How Unique! The Indie-Luxury List of Brands and Buys You Don't Know Yet

To be in the know when it comes to fashion can vary from person to person, but the usual tell-tale signs are that brands like Khaite and Toteme are in their vocabulary. And presumably hanging in their wardrobes.

While they have deservedly become household names, the mark of a true sartorialist is staying across the emerging designers of note. The luxury independent fashion brands to know, if you will. As a fashion writer working atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , it is not only my passion, but within my job description to be at the forefront of the zeitgeist and be across this upcoming cohort to ensure that you, our readers, are also in the know.

Finding the next Proenza Schouler or Peter Do or Phoebe Philo does take commitment; trawling multi-brand retailers like Dover Street Market, keeping a close eye on the new generation showing at smaller fashion weeks in Copenhagen and Sydney, seeing what celebrity stylists like Dara Allen, Danielle Goldberg and Jamie Mizrahi are dressing their clients in. As I’ve built a profession around identifying the luxury independent fashion brands before they make it mainstream, it would be remiss of me to gatekeep.

These niche brands might not be new to you, though they may be for some. Which is why I’ve also included the designers' It items that everyone is currently impressed by. What you’ll find below is a curated list of the top 11 independent brands and buys you're probably not across yet. These designers all operate from around the world—including the outskirts of Istanbul, the dreamy Northern Rivers region of Australia, Italy’s mills and even here in the heart of London—yet still have one thing in common. All discerning, minimalistic, designed for the modern woman and crafted with the highest quality fabrics, these buys will last you a lifetime. Uncover them all, ahead.

The 11 Luxury Independent Fashion Brands and Buys to Know

1. St. Agni

Style Notes: Hailing from the languid beaches of Byron Bay, St. Agni is one of Australia’s foremost contemporary fashion brands. The brand’s silhouettes are contemporary, unfussy, infused with a ‘90s fashion sensibility and functional for both city and coastal settings, which is why you’ll see designs like Carrie Bradshaw-esque mini dresses rendered in a TENCEL™ Lyocell fabric (a type of regenerated material that has a lower environmental impact) alongside sleek lambskin halter neck tops, deliciously light-weight silk camisoles jackets, woven leather bags and trousers with built-in cummerbunds. The brand’s pieces have been worn by the likes of Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Lawrence and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. Speaking of the brand's resonance within these spheres, Lara Fells, co-founder of St. Agni, says: "St. Agni has always been about considered design and quiet confidence. The cult following came organically, a reflection of those who value subtlety over spectacle."

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2. The Row

Style Notes: If you’re going to be familiar with a luxury independent fashion brand on this list, it’s going to be The Row. Founded by Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen in 2006, The Row silently helped pioneer the market of well-finished and expertly made staples that whispered wealth. According to the Olsen Twins themselves, the brand began with the simple mission of creating the perfect white T-shirt. This idea then spiralled into a capsule collection of just seven pieces, including cashmere, before becoming the elegant titan we know it to be now. With the brand’s name deriving from Savile Row, The Row’s boutique in Mayfair (which includes mid-century furnishings, a James Turrell light installation and a strict "no pictures" policy) is a must-visit while in London.

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3. Dear Frances

Style Notes: You can’t take a wrong step when wearing Dear Frances. An intentionally slow fashion brand, the London-based label is unique in its commitment to Italian craftsmanship and covetable accessories. The brand first piqued interest in 2021 with the Balla style, a mesh slipper style that puts a sensual spin on woven ballet flats. Designed for a glove fit, it’s the perfect vessel for showcasing a sophisticated pedicure and embracing the naked dressing trend in a more subtle way. Since then, the brand has expanded into handbags with the launch of its first-ever mesh bag, the shopper-style Sachetto, begun toying with mesh trainers and even celebrated its tenth anniversary. As an Australian myself, I adore how the brand’s founder and creative director, Jane Frances, comes from down under, too. But even more so, I love the fact she trained as a shoe designer in a family-owned factory outside of Milan, so you know the styles are made for the well-travelled woman.

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4. Beare Park

Style Notes: In under five years, Sydney-based label Beare Park has gone from making it's debut under the sails of the Sydney Opera House during the 2021 season of Australian Fashion Week to winning the Australian Fashion Laureate prize for Emerging Designer of the Year in 2024. Along the way, it has remained steady in its vision of arming its customers with timeless and sophisticated staples. Located in the harbourside suburb of Potts Point, co-founder and creative director Gabriella Pereira designs every piece and hand sources fabric across France, Italy and Japan herself. More importantly, the brand is dedicated to a circular fashion model, expanding this even further by promoting causes close to the community, including outfitting the national women's football team, the Matildas, with off-field tailoring and creating a pink blouse in partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, donating 100% of the proceeds towards the charity.

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5. Rue Sophie

Style Notes: Relaunching in 2024 under the visage Rue Sophie, this brand has been an editor's secret for nearly two years now. However, in that time, the label has enjoyed the success of being spotted on early adopters like Pamela Anderson and Demi Moore, who wore pieces on their respective press cycles for The Last Showgirl and The Substance. At a far more affordable price point compared to its contemporaries, Rue Sophie is distinct as it takes a considerably softer approach to dressing. Knits are lightweight, tops are fluid, and the colour palette ranges from liquid metallics to dusty pinks.

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6. Rohé

Style Notes: Rohé is a Dutch studio and atelier located in Amsterdam's "Golden Bend", the most prestigious and palatial part of the Netherlands' Herengracht canal district. The brand's clothing reflects this stature, with everything from sumptuous outerwear to satin trousers designed to be as regal and swish as the location in which it's made. Drawing inspiration from architecture, poetry and photography, the brand is best known for its origami capsule, a collection of shirts and blouses that translates the folding and pleating of paper into clothing.

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7. Tove

Style Notes: Tove is a London-based small-batch fashion studio that evokes British charm and polish in all its iterations. Founded by friends Holly Wright and Camille Perry, Tove interprets the clothing worn throughout the city and countryside and distils it into considered and limited ranges that are dropped throughout the year. This season, the brand has brought linen to the forefront, as showcased in the relaxed strapless Tove dresses you've no doubt seen all over your social media feeds.

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8. Manu Atelier

Style Notes: Founded in Istanbul by sisters Beste and Merve Manastır, Manu Atelier is the designer bag brand you'd have noticed swinging from the shoulders of the most stylish people across London. It's true—the best wardrobes in Britain aren't complete without an addition from this brand, which is made distinct by the signature belt-inspired buckled strap that wraps around the front of its styles. On that note, the most prominent style is the suede Le Cambon 35, which comes in eight different neutral hues and is snug enough to be tucked under your elbow.

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9. Kallmeyer

Style Notes: A New York powerhouse, but still lesser known than the likes of Tory Burch, Calvin Klein and Wardrobe.NYC, Kallmeyer is quickly becoming an institution for savvy and stylish city slickers. Synonymous with downtown cool and nonchalant elegance, the brand's floaty shapes and ability to make even the most delicate of designs look rough and ready have swiftly earned it a cult following, including among celebrities like Ayo Edebiri, And Just Like That's Sarita Choudhury and Katie Holmes.

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10. Tibi

Style Notes: Amy Smilovic’s Tibi is more than just an independent luxury fashion brand; it's an entire philosophy. Aside from their clothing, Smilovic is known for her styling playbook, The Creative Pragmatist, a sort of how-to with helpful tools and tricks to help develop your eye, taste and personal style. But if you don't have time to brush up on this coursework, all of Tibi's designs are infused with the principles spelt out in the book, meaning you can invest soundly knowing that whatever piece you buy is already expertly put together for you.

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11. LeMarie

Style Notes: What began in Le Marias in 1990 is now a veritable independent luxury fashion establishment. Lemaire is a lesser-known French fashion brand, but one worth being spoken about nonetheless. Led by Christophe Lemaire, the eponymous founder and former creative director of Hermès, and co-designer Sarah-Linh Tran, Lemaire draws inspiration from Parisian attitudes and well-styled locals.

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What is an Luxury Independent Fashion Brand?

For the uninitiated, a luxury independent fashion brand refers to a clothing brand that is owned independently. Often operated by the designers themselves and financed by a series of investments, these brands are not under the control of a larger conglomerate or company, such as LVMH, which owns brands like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany Co., Dior, Fendi, Celine and Loewe, or Kering, which owns Gucci, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen and Bottega Veneta. Other luxury independent fashion brands include Chanel, Hermès, Prada and Giorgio Armani.

Why Trust Us?

AtBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK, fashion is our speciality. Our editors have years of industry experience, from reporting on seasonal fashion trends seen at international fashion weeks to working with some of the most recognisable names in fashion. Every item we recommend is carefully selected based on current trends, quality and real-world wearability.

We regularly try pieces ourselves, everything from bestselling jeans to designer shoes, speak to external experts and fashion insiders and stay closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise and has to pass our exceptional taste levels—so you can feel confident in every recommendation.