LFW AW25 - Genaro Rivas: Alchemy Of Ashes, An Exploration
Genrao Rivas is a Peruvian designer who moved to London in 2022 to complete his MA in Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation at UAL’s London College of Fashion. His designs foreground sustainability, collaboration, and community in fashion, from his master’s project ’ to his most recent features at Summer London Fashion Week 2024, Rivas makes a point to emphasise his collaboration with artists from Peru to East London, supporting global artistry. Rivas is also noted to have created the Modular Dress, the first 3D printed dress in Latin America, which he created using basic, accessible materials.Through his innovative approach, Rivas continues to push the boundaries of fashion, merging technology with traditional craftsmanship and imaginative artistry.
Rivas made history at AWLFW 2024 as the first Peruvian designer to showcase a collection with ‘Beautiful James.’ This collection initiated his signature fusion of Peru and East London, a theme he continues to explore in each of his works. A defining feature of this collection was the Lliklla, a handwoven, rectangular shoulder cloth traditionally worn by Peruvian women in the Andes; the broad-shouldered silhouettes of his pieces paid homage to this garment, while the zip-through jackets added an unmistakably East London edge. He contrasted the intricate weaving of the Lliklla with industrialised cargo jeans, creating a striking blend of tradition and urban modernity - a testament to the concept of home. A recurring motif in this collection was the swan, a symbol of grace and self-discovery, reflecting Rivas’ belief in fashion as a tool for empowerment and self-realisation.
Summer London Fashion Week 2024 saw a strong return from Rivas, with a striking womenswear collection titled ‘Marvel Hill’ focusing on sustainability and community. All of which are notably built with ethically sourced and sustainable materials. His collection focuses on social responsibility among women in East London and Peru. In an interview with Strand, Rivas described his creative process for this collection, “I take pictures. For example, with this collection, I took some in tube stations around East London. I then started mixing them up and playing with them. Then, the overlay of pictures is put onto the prints.”
We again see a strong return to the traditional Peruvian weaning of the Lliklla in this collection, reinforcing it as a hallmark of Rivas’ identity as a designer, a powerful reminder of his home country on the London Fashion Week stage. When asked about the collection's aims, he said, “the aim is to create a bright, colourful collection. To create a world where women can be full of bright colour and joy.” Rivas continues, “they shouldn’t be afraid to express themselves. Which sometimes is something that gets passed by when it shouldn’t be.”
The designer also debuted his first menswear collection at LFWSS25 with ‘AERION - Echoes of Nature’, an exploration of the interplay between light and dark. This collection merged futuristic aesthetics with the rich tapestry of Peruvian heritage with a contemporary vision. Combining ethically sourced materials like alpaca wool, eco-friendly bamboo fibers, and Incalpaca silk with a sophisticated colour palette, we see Rivas’ dedication to sustainability and style completely shine through as he continues to grow as a designer. His innovative approach to materials was evident in his use of thermoformed acrylic, Japanese silk from Saki Textiles, intricate Turkish brocades from Fabric Textile Central, recycled cotton, and digitally printed linens from Maake. This global collaboration resulted in visually striking and sustainable pieces, solidifying Rivas’ reputation as a designer committed to environmental consciousness and artistic innovation. Rivas draws inspiration from going to museums and galleries in his free time and experiments with freely mixing materials.
AW London Fashion Week 2025 will mark Genaro Rivas’ fourth time taking on the catwalk. Undoubtedly, the womenswear collection, ‘Alchemy Of Ashes,’ will follow in Rivas’s previous footsteps regarding style and sustainability and groundbreaking design. Conceptualised after the designer watched cult horror film, The Witches (2015), the collection will experiment with textures and styles that play on symbols of elemental alchemy - the occult process of conjuring the unknown. A metaphor, the brand explains, for the the nature of fashion itself. In this upcoming collection we will see how fashion has a metamorphic quality, transforming from fabric to garment, and garment to identity.
Alchemy Of Ashes AW25 will debut at London Fashion Week this Saturday, offering a presentation that promises a space where fashion meets innovation and social consciousness.
For more, check out @genarorivas on Instagram.
Written by Humaira Valera and Ariana Nazir
Edited by Daisy Packwood, Fashion Editor
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