29 Emerging Female Fashion Designers To Have On Your Radar This International Women's Day
To celebrate International Women's Day we collated 29 of our favourite emerging female designers that should be on your radar now
To celebrate International Women's Day (March 8), we have scoped out some of the most exciting emerging female fashion designers to know now. These designers are testing both their technique and the traditional, playing with everything, from form-fitting iridescent dresses to claw clips Bella Hadid and FKA twigs can't get enough of.
These are the women shaping the future of fashion one fantastical garment and accessory at a time.
Here are ELLE UK's pick of tomorrow's most exciting talent emerging before our very eyes.
Talia Byre
Talia Byre's one of the brightest fashion stars to emerge from the latest cohort of young designers in London. Byre's practice incorporates knitwear with an elevated, point of view. For AW24, Byre presented a collected brimming with pony hair bras, striped polo tops and Dalmatian print knit skirt sets. If you're looking for a designer to fulfil your knitwear needs, look no further than Byre.
Katya
An adoration for playful accessories led London-based stylist and creative Kate Iorga to start an entirely accessory-led brand – and with admirers including Bella Hadid, FKA twigs and Edie Campbell, suffice to say she made the right choice. Stocked in Selfridges and online, the clips range from buttery, crystal-laden clips in duck-egg blue, fuchsia and tangerine, to clips and Y2K-style claw clips in tortoiseshell and black.
Nadine Mos
Established in 2020 during lockdown, Nadine Mosallam started her eponymous brand to create garments that she could pour love into. The Egyptian designer has a penchant for minimal, Nineties silhouettes, and has found fans in Taylor Russell, model Alva Claire and Jill Kortleve as a result of her utterly stylish designs. Mosallam's ethos centres around zero-waste, and often makes a limited batch of pieces. Earlier this month, Mosallam released a collection titled 'Home', which she fashioned while she was in Eygpt at the tail end of last year.
Cawley Studio - Hannah Cawley
Founded in 2017 by Hannah Cawley, Cawley Studio is all handmade in London. Focussing on both silk and leather, the British brand creates whimsical dresses and durable outerwear that is loved by the likes of Lucy Williams. Cawley Studios is soon to be releasing bridal wear, which we can't wait to see.
Diotima - Rachel Scott
Scott has become the first Jamaican semi-finalist for the LVMH Prize this year, bringing her closer to her goal to dismantle the widely-accepted fallacy that luxury fashion can only come from Europe. The Caribbean designer works a lot with crotchet (hugely attached to the tourism industry in Jamaica), alongside beautiful tailoring.
RUI - Rui Zhou
Founder and designer Rui Zhou, who graduated from Parsons School of Design back in 2018, went on to launch her eponymous label, RUI, in 2019.
After being selected as one of the 2018 CFDA+ Design Graduates, Zhou went on to show three times at NYFW and is gaining cult status on social media with her spiderweb knitted designs.
Rui, who was born in Hunan, is now based in both Shanghai and New York, splitting her time between studios.
In 2021, Dua Lipa - who loves to favour an emerging designer - appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in full RUI, making Zhou truly one to watch.
HRH - Hannah Hopkins
Founder and designer Hannah Hopkins launched her debut AW21 accessories collection as part of Fashion East's new line up, giving us giant scrunchies, hoods, pants and pouches aplenty.
Hopkins, who originally began her career in costume design, has been busy designing and creating accessories since 2018.
Known for her 'extreme scrunchies', and trust us when we say they're giant, HRH has now developed into a fully fledged accessories label using sustainable materials such as recycled bottles.
On what inspires her, HRH's Hannah Hopkins tells ELLE UK: 'I don’t have one individual, but I am inspired by a wider community of incredible women and non-binary people making work, speaking out and changing things for the better.'
And on the future? 'I’m so inspired by the positive response and ready to go into production so everyone can have a bit of HRH.'
Katya Zelentsova
Knitwear couturier Katya Zlentsova experiments with everything yarn related, from form-fitting fine knits and 3D knitted flowers to voluminous sleeves and puffball skirts.
After graduating from Central Saint Martin (CSM), Zelentova went on to launch collections in 2018 and 2020 using offcuts and dead stock yarns, ensuring each piece crafted is a one of a kind creation.
The designer's trademark colourful knits and body flossing tops are gaining her an ever growing social following. Worn most recently by the ethereal Celeste for a video performance, it's clear Zelentsova is one to keep on your radar.
Sonia Carrasco
CSM alumni Sonia Carrasco, who most recently presented her second full collection at London Fashion Week for AW21, is continuously striving to learn and work in a the most responsible way she can.
Alongside a full collections of ribbed knits in beiges and greens, cut out tailoring and great trousers was short film, '#SCAVETHEARTS', a beautifully shot piece interpreted by ballerina Carla Cervantes.
Having previously worked for major fashion houses Celine and Alexander McQueen, Carrasco is now well on her way to being a big hitter in the world of womenswear.
ELLISS - Elliss Solomon
Designer Elliss Solomon launched ELLISS back in 2016 after graduating. Initially wanting to work for a sustainable brand, Solomon went on to found her own company with the ethos of locally sourcing and producing the pieces and minimising waste.
A CSM alumni, Solomon's collections, worn by Gigi Hadid, focus on creating womenswear from materials such as bamboo and hemp, carefully crafting garments to create as little waste as possible.
During the 2020 lockdowns Solomon was heavily involved with CSM's initiative in which designers would make scrubs for the NHS.
Helen Kirkum Studio Ltd.
Helen Kirkum, who founded her brand in 2019, is a London-based designer and artist, graduating from London's Royal College of Art back in 2016.
Since then, Kirkum has gone from strength to strength collaborating with brands across the globe, receiving international acclaim for her commitment to up-cycling and reworking exciting products.
Having already worked with designers such as Bethany Williams and sustainability focused designer Matthew Needham, not to mention industry giants such as Adidas and Lacoste, Kirkum has cemented her place in the industry.
In 2021, Kirkum launched her latest project with Helen Kirkum x Reebok Advanced Concepts Zig Kinetica II which sees an ultra-limited collection of 20 handmade trainers crafted from past materials. Of course, it didn't take long for these to sell out.
Paolina Russo
After showing her BA collection back in 2018, Russo was titled as 'one to watch' by many a fashion critic, and it's evident why.
Since graduating from CSM, Paolina went on to win the coveted L’Oreal Professional Young Talent Award and has interned with the likes of John Galliano at Maison Margiela. Refining her craft, Russo's collections work on developing new knitting techniques, incorporating upcycling and sustainable practices.
Russo often works closely with Adidas, transforming their Superstar trainer into her trademark stomper boots and heels, dropping her Paolina Russo x Adidas collaboration back in September 2020 which is available to buy on ASOS.
The designer has just been semifinalist for the 2023 LVMH Prize, proving this is just the beginning for Russo.
Rua Carlota - Charlotte Rose Kirkham
Championed as one of the best knitwear brands you needed to know last year, Rua Carlota was founded by self-taught fashion designer Chorlotte Rose Kirkham as a personal project.
The pieces themselves are one-offs which 'challenge waste culture' by using dead stock and pre-loved materials. Kirkham herself is a graduate in Mathematics, experimenting as she goes.
Rua Carlota has been seen on the likes of Normani and Rimon so keep your eyes peeled for the latest drops.
Beate Karlsson - AVAVAV & Pyer Moss
A fashion designer with many strings to her bow. Already snapped up by Pyer Moss in New York and Florence based AVAVAV, where she leads their Creative Direction, Karlsson works on her own eponymous label, too.
You may have seen these giant monstrous, yet fantastic, monster feet across your Insta feeds in the recent weeks and they're all thanks to Beate.
Focusing on silicone work, New York-based Karlsson plays with the ideas of proportion in her designs. One iconic piece is the pair of silicone 'butt shorts' which give the wearer a Kim Kardashian West-like derrière.
Stephanie Uhart
Introducing Stephanie Uhart who is changing up the knitwear scene.
Graduating in 2020 from CSM, the London-based designer's work has already been featured by the likes of Harpers Bazaar, AnOther and was seen on RuPaul's Drag Race UK (on Awhora, if you fancy a nosy).
Uhart's latest collection uses latex to create padded one off pieces and her iconic pieces are the feather knit dresses coming in a rainbow of colours.
Kiko Kostadinov - Laura & Deanna Fanning
Kiki Kostadinov is a brand that should already be on your radar. If not, check them out. The brilliant brains behind their womenswear collections are fashion designer duo are Laura and Deanna Fanning.
Making their debut with an autumn/winter collection back in 2019 and with a host of collaborations already under their belt, such as iconic footwear brand Asics and cult accessories label Medea, we know the pair are set to continue doing great things.
Grete Henriette - Grete Moeller
As part of the SHOWStudio Class of 2020, and a Ravensborne Graduate, Grete broke through by recreating 16th Century-inspired looks with her collections. More recently Moeller has turned to metal and crystals for her creations, dressing the likes of Sam Smith and Zara Larsson.
Stay tuned for more glamorous goodness.
Saskia Lenaerts
Award-winning menswear designer Saskia Lenaerts is leading the way for a new generation of fashion talent, using upcycling and repurposing deadstock and army surplus.
Key pieces from her collection 'Dis Arming' are the 'Immunity Parker', worn by Adwoa Aboah for the September issue of ELLE UK, and the 'Buffer Puffer'.
Lenaerts launched her latest collection during Lisbon Fashion Week in October 2020 as a short film in collaboration with Jebí Labembika.
WED Studio - Amy Trinh
One half of WED Studio is Amy Trinh who works alongside Evan Phillips. The label, launched in 2019, is reinventing the traditional 'occasion wear' using deadstock fabrics to create ready-to-wear collections alongside bridal and one off red-carpet ready looks.
Turning traditional wedding dresses on their head, the pieces play with what an outfit for a special occasion can and will be.
Their SS21 collection saw the launch of 'Bow Bags' while previous collections have been seen in Interview Magazine and, again, worn by emerging-designer-lover Celeste.
Peachy Den - Isabella Weatherby
Instagram favourite Peachy Den is founded by fashion designer Isabella Weatherby, who is creating the ultimate day-to-night lewks that are both slinky and comfortable.
Already loved by Princess Nokia, Maya Jama and Zara Larson, to name a few, Den's key pieces include velvet Kernel jumpsuits and silky two pieces.
Founded officially in 2019 after starting off as a side hustle, each Peachy piece is consciously crafted in Isabella's local area in London, with the aim of minimising environmental impacts. We're sold.
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