As runways around the world near the end of their fall 2015 Fashion Week season, we take a moment to roundup this season’s most impressive up-and-coming designers, and share a look at their spring 2015 collections.

From the romance of frills and floral applique à la Simone Rocha, by way of London, to the minimalist cool of New York boys Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne’s Public School label, these are the designers flying high on our radars.

So clear out space in those closets, it’s time to make way for a fresh new designer vision.

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As its name suggests, Public School plays with youthful urban design. Designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne—both raised in New York—prove themselves standouts amongst the commercial American fashion market with their Spring 2015 collection. Laid-back and tailored with sophistication, this distinctly chill line calls out to those a step ahead of trends (in the style of Jude Law or Chloë Sevigny), and not likely to shy away from bold design.

Founded in 2008, Dao-Yi and Osborne are redefining the landscape for both menswear and womenswear, blending “high” with “low,” in a charming and unique amalgamation that references fashion, art and music in the style of Father John Misty.

As a label, Public School is fervently local-minded, aiming to keep design and manufacturing in New York City. The duo’s dedication to making their brand a hometown affair, has enabled them to create designs that truly reflect life in the city.

With their menswear label having been honoured with accolades that include winning both the CFDA Swarovski Award for Menswear and the prestigious CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Award in 2013, Dao-Yi and Osborne decided to test out the waters in womenwear…and may we say, we’re are happy they did.

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During last spring’s New York Fashion Week, Public School wowed critics with their first collection of womenwear for FW14. For SS15, the label continues to impress with a Ready-to-Wear collection designed with tomboys-turned-indie heartbreakers in mind.

We can’t hold back the love for Dao-Yi and Osborne; here’s to more playground antics from our favourite new fashion duo.

 

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This young Irish designer has already managed to earned big time credits including 2013’s Emerging Designer British Fashion Award and Best Future Fashion Wallpaper* Award, adding on the British Fashion Award for New Establishment Designer and the Young Designer of the Year at The Harper’s Women of the Year Awards, both last year. With that much acclaim, it’s clear that we aren’t the only one celebrating the work of Simone Rocha’s whimsical designs.

Since graduating from The National College of Art and Design in Dublin in 2008, Rocha has been producing her own line, while moonlighting for US-based denim label, J Brand, whom she began collaborating with back in 2014.

A designer who evidently appreciates a little drama in her clothing, Rocha‘s Ready-to-Wear label has fittingly become a regular feature in the pages of the world’s fashion editorials. Through ultra-feminine designs, she show off her expert skill with textiles, as seen in the pairing of light touches of embroidery and graphic (and may we say, ever so cutesy) floral embellishments in her SS15 collection.

Between the collection’s full skirts, bare shoulders and the girly floral designs, we can’t help but blush and swoon when thinking of donning a Simone Rocha design. And it would seem the critics agree, the godly Style.com did after all charge Rocha with being “the most romantic designer working today.”

When it comes to Rocha, we say, believe the hype and nab yourself a dress (or five) from her spring collection now. A girl can never have enough first date possibilities in her wardrobe.

 

Designers-to-Watch-Andrea-Incontri-A

Known for his clean minimalism designs and structural style, it’s not hard to believe Andrea Incontri studied architecture before turning to the world of fashion. Originally from Italy, Incontri‘s early professional experience began in interior and product design, for which his resume includes collaborations with companies such as Alessi and Samsung.

Today, his eye for design is focused on clothing. A proponent of meticulous research, traditional tailoring and a vast knowledge of Italian production and manufacturing defines the refined aesthetic of Incontri‘s designs.

Since the debut of his eponymously named brand in 2009, the designer’s collections—comprised of womenswear (a collaboration with Italy’s Kabi brand since 2013), menswear, shoes and leather goods—have championed airy minimalism.

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With pieces that reflect their designer’s old school intuition, the Andrea Incontri line keeps true to classic artisanship, while embracing a stark modernity that oozes sleek elegance. His are designs that belong on the beautiful in the south of France.

So, being the hallmark of sophistication the brand is, if champagne brunches are something of a regular feature in your life, then this is one designer you will want to invite into your closet.

 

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A Paris native, Alexis Martial’s knack for design can be traced back to ancestry, as much as cultural heritage. The son of craftsmen, specializing in leather gilding, Martial grew up learning the art of tailored made luxury items in his parents’ atelier.

Early initiation into the business of fashion, inspired the 16-year-old would-be-designer to enroll fashion design school, dedicating himself to the study of Haute Couture.  And just as any fairy tale Haute Couture career fantasy would have it, in 2007, the designer joined the team at Givenchy—led by renowned artistic director Riccardo Tisci—as the knitwear designer, just after finishing school.

Soon after, in 2012 he was appointed creative director at Paco Rabanne, overseeing the French label’s rebirth. His time at the label came to an end early in 2013, when Paolo Gerani—the creative helm of Iceberg, the Italian fashion house founded by his parents in the ‘70s—invited Martial to head the label’s womenswear line, which had its debut during Milan Fashion Week’s SS14 season.

Setting out to revitalize the brand through fresh youthful designs that speak to the modern woman, Martial’s contribution to this vision is apparent in the SS15 collection’s eclectic mix-match of patterns, from graphic to stripes; attractively paired with short hemlines.

A wild and charming mix of the Parisian elegance that first influenced Martial as a designer, and his evident infatuation with the playful vibrancy of Pop culture—from Japanese street culture to urban sportwear—Iceberg’s womenswear is designed with the spirit of the times in each stitch. Can you tell Martial has us excited about what he has planned next for the Italian label? We’ll be watching…and you should be too.

 

Designers-to-Watch-Simone-Miriam-Baker-A

First off, we’d like to bet that Miriam Baker is an admirer of Audrey Hepburn…and perhaps an avid Jane Austen reader.

Second, we’d like to say…long reign girliness.

Owing to the flounce of her dresses alone, Baker’s designs make our hearts go pitter-patter. And, judging from her win at Toronto Fashion Incubator’s 2014 New Labels competition last spring, the designer has the Canadian fashion industry’s gushing as well. And all it took was visit to a regency estate for a wedding in England to inspire the ladylike designs that began her FW14 collection’s happily ever after.

While the decadence of histories past might inspire her collection’s feminine allure, the multi-dimensional energy of the modern woman characterizes Baker’s designs, as seen in her AliceAzur label.

Ranging from classic dresses that seem destined for the Kentucky Derby (see SS15’s drop waist shirt dress) to sleek body-hugging looks that stylish professionals could don at the office (a graphic patterned pencil dress comes to mind), not to mention the fact that Baker’s line accommodates fuller figures, AliceAzur is for the everyday woman…and every woman.

With a goal to make woman feel more comfortable with their bodies, we expect to see more feminine greatness from this one.

Published March 4, 2015