Fashion Week’s rising stars - 7 new designers we’re watching

While Copenhagen kicked us off in early August, climbing the ranks as the fifth fashion week to know, Fashion Month has finally arrived. Fashion editors, buyers and content creators will first descend onto New York before making their way to London, Milan and Paris for ‘the big four’. And, alongside the heavy hitters – think Saint Laurent, Loewe, Prada and Khaite, to name but a few – there’s a hefty handful of new talent determined to crack into the ever-evolving industry. Yet, in a space that seeks continual newness, starting out is far from easy.

Sól Hansdóttir, a Copenhagen Fashion Week NEWTALENT designer, knows this all too well. “The fashion industry is really difficult to break into, and I think a lot of people believe they can do it with pure talent, but the truth is I think talent is maybe 15 per cent of what it takes. The rest is who you know, being financially clever, which means having an understanding of the industry, having funding so you can have (some) time to grow and make mistakes, having mentoring/support and then being consistent,” she says. And luckily, there are a handful of organisations providing just that.

Over in the UK, the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN initiative has supported over 300 designers, including Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Erdem, JW Anderson, Molly Goddard and Simone Rocha, to name but a few. In the US, the (Council of Fashion Designers of America) CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has supported over 189 designers with a total of $7.7 million. And Copenhagen has recently launched a similar NEWTALENT programme providing monetary support, mentorships, partnership offerings, professional advisors and PR contacts to a selected handful of new talent each season. Yet why this support is needed is the key question.

With a sharp focus on London, the chief executive of the British Fashion Council, Caroline Rush CBE, explains, “the UK has a disproportionately high impact on the pipeline of talent to the global industry and talent from around the world, from lots of backgrounds, come here to start businesses, build their network, and tell their stories.”

“However, the UK fashion industry faces ongoing challenges, including uncertain trading conditions, the continued absence of tax-free shopping, key retailer closures, Brexit's lingering effects, and the cost-of-living crisis, which has driven up energy, material, and manufacturing costs. This challenging environment, coupled with slowing growth, hinders the ability of young brands to establish themselves. Without financial and showcasing support, it is nearly impossible for most emerging brands to present a collection during London Fashion Week, a critical period to engage with press and buyers and establish a reputation globally,” she adds, highlighting the multiple parts of the overarching issue.

So, with this in mind, we have even more respect for the up-and-comers who continue to take to the catwalk this season. Below are the seven we’re most excited about.

Karoline Vitto

Brazilian-born designer Karoline Vitto first appeared on the runway as part of Fashion East’s showcase for spring/summer 23 and immediately drew attention with her truly diverse cast. Shortly after, she was supported by Dolce & Gabbana to show a striking collection in Milan, opened by none other than supermodel Ashley Graham, focused on female bodies size 10 - 24 with an incredibly chic full curve cast. And now she’s back in London on her own terms. We’re expecting to see plenty of colour, crafty cut-outs and a celebration of female bodies that could bring people to tears (again).

Sól Hansdóttir

Over in Copenhagen, Sól Hansdóttir, an Icelandic designer, debuted her spring/summer 25 collection with a particularly cheery reaction. Think sheer fabrics, exaggerated shapes, and colour clashing that immediately command attention, all inspired by Icelandic folkloric. Having trained with Richard Malone, Hillier Bartley and a handful of household labels, including Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs, she’s certainly honed her striking handcrafting skills.

Yet, the designer is still incredibly open about what it takes to crack into this increasingly competitive industry. When asked how it’s possible without the support of talent incubators, she shared, “I'd like to think that I would do it by being talented, resourceful, knowing to ask for help and being extremely resilient. But I'm already those things, and I could not have done my last season without any support, so honestly, I'm not sure.”

Tolu Coker

Arguably, Tolu Coker is no longer a new face on the Fashion Week scene. Debuting at London Fashion Week’s autumn/winter 19 season, she has racked up more awards than we could count, including the ITS, Drapers 30 under 30 and is part of London Fashion Week’s NewGen collective. Yet it was the last autumn/season collections that truly put the British-Nigerian designer on many fashion fans' radar, bringing Yoruba culture to central London. Sharp tailoring, bold patterns and a huge dose of personality is what we’re particularly excited to see again this season.

Pauline Dujancourt

Originally from Paris, Pauline Dujancourt worked with an incredibly impressive selection of brands before launching her own label: Simone Rocha, Rejina Pyo, and Alexander Wang included. Now, all eyes are on her own designs as she’s not only part of London Fashion Week’s NewGen collective but also the designer in residence at the Paul Smith Foundation and a finalist of the LVMH Prize 2024.

"Based in London, my brand aims to redefine womenswear through intricate textile processes like crochet and hand knitting, embodying my contemporary approach to knitwear,” she says of her namesake label. Adding, “collaborating with skilled female artisans around the world, my aim is to empower them, nurturing independence that, to me, symbolises freedom. Through both wearing and making my collections, the main intention behind my work is for women to feel their presence and importance in the world.”

Melitta Baumeister

Despite being almost ten years old (and worn by Rihanna) Melitta Baumeister’s debut at New York Fashion Week this season certainly has many a fashion fan excited, proving they’re still a fresh face to this type of showcase. Having just won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, it’s said the designers are reaching for a more practical and wearable approach to their often sculptural collections. So, let’s see what’s in store.

Di Petsa

Despite only launching in 2019, Greek-born designer Dimitra Petsa has racked up a hugely impressive fan-based, including supermodel sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner, FKA Twigs, Doja Cat and SZA, to name but a few. You may recognise the now-famous ‘wet-look’ dress, which we expect to see much more of this season as the brand showcases again under the NewGen umbrella for autumn/winter 24. If you’re yet to have Di Petsa on your radar, this is certainly the season to add her.

STEL

While Astrid Andersen may now be a new name in fashion circles, her new label STEL, certainly is. Debuting at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August with denim-clad models climbing an industrial crane-like structure, it’s functional, practical fashion at its finest, and comfort takes centre stage. Think raw-hem denim vests, asymmetrical white tops and chic trench coats, none of which would look out of place in an elevated everyday wardrobe.