla Ali gracing the cover.

The past year has seen the print launch of CircleZeroEight, with a website soon to follow, and Johnson himself styling Saul Nash's hit AW23 show in January. 2023 is set to be a big one.

2. LEAH ABBOTT, FASHION AND CELEBRITY STYLIST

A true multi-hyphenate, Leah Abbott made her name over the past decade moving between modelling and styling. While you might recognise her from Skepta’s Shutdown and Ladies Hit Squad videos, in 2023 her influence is felt most firmly in the looks she creates.

Alongside Jorja Smith’s epic red-carpet and on-stage wardrobe, she also counts Celeste and Skepta as clients. She’s the mastermind behind the fashion of some of the biggest music videos of recent times; think Stormzy’s iconic Mel Made Me Do It, alongside his long-time stylist Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe, Chris Brown’s Call Me Everyday ft. Wiz Kid, and Unknown T and Knuck’s Right Hand.

No surprise then that her work has been published on the covers of British Vogue, Hunger and L’Officiel. And she’s worked with some of the biggest brands in the business – on and off screen - from adidas to Mulberry and Casablanca.

MEET LEAH ABBOTT

3. ISSAC POLEON, HAIR STYLIST

The London-based hair stylist has had his hands on the locks of everyone from Jorja Smith to Jourdan Dunn. He’s worked with Gucci and Burberry and Valentino, and creatives like Campbell Addy. Not to mention an array of fashion magazines, including Vogue, The Face and AnOther. No wonder then, that he’s become the go-to stylist behind the killer hair on FLANNELS campaigns.

Sought after for his transformative power of hair, avant-garde creations and his expertise with Afro and European hair textures, Poleon has a bold aesthetic. So strong is his touch, that he’s nailed the knack of elevating hair to being its own character, in shoots, in campaigns, and even for his everyday clients. Influenced by the ‘90s and Noughties, his childhood growing up in South London is present, always. As Poleon himself says: ‘As long as my partings are straight and my edges are laid, then I’m pretty much happy with everything else’.

MEET ISSAC POLEON

4. ANITA CHHIBA, FOUNDER OF DIET PARATHA

Founded in 2017, Anita Chibba’s online platform Diet Paratha celebrates the best of South Asian talent, with a spotlight on South Asian creatives. Featuring a diverse range of voices - from underrepresented musicians to authors, models, artists and more - the result is a beautifully curated collection of art, a strong community of followers engaging in big conversations, and an impressive mentorship programme – Family Tree Mentoring - which pairs individuals with established brands and key industry figures.

Beyond the platform, Chhiba has worked with an impressive roster of cultural voices and brands, including the likes of Burberry, Gucci and Byredo. Amongst her biggest projects to date? In 2022, Chhiba collaborated with Vogue India to produce Youthquake, a 27-page story spotlighting an array of South East Asian talent who are reshaping their industries. And for the Tate Modern, she curated a series of art talks celebrating South Asian artists and creatives as part of their Tate Lates series.

MEET ANITA CHHIBA

1. RAPHAELLE MOORE, HEAD OF PROJECTS AT FASHION EAST

Nurturing emerging designers. Handling special projects and masterminding creative brand collaborations. Raphaelle Moore is the righthand woman of Lulu Kennedy’s hugely influential Fashion East. A non-profit talent incubator, Fashion East has helped launch some of the most exciting British fashion brands, giving a voice to young creatives. Amongst the alumni? Kim Jones OBE, Craig Green and JW Anderson – to name a few.

One of the warmest voices in fashion, Moore counts moments like Fashion East’s 20th birthday celebration – an it’ll-go-down-in-the-history-books party at London’s The Standard – and 2022’s XLNC powered by UGG as her big moments. The latter, a new initiative designed to support more established designers with a solo show at London Fashion Week, selected from Fashion East’s alumni, has reunited Moore with her the voices she helped shape.

It’s fair to say Moore is one of the busiest women in fashion.

1. SLAWN, ARTIST

Olaolu Slawn dubs himself a con artist. Relatively new to art – he picked it up during lockdown – he’s been an instant hit. Already a global name in the world of skatewear with his label Motherlan, his second coming at 22 shouldn’t come as a surprise. This time, his creativity is taking the form of cartoon characters and vivid shapes, painted onto an array of canvases with marker pens and aerosol cans.

What began as an outlet, something just for him, didn’t last long. Slawn started handing his pieces out at parties, soon counting the likes of the late Virgil Abloh, Skepta and Lil Uzi as collectors.

Not one to shy away, Slawn’s work is controversial. There’s parody at play. There’s commentary and – yes – graphic penises. He’s made statements on billboards, decorated cars and aeroplanes and London buses, and became the youngest person to design a Brit this year; a bronze figure, hat in hand, named Boabo – Yoruba slang for boy or child and his family nickname.

EXPLORE FLANNELS X

Style News

FLANNELS X PRESENTS: THE CREATIVE COUNCIL

FLANNELS X PRESENTS:

THE CREATIVE COUNCIL

22.03.23

1. ELGAR JOHNSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CIRCLEZEROEIGHT

2. LEAH ABBOTT, FASHION AND CELEBRITY STYLIST

3. ISSAC POLEON, HAIR STYLIST

4. ANITA CHHIBA, FOUNDER OF DIET PARATHA

1. RAPHAELLE MOORE, HEAD OF PROJECTS AT FASHION EAST

1. SLAWN, ARTIST

RELATED ARTICLES

Style News

FLANNELS X PRESENTS: THE CREATIVE COUNCIL

FLANNELS X PRESENTS:

THE CREATIVE COUNCIL

22.03.23

1. ELGAR JOHNSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CIRCLEZEROEIGHT

2. LEAH ABBOTT, FASHION AND CELEBRITY STYLIST

3. ISSAC POLEON, HAIR STYLIST

4. ANITA CHHIBA, FOUNDER OF DIET PARATHA

1. RAPHAELLE MOORE, HEAD OF PROJECTS AT FASHION EAST

1. SLAWN, ARTIST

RELATED ARTICLES

THE CREATIVE COUNCIL:

MEET LEAH ABBOTT

THE CREATIVE COUNCIL:

MEET ANITA CHHIBA

BTS:

MEET HAIRSTYLIST ISSAC POLEON