about

This portfolio takes you through the collections and projects by award-winning womenswear designer Essie Buckman.

Buckman attended Central Saint Martins and quickly garnered attention after debuting her collection at the prestigous graduate show, completing a BA in Fashion Design w/ Marketing. With a focus on womenswear, Buckman explored themes of her childhood memories and love of pop culture. Creating new silhouettes through story-telling, proportion play and draping.

From this her brand Fortie Label was born, which notably fused baroque themes, precise suiting and grand silhouettes mixed in with iconic streetwear staples. The brand quickly gained press attention showing at LFW and featuring in noted publications such as Italian Vogue, Dazed and i-D. Fortie Label has been worn by and made custom for clients such as Rihanna, CL and Jorja Smith who she continues to work with today.

It was at Nike where Buckman was able to use her aesthetic and skills to breathe new life into the brands DNA leading the women’s category with innovative trend led collections. Creating new capsules such as Nike ‘Sportswear’ offering a more forward focussed collection to it’s consumer. Not to mention revamping Nike’s Women’s entire Fleece program (Phoenix Fleece). Collaborating with the team and the atelier from concept to production.

As design director at Calvin Klein, Buckman was a part of the New Product Ventures team managing collaborations and new capsules as well as an integral part of the Global Concepts Team, exploring and presenting new ideas to build Calvin Klein’s new brand identity.