As a fashion editor, it's part of my job to have my eye out for cool rising brands, so I'm constantly checking out the newness unfolding on Instagram, at retailers, and on the runways. With so much new talent out there and a lot of exciting designers worth noting at the moment, I want to shine a spotlight on some on-the-rise women-founded brands that are making their mark on the industry.
Each of these designers is carving out a strong point of view, landing themselves on the rosters of the world's leading retailers and cultivating a following among fashion insiders. Ahead, I'm diving into six cool female-founded brands to have on your radar right now. Their designs range from reinvented tailoring to vibrant colors and prints to gauzy knits—each crafting directional pieces you'll want to add to your closet.
Elena Velez
Milwaukee-born designer Elena Velez plays with texture and proportions in her collection of reinvented tailoring. She offers unfinished, tactile suiting and new takes on womenswear with items like deconstructed tank tops. She held her first runway show at New York Fashion Week for the fall/winter 2022 season, so expect to see Elena Velez as a permanent part of the fashion calendar.
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Ahluwalia
LVMH Prize winner Priya Ahluwalia has already landed at some of the world's biggest retailers, which are stocking the printed and color-forward pieces that are already signatures for the brand. You'll find designs inspired by the tradition of passing garments between families and friends, as Ahluwalia takes inspiration from her Indian Nigerian heritage.
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A. Roege Hove
Founded by Denmark-based designer Amalie Røge Hove Geertsen, the namesake brand experiments with textiles and how they're worn on the body. A. Roege Hove's signature ribbed, gauzy knits are already fashion-insider favorites, and it's easy to see why. You'll want to snap up the cutout cardigans and dresses right away.
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Aisling Camps
Trinidad native Aisling Camps launched her label in Brooklyn after working as a mechanical engineer and subsequently graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology. With that kind of background, it comes as no surprise that the knitwear and swimwear pieces are all about fit, form, and attention to materials.
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Ashlyn
Founded by South Korea born Creative Director Ashlynn Park, Ashlyn is a brand everyone should have on their radar. You'll find references to both Japanese and American fashion and elements infusing Park's professional time in both Tokyo and New York. At once romantic and minimal, tailored and high volume, Ashlyn's pieces are a study of contrasts that work in the best possible way.
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Supriya Lele
British Indian designer and LVMH Prize finalist Supriya Lele takes inspiration from the streets of India, plays with contemporary dress codes, and offers an updated take on proportions in her designs. As her pieces are delicate, modern, and minimal with a few twists, there's a reason Lele is a designer everyone is talking about.
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