Fashion month kicks off this week in New York, with dozens of brands – from established labels to up-and-coming designers – showing across the city. Here, we round up some of the most exciting ones to watch.
1. Who Decides War – Design duo Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore founded Who Decides War in 2018, and have consistently used their creations to tell stories of the Black American experience. Known for its handmade distressed denim, the label pulls inspiration from stained-glass windows through intricate embroidery and subversive cut-outs. Its fans include fashion giants such as model Alton Mason and the late Virgil Abloh.
2. Collina Strada – Hillary Taymour believes a fun outlook can happily coexist with ethics and sustainability. Founded as a college hobby in 2008, Collina Strada has since evolved into an esteemed brand utilising fun prints and the quirky use of colour theories. Taymour’s commitment to ethical responsibility and extensive creativity with materials – including deadstock fabrics, recycled cotton and Rose Sylk, an organic cellulose fibre made from rose bushes and stems – earned Collina Strada a finalist spot in the 2019 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. She also works with the OR Foundation, a US and Ghana-based charity dedicated to reducing fashion waste.
3. Luar – New York native Raul Lopez founded Luar in 2011, taking inspiration from both the Dominican Republic and New York City. Luar focuses on the fluidity of fashion and self-expression, and its shows feature diverse faces and figures. For Lopez, inclusion isn’t a thought but an instinct. In addition to winning the 2022 CFDA Award for American Accessories Designer of the Year, Luar is partnered with Diageo to honor genderless fashion.
4. Elena Velez – This Wisconsin-born designer weaves her Midwest upbringing – in a single-parent household where her mother worked as a ship captain – into her designs. Elena Velez balances the grit of workwear reimagined with a feminine slant, making fisherman knits into gowns or tattered draping falling imperfectly on the body. This boldness earned her the 2022 CFDA award for American Emerging Designer of the Year. Now she uses her platform to support upcoming designers, holding conversations on her social media platforms on investors, fundraising, and helping to cut through the financial barriers young creatives face.
5. Kim Shui – American-born Kim Shui thrives off her commitment to traditional Chinese culture while incorporating a wild use of colour and provocative designs. Shui doesn’t shy away from inclusivity, bringing an array of races, body figures, and gender-bending fluidity to her collections. Known for her corsetry and intricate use of lace and leather, Shui embraces the body and skin-driven layering to explore sexuality through the female gaze.
6. Theophilio – Founded by Jamaican-American designer Edvin Thompson, Theophilio is a love letter to Caribbean culture, and the restless energy of his adopted home of NYC. Thompson, who started his career with an internship at Gypsy Sport, is known for statement streetwear featuring mesh fabrics, bold metallics and graffiti prints. In 2021 he won the CFDA American Emerging Designer of the Year Award.
7. AKNVAS – Danish-born Christian Juul Nielsen started out in Paris (working at Nina Ricci, Christian Lacroix and Christian Dior) before making his way to America where AKNVAS was born in 2019. With this brand his focus is on ‘forever pieces’ that don’t follow trends and can be worn again and again. He uses recycled and sustainable materials to create beautifully draped knitwear, elevated tailoring and standout eveningwear with a timeless feel.
8. 3.1 Phillip Lim – Philip Lim co-founded 3.1 Phillip Lim with Wen Zhou in 2005 to cater to modern global citizens with its sleek silhouettes, purposeful use of colour, and the constant reinvention of the perfect trouser. Since then, the only major shift has been a dive into sustainability with the use of organic, natural and recycled materials.
9. Diotima – A common denominator in emerging designers is their inherent sensibility of how their story and culture relates to the wider world. Diotima, founded in 2021 by Rachel Scott, is a craft-centred label that evokes her Jamaican heritage. Her delicate crochet (all made in Jamaica) is often paired with exquisite tailoring in Harris tweed or Japanese wool. Diotima is dedicated to sustainability, producing just two collections per year using responsibly sourced materials, and there is no overproduction because it’s all made to order.
10. Rio Sport – Founded by Rio Uribe as Gypsy Sport in 2013, this subculture streetwear brand has become a cult favorite for its irreverent designs. Uribe includes all body types and identities in each collection and show, proudly celebrating his Latinx culture and the LGBTQIA+ community. His basketball jersey dresses, oversized jackets and deconstructed denim mark his efforts in the sustainability conversation via upcycled materials and cut-and-sew deadstock fabrics.
Nyla Stanford is a New York-based fashion stylist and writer
