Budding East Ham fashion designer prepares for London Fashion Week catwalk

A budding fashion designer has been putting the finishing touches to her work after being chosen to showcase her talents at London Fashion Week.

In total 20 budding fashion designers aged 15 to19 will be the youngest to showcase their work on the catwalk at London Fashion Week on Friday, September 13. Picture: Bernard Bannor - Credit: Archant

Laiba Hamza, of Burges Road, East Ham, is one of 20 young designers due to see their designs modelled on the catwalk.

The opportunity comes thanks to the fashion futures programme run by Fashion Awareness Direct (FAD) which helps young people break into the elite fashion industry.

Laiba said: "FAD has given me more confidence to say what I feel."

The 21-year-old is one of 20 creatives from diverse backgrounds to have been shortlisted out of more than 70 teenagers.

Laiba Hamza, 21, said: FAD gave me more confidence to say what I feel." Picture: Bernard Bannor - Credit: Archant

The work explores issues of sustainability and people's relationships with the natural world with the teenage designers' ideas including zero-waste, re-using waste, biodegradable materials, upcycling and the exploration of natural forms.

With the support of sponsors NatWest and the retailer, ASOS, the finalists have been working to perfect their designs using industrial machinery and professional production techniques ahead of Friday's show.