Photography has long chased the fleeting pulse of youth – that electric moment when everything feels possible and the light seems to hit a little differently. There’s something surreal, almost untouchable, about it, a quality that only sharpens with distance. Continuing this lineage, HERO and Heroine Junior Fashion Market Editor Arielle Gold teams up with photographer Che Deedigan for an exclusive shoot capturing that same restless energy. Set in a grand old house, a cast of young dreamers drift through the rooms, dressed up with nowhere to go – but maybe that’s the point. Featuring pieces by emerging London designers Fraser Kenneth and Roly Walmsley, the shoot is accompanied by their reflections on youth, style and discovery.

Fraser Kenenth:

What makes you think of youth?
“I think the idea of youth seems to imply a sense of newness. A fresh hot take or a second coming, which is for sure welcome, yet nearly impossible these days. So in that case, I definitely fear that I use ‘youth’ as a past tense, not a future one. What can I say, I like old things.”

Whose style influences you?
“A lot of different people’s style influences me, whether it is real-life people or those found in fiction, but the common bottom line is always the fight for authenticity. A true self, a higher self, should always influence and inspire. I recommend going for a long solo walk and taking a good look around!”

When you design, what references do you tend to draw from?
“In recent times, I have been looking a lot at antiques, not just clothing but any past chachki, to see how fabric and embellishments were put together and now, fall apart. Another reference I’ve been very into lately is dance, I’ve always been trying to replicate this idea of chasing a feeling in my work, and movement definitely helps with that.”

Roly Walmsley:

What makes you think of youth?
“Being free and not too precious about anything. Trying new things without overthinking them. Not caring and just having fun while doing it.“

Whose style influences you?
“My friends and family are a constant source of inspiration – not only through the clothes they wear but the way they wear them. Whether it’s intentional styling or a wardrobe malfunction, I have always been drawn to those imperfections and moments of accidental beauty. My older brother also had a huge influence on me growing up. I remember watching him go through different style phases, which I didn’t understand at the time, but when his clothes were eventually passed down to me, it became my turn to reinterpret them in my own way. My graduate collection was a homage to those hand-me-downs.”

When you design, what references do you tend to draw from?
“I always start from real pieces of clothing. Taking interest in how garments are worn, the stories they hold, and the wear and tear people leave behind on them. I find beauty in the imperfections – in the way clothes stretch, fade, or sit wrong. Styling really inspires me, those subtle or not so subtle moments that tell a story about the person wearing them. I like to try to preserve the styling and engineer my clothes to make them stay that way forever. When my clothes are on a hanger, I want them to still look and feel like someone is wearing them.”

All womenswear by Fraser Kenneth
All menswear by Roly Walmsley
Casting Geo Langham
Make up Tina Khatri