emerging fashion

London-based womenswear label Isa Arfen was founded in 2011 by designer Serafina Sama, The label's aesthetic draws from her childhood in Ravenna, Italy, where an environment filled with strong female figures is reflected in strong, sensible separates. The clothes strike a perfect balance between exoticism and wearability, mixing feminine embellishments and luxe fabrics with flattering silhouettes.

A majority of menswear designers identify with one of two exclusive cliques: the avant-garde or the ordinary and commercial. Emerging Austria-based menswear label Ute Ploier is unique in that it combines both creative fashion design and stylish practicality.

Despite his teenagedom and lack of formal training, London-based designer Elliot Joseph Rentz has a mature sensibility that far surpasses that of his peers. He made his debut at 16 years old and was subsequently flown to Istanbul for “the European meeting of young designers,” where he worked with renowned stylist Nicola Formachetti. His career has since evolved: the London Fashion Week presentation for his Spring/Summer 2013 collection was full to the brim.

The Spring/Summer 2013 collection of Brooklyn-based contemporary designer Nathalie Kraynina is all about reinventing black. Inspired by New York City, the interchangeable separates relay a feeling of effortless sophistication.

Italian born fashion designer Claudia Ligari started her eponymous label for the Spring/Summer 2011 season, after studying at the Instituto Maragoni in Milan and a stint at Alexander McQueen. Her London-based line uses androgynous design as a mechanism for expressing the strength of feminine sensuality. The minimalist aesthetic juxtaposes sharp oversized silhouettes with the gentleness of softer fabrics. Crisp linear design and a neutral color palette unite the contrasting elements.

Founded in 2010, Zakary le Stéle's eponymous label originally consisted of accessories and has since broadened its scope to womenswear. The designer describes his aesthetic as aiming "to create a sartorial paradigm whereby soft femininity and raw female sexuality merge to create a strong spinal structure."

Antwerp-born designer Nils Peeraer's masterful leather work grew from his training at the Royal Fashion Academy of Antwerp. His Master collection, entitled "Guess Technology Isn't Ready for Pancake Teleportation" won five awards and led to a limited edition handbag collaboration with Belgian company Delvaux. The collection was shown at Paris Fashion Week for the Spring/Summer 2011 season.

Kissing in Traffic is a vintage-inspired fashion label with a fun, feminine aesthetic. Founder Jade Moss began her fashion career at 17, when she began a vintage wholesale business in Yorkshire. She then spent 16 months travelling the world to source an investor and manufacturer for her budding fashion label idea Eliza Jade. She opened shop and the line sold out. Her initial success was followed by collaborations with Topshop and ASOS (among others), and she soon launched a second store as well as her own factories in Camden Town and Mexico.

Taiwanese-born Peggy Tan is the designer behind Mandarin & General, a contemporary brand that blends traditional Chinese craftsmanship with modern tailoring.
Tan developed an interest in fine art and culture heritage at an early age, surrounded by her father’s work as a painter and Chinese antique dealer. She attended Parsons School of Design as a student in the Interior Department and later formed a successful design studio. This initial path left her feeling unfulfilled, and here Mandarin & General was born.

Polish ready-to-wear designer Karolina Zmarlak combines urban sensibility with cutting-edge sophistication for each of her collections. The FIT graduate honed her skills at Carolina Herrera and Theory before launching her eponymous label with the Fall 2009 collection.