Who Is KNWLS? The London Label Behind the Corset

KNWLS is a London womenswear label founded in 2017 by Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault, known for corsetry, sheer printed mesh and sportswear seams cut close to the body. Start with the Halcyon Top in Scarf Print and the Veil Leather Corset in Black, then shop all KNWLS beside our corset tops.

This is the starting point for the whole KNWLS edit at Coveti. For the pieces themselves, go to our guides to KNWLS corsets, KNWLS jackets and the KNWLS Nike collection.

• KNWLS was founded in London in 2017 by Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault, who met at Central Saint Martins.
• The label first showed through Fashion East in 2018 and was a finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2022.
• It was called Charlotte Knowles until 2021, when the name was shortened to KNWLS.
• Its signatures are boned corsets, the Halcyon mesh top and leggings, the Claw Jacket and the Skinn dress.
• In September 2025 KNWLS showed a collection with Nike at Milan Fashion Week, including the Air Max Muse trainer and the Razr Run bag.

Who are the designers behind KNWLS?

KNWLS is run by two designers. Charlotte Knowles is British, Alexandre Arsenault is Canadian, and the two met as students at Central Saint Martins in London. They launched the label together in 2017, shortly after graduating, and have designed every collection as a pair since then.

For its first years the label carried Charlotte Knowles’ own name. In 2021 it was renamed KNWLS, a shortened version of her surname, to reflect that the work belongs to both founders. If you see older pieces labelled Charlotte Knowles, they come from the same studio.

How did KNWLS start?

The label came up through Fashion East, the London talent programme run by Lulu Kennedy that also gave an early platform to designers such as Simone Rocha. KNWLS showed with Fashion East from 2018, then moved onto the main London Fashion Week schedule under its own name.

In 2022 KNWLS was one of eight finalists for the LVMH Prize, chosen from 19 semi-finalists. The prize is the most watched award for young designers, and reaching the final put the label in front of buyers and editors well beyond London. Since then KNWLS has collaborated with Jean Paul Gaultier on a capsule, joined G-Star for its denim project, worked with Miss Sixty, and in 2025 launched a full collection with Nike.

What is KNWLS known for?

Three things define the KNWLS look: corsetry, sportswear construction and a low, close line on the body.

Corsetry

Corsets run through every KNWLS collection, and they are real corsets, boned and laced rather than printed to look like one. This season the Veil Leather Corset in Black is strapless lamb nappa with buckles and detachable leather chaps, the Victoria Corset in Charcoal is boned wool with a sweetheart neckline, and the Alice Denim Bustier in Brown Gloss takes the same shape into sprayed denim. The house uses corset details on jackets and skirts too: the Claw Jacket has a corset-pointed hem.

Sportswear seams

The second signature is what KNWLS calls anatomic sportswear cutting. Seams follow the lines of the body the way a running top does, and jersey is ruched and gathered to hold close. You see it in the Halcyon Top in Scarf Print, a semi-sheer power mesh top that is probably the best known KNWLS piece, and in the Ghost Top in Grey Marl.

A low, close line

KNWLS trousers and skirts sit low on the hip, tops are cropped and fitted, and dresses are cut close. The Alice Bootcut Jeans in Brown Gloss and the Astra Breeches in Red Gloss are both low-rise, and the Skinn Dress in Scarf Print is a fitted bandeau mini. The overall effect is sharp and slightly undone, with raw edges and visible seams.

What are the key KNWLS pieces?

These are the names that come back season after season, and the ones worth knowing before you shop.

What is the KNWLS Nike collection?

KNWLS and Nike presented their collection at Milan Fashion Week on 24 September 2025, the first time KNWLS had shown in Milan. Nike released it in October 2025, first through KNWLS and then through Nike and selected stores. It mixes Nike performance fabrics with KNWLS shapes: corset seams taped onto a weatherproof jacket, a cut-out crop top based on the KNWLS Anti-Cross, and a Razr bag sitting on a rubber base taken from the Nike waffle sole.

The pieces most people search for are the Air Max Muse trainer and the Razr Run bag. At Coveti you can shop the Nike Razr Run Bag in Black, the Nike Joan Hooded Jacket in Yukon Brown Check and more. Our full KNWLS Nike guide covers every piece.

Who wears KNWLS?

KNWLS has a strong following among musicians and models. Dua Lipa has worn a KNWLS knit mini dress and shearling boots from the autumn 2024 collection, Kendall Jenner has been photographed in KNWLS more than once, including a Skinn top dress with matching trousers, and the French edition of Numero named Bella Hadid, Rihanna and Grimes among the stars drawn to the label. The appeal is easy to see: the pieces photograph well, they are cut for a body in motion, and they read as London rather than Paris.

Where is KNWLS made?

KNWLS produces close to home. In the current collection, the cupro slips, wool tailoring and printed viscose are made in the United Kingdom, the jersey and Halcyon mesh in Portugal, and the leather, shearling and sprayed denim in Turkey. The KNWLS Nike pieces are made in Nike partner factories in Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Every Coveti product page lists the country of origin for that piece.

How does KNWLS fit?

KNWLS uses UK sizing. Woven pieces run UK 6 to 14, and jersey and stretch pieces run XS to XL, with XS a UK 6 and M a UK 10. Corsets and jersey are cut close by design, so most customers take their usual size for the intended fit and the next size up for more room. Our KNWLS size guide goes piece by piece.

Is KNWLS a luxury brand?

KNWLS is an independent designer label that shows on the London Fashion Week schedule, so it sits in contemporary luxury rather than heritage luxury. The craft is real: boned corsets, lamb nappa and shearling, bias-cut cupro and hand-finished washes. At Coveti the range runs from KNWLS Nike jersey at the accessible end to shearling bombers at the top. For brands with a similar attitude, see brands like KNWLS.

How should you start a KNWLS wardrobe?

Start with one corset and one Halcyon. A corset gives you the house shape over jeans and under a jacket, and the Halcyon top works as a base layer under almost anything. From there, add a Claw Jacket, which is the KNWLS take on the biker, and a slip skirt in cupro. Our KNWLS autumn winter 2026 edit shows how the new pieces go together.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns KNWLS?

KNWLS is an independent label owned and designed by its founders, Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault. It is not part of a luxury group.

Is KNWLS the same as Charlotte Knowles?

Yes. The label was called Charlotte Knowles from 2017 until 2021, when it was renamed KNWLS to reflect the partnership between both founders.

How do you pronounce KNWLS?

KNWLS is said like the surname Knowles, the name it was shortened from.

Is KNWLS a British brand?

Yes. KNWLS is based in London, shows at London Fashion Week, and makes much of its collection in the United Kingdom.

Did KNWLS win the LVMH Prize?

KNWLS was one of eight finalists for the LVMH Prize in 2022. Reaching the final is a major recognition in itself, chosen from a worldwide field of young designers.

Where can I buy KNWLS?

Coveti stocks KNWLS ready-to-wear, the KNWLS Nike collection and selected accessories, with authenticity guaranteed and worldwide express shipping. Shop the full range on the KNWLS brand page.