8 Emerging Designers to Watch This Season
The fall 2025 runway season is officially in full swing, and if New York Fashion Week's crop of fresh talent is any indication, this month of shows will be all about emerging and independent designers. From it-girl favorite Tyler McGillivary’s excellent casting and lighthearted looks to Pipenco's whimsically massive top hats and theatrical bell skirts to the bio-couture rainbow resin creations of Caroline Zimbalist, New York was dominated by vibrant creativity that kept us fully engaged—and inspired—between all of the mainstream runway shows.
Undoubtedly, we’re in for a thrilling ride over the next couple of weeks with a roster of runway shows and presentations that promise to push the style spectrum forward.
Here is our guide to the most exciting emerging designers to watch in London, Milan, and Paris.
Pauline Dujancourt
Pauline Dujancourt will show her first collection in London on February 22nd. She founded her namesake label in 2022 and specializes in gossamer-like, ethereal hand-knit dresses, skirts, and tops all designed in collaboration with female artisans in Peru, the UK, and France. Dujancourt previously worked under Simone Rocha and Rejina Pyo, and her aesthetic comes with a similarly dark, feminine edge. She said that her upcoming collection will “paint the ephemeral beauty of the flower that blooms in the winter, in memory of my grandmother.”
Grete Henriette
Ever since founding her eponymous label in 2020, this designer has developed a cult following for her dresses made out of jewelry, which serve as modern archetypes of armor. This season, Grete Henriette will also show her first runway collection off-schedule during London Fashion Week. In August 2024, she created a collaboration with Rotate Birger Christensen and Pandora at Copenhagen Fashion Week, and her work has been worn by Paris Hilton, Lizzo, Sam Smith, Tems, Tyla, Sabrina Sato, and Lil Nas X. Dubbed “Elysium,” her collection “will transport the audience into a mythical realm where divine femininity and the earth’s natural beauty come to life,” according to the designer. “Each look and model in the collection embodies the characteristics of the materials they wear, creating a narrative where the models are deities gathering and interacting.” Expect lots of jeweled silver chain dresses, tops, and clothing that clinks as it moves—the perfect fashion ASMR we need during these dark times.
Keburia
Even if you don’t know him by name, you may have already seen Keburia’s fun, oddly-shaped sunglasses on your favorite tastemakers and stars like Rihanna. George Keburia, who is self-taught, founded his namesake label in 2015 and cultivated his aesthetic in his native country of Georgia. This season, the brand will show at London Fashion Week. Expect major maximalist silhouettes and thought-provoking cuts. “One of the key inspirations behind this collection is British Victorian style, with its rich patterns and ornate details, which are deconstructed and reimagined through a contemporary lens,” says Keburia. “My aim was to honor timeless traditions while pushing the boundaries of contemporary fashion. The collection is designed to be a sensory experience, blending diverse structures and dramatic, exaggerated shapes.”
Susan Fang
This season, Susan Fang is taking a break from her normal London slot to present at Milan Fashion Week. Last year, the designer collaborated with & Other Stories, and she has already built up a steady following for her whimsical, pastel knits and beaded creations. Fang focuses on ultra-feminine, colorful creations that are crafted with techniques like hand-knitting and gorgeous beading. It’s flowers, feathers, and ruffles galore.
Burc Akyol
Paris Fashion Week marks another show for the emerging designer Burc Akyol, who founded his brand in 2019. A French designer of Turkish descent, he focuses heavily on streamlined tailoring with unusual twists and unconventional structures. Think: a red tuxedo blazer cut with an elongated U-shape necklace down to the midriff. “Lately, I’ve been more and more inspired by the creative and political resilience of what being an independent designer means,” he says. “It’s all-encompassing and sacrificial, an almost religious experience, and requires our all even more in this very conservative climate where a sense of poverty in design is accepted in the name of minimalism. I feel rebellious and want to own up to the parts of me that are maybe not that acceptable. In French, we say ‘oser,’ which means 'to dare.’”
Julie Kegels
A former designer for Alaïa, Julie Kegels makes beautiful, idiosyncratic clothing with a focus on highly wearable pieces with unusual cuts. As a graduate of Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts, she combines rigidity and craft with a bit of carefree elements like clashing prints and surprising layering. She founded her line in 2024 and, last season, showed a collection based around Malibu surfers and Parisian dressing. Up next, Kegels will have her third outing on the official Paris schedule, which will focus on her unique take on ’80s-era style. “This collection explores the illusion of success—how style and design shape perception,” she says. “I was inspired by an ’80s book, Executive Style from Judith Price, detailing the exact steps to ‘make it.’ I found its approach both amusing and intriguing. How does clothing signal status? How do we blend in, seamlessly camouflaging ourselves within the world of success? It’s a playful reflection on the aesthetics of ambition.”
Meryll Rogge
Meryll Rogge graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 2008 and subsequently worked under Marc Jacobs and Dries Van Noten before founding her own line in 2020. She’s become a fashion girl favorite and an instant hitmaker for her quirky knits with cut-outs and embellishments, chunky cargo pants, and signature striped button-downs. For spring 2025, the designer presented a reinterpretation of the looks created for her wedding last year, which included upcycled white jeans and pieces inspired by '60s-era gowns. It’s all about the “rituals and pleasures of celebrations.” Each season, she surprises with an unexpected concept.
Matières Fécales
Hannah Rose and Steven Raj Bhaskaran started an Instagram account dubbed Matières Fécales nearly a decade ago. On their feed, they document their non-conformist outfits, showcasing an alien-like aesthetic comprised of shaved heads, warped heels that look like they’re made of skin, and freaky, fantastical makeup and silhouettes that are more mind-bending than what AI can create. They have since transformed their art into a fashion business, collaborating with Rick Owens countless times. "Our upcoming collection is entitled ´The Other,” says Rose. “Especially during these diabolical times, those who are suffering are often the ones who don’t fit into the norms of society. It’s our own experience and the experience of the community around us. Being fearless in your identity is more than just inspiration for us; it’s our real life and that’s what’s fueling our debut collection in Paris."
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