As the recent New York Fashion Week reminded us, there’s so much great talent out there. Designers and brands who are taking fashion to innovative new heights and redefining what it means to speak out with looks alone.
Like any art form, fashion is subjective though. We’ve all got our tastes and favorites, so today I’m focusing on mine.
Here are my top picks when it comes to designers you should know.
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Miu Miu
A hip women’s fashion brand owned by Prada and formed by Mario Prada’s granddaughter. Miu Miu leans hipster-chic with new takes on timeless stylings. Their Automne 2018 looks are great examples of the multi-pattern designs popping out this year. Besides their standout fashion sense, Miu Miu’s Woman’s Tales film series brought world-renowned female filmmakers into the fold to highlight themes of empowerment.
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Rick Owens
Rick Owens designs fashion for men and women that might best be described as “Neo-Industrial”. Black leather all over the place. Cuts that alternate between billowing and tightly conservative. His looks wouldn’t be out of place in a sci-fi movie and their practicality is sometimes questionable, but there’s no denying that he’s an innovator. When fashion is an art, you can’t stand out by riding the trends, you have to push into new territory risks and all.
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Etro
Etro caters to the flower children among us with floral, paisley, and intricate India-inspired designs. Complex and often vibrant designs that pop and somehow complement one another. They go beyond women’s and men’s fashion with similarly styled home goods and fragrance collections too.
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Leonard
Leonard is another brand that masterfully incorporates mesmerizing and colorful patterns for women with a heavy focus on florals. Under the artistic direction of Daniel Tribouillard, Leonard Fashion revolutionized the use of florals in the ‘60s so much so that the Japanese government tasked him with redesigning the traditional kimono. A legendary brand with renewed relevance thanks to 2018’s love for flowery designs.
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Pucci
A classic brand that basically defined ‘60s fashion with bold uses of vibrant slabs of color and groovy, free-flowing complexity. Commanding hues that just work. Emilio Pucci was the “Prince of Prints” and his visionary looks are still making waves today. If the ‘60s are back in 2018, then so is the work of Emilio Pucci.
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Alexander Wang
Urban, industrial, and – at times – edgy. Alexander Wang’s fashion for both men and women has a certain gritty appeal that adds just the right amount of bite to an otherwise demure outfit. His recent NY Fashion Week show brought out his corporate side with near-future blazers and suits. No matter where Wang goes though, it seems like he’ll always have a bit of a grunge or punk influence which certainly has its place in the fashion world.
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Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen was provocative, brash, and visionary to say the least. Although he died far too young at just 40 years old, he made a deep and inescapable cut into the history of fashion. His designs were masterful and perplexing and his shows were charged with political and historical metaphor. An icon of the darker side of fashion that will certainly not be forgotten.
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Tom Ford
Tom Ford is an icon of the classic and minimalist. His designs don’t try too hard, they’re effortless. Even when he dips into animal printed or tie-dyed blazers, it doesn’t feel like a stretch. For the men and women who lean to the classier side of the fashion spectrum, his outfits are perfect. If I had to pick one designer on this list who is just timeless, it’s Tom Ford.
That’s it for this list, but there are countless fashion designers all with their own unique take. The best fashion for you is what inspires you, so look around and find your own favorites. They’re out there.
