5 Brands the Edgy-Fashion Set Is Prioritizing This Summer

A ton of fashion communities exist, but if you're looking for a subset of people with their finger on the pulse, it's undoubtedly the edgy, experimental dressers. In their world, sheer tops and dazzling sequins are staples just like a black blazer and a white tee, and they're always game to try out something new. What they're wearing is also a useful gauge to tell which brands and cult pieces are bound to make a bigger splash later. Call them the earliest of early adopters. And from the looks of things, it's bound to be a colorful summer. After some research, I've narrowed it down to the five names setting the tone this summer. Keep scrolling to read about them all.

Loewe

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(Image credit: @jo.rdan)

It's a tall order to make a heritage brand feel fresh and new, but somehow, Loewe always steps up to the plate. Courtesy of Creative Director JW Anderson, Loewe has churned out a stream of cool handbags and accessories that have become cult hits among edgy fashion girls. The must-have pieces for this season? The brand's vibrant printed items and, of course, the straw tote bags.

Shop Loewe:

Louisa Ballou

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(Image credit: @rosegraceeee)

Louisa Ballou emerged as the new kid on the swimwear block last year, and the designer has only expanded from there. Her edgy tropical prints are constantly in high demand. (It definitely helps when you count Dua Lipa as a hard-core fan.) Ballou's bikinis and beachwear is unlike the delicate pretty florals that you're used to, which is why they so easily stand out. 

Shop Louisa Ballou:

A. Roege Hove

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(Image credit: @lifeofboheme)

Experimental knitwear seems to be a growing micro-trend among designers (you'll also see that with another name on this list, Isa Boulder), and no one quite does it like A. Roege Hoeve. Founded in 2019, the Copenhagen-based label has carved out a name by creating delicate knitwear pieces that push the boundaries. It falls right in line with the current sheer trend popping up right now, so expect to see even more of the brand this summer.

Shop A. Roege Hove:

Balenciaga

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(Image credit: @camillecharriere)

If any brand's accessories have single-handedly ruled 2022, it's Balenciaga. Just when you thought Creative Director Demna Gvasalia couldn't pull out any more exciting fashion hits, he reinterpreted the brand's signature City bags into a line of flashy accessories that became instant favorites. With the Cagole boots and bags taking over my feed, it'd be fair to say the Balenciaga reign continues.

Shop Balenciaga:

Isa Boulder

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(Image credit: @chloescantlebury)

Instantly recognizable knitwear is how Isa Boulder became a brand to know in recent years. From its argyle-knit sleeves and dresses to its whimsical knit tops, the Indonesian label is basically a staple of any It girl. But it's not just eccentric knits that are worth checking out—the brand's line of romantic satin swimwear has also been seen everywhere.

Shop Isa Boulder:

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Fashion Market Editor

Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. While going to school at Columbia University in New York City, she got her feet wet in the fashion industry interning at Elle magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and New York magazine's The Cut. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. There, she worked on a multitude of projects, including styling inbook feature stories for New York magazine's print issue, writing and pitching market stories for The Cut, and serving as fashion lead for The Cut's branded content. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter. Now she is a fashion market editor forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her duties as a fashion market editor, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times. But once the computer goes down and the emails turn off, she's likely eating her way through Koreatown, hunting down vintage furniture, scoping out new outrageous nail designs to try, or taking a hot cycling class.