Next generation of talent fuses sustainability, sport and technology on fashion’s world stage
University of East London (UEL) fashion students stepped confidently into the spotlight, presenting boundary-pushing collections at Fashion 4.0 – an off-schedule showcase during the globally renowned London Fashion Week 2026.
Staged at the iconic Design Museum, the event combined runway and immersive installation to explore the intersection of regenerative fashion and disruptive technology. From AI-led solutions and wearable tech to high-performance sportswear and elevated couture, the collections demonstrated how design innovation and inclusivity can power both style and substance.
Among those featured in the Fashion 4.0 showcase were current MA student Sahanya Siribaddana and 2025 graduate Greg ‘Ox’ Morka, who were selected through a nationwide search by event host Zer0tech to present their work as part of the off-schedule programme. Founder Nicholas Betts described them as “among the brightest design talents emerging in the UK today”, recognising their bold thinking and future-focused approach.
After the runway, industry leaders, investors and media met with current UEL MA and MFA students at a post-event networking session, where a groundbreaking live industry project was unveiled in a work-in-progress showcase – created in partnership with TLSS, a football brand who are rapidly expanding in the UK market.
The live project with TLSS explores how digital innovation and sustainable practice can inform the future of football apparel. Students are experimenting with advanced digital fabrication processes inspired by football shin pads, working in collaboration with guest designer Gareth Volka. Other concepts include virtual fashion development and wearable, flexible solar panels reimagined as football numbers, created in partnership with UEL’s Graphic Design course and the London Renewable Energy Lab.
Together, the projects demonstrate how performance design, regenerative thinking and emerging technology can be embedded from the outset – connecting academic research directly with industry ambition.
MA and FA Course Leader and Director of the Regenerative Fashion Archive Wesley Hartwell said,
“We are incredibly proud of our MA and MFA Fashion students. Showcasing our work at this high-profile event has been a powerful demonstration of fashion for good in action, and we are grateful to all those involved for championing our students at Fashion 4.0.”
