Emerging designers have become the bread and butter of Fashion Weeks globally for their informal and scrappy approach to creativity. Following the momentum of New York Fashion Week, here are six designers to keep on your watch list, who, we must emphasize, are only getting started. 

CAROLINE ZIMBALIST 

Inspired by the beauties of landscapes, waters and flora, Caroline Zimbalist’s textile-based sculptural objects are undoubtedly wearable art. “I see our effects on nature and its inhabitants and try to imagine man-made replications of what we are losing. The biomaterial I use is an idea of the marriage between plant components and the plastic that is taking its place,” Zimbalist shares. She focuses on adding bioplastics and biomaterial to her pieces to create experimental yet functional designs. 

TAOTTAO

This season, Taottao channelled the imaginative, whimsical world that can emerge after daydreaming at an office desk. The designer’s iconic lace textiles are reimagined with engineered, innovative pattern experiments that push the boundaries of traditional design, which pull inspiration from sea creatures. Taottao’s signature look is statement pieces that hold a subtle loudness, with every piece telling a story of escapism. 

MELKE 

The Book Fair, the MELKE Spring/Summer 2025 collection, is an ode to the nostalgic world of the Scholastic Book Fair. Embodying the essence of a crisp fall morning, where the news of a Scholastic Book Fair radiated excitement and cheer, designer Emma Gage’s childlike wonder is championed with preppy, uniform-esque looks that are far from buttoned up.  

This collection focuses on the art of storytelling and the whimsical narratives created in our childhood, reminding us that we’re never too old to daydream and fantasize. Visually, this looks like soft tailoring, harnessing the fluidity of feminine and masculine silhouettes with playful pleats and collars.  

COLLINA STRADA

At the Spring/Summer 25 Collina Strada show, designer Hillary Taymour wanted nothing but to feel grounded. Encouraging those around to touch grass, Taymour aimed to take fashion back to the basics and return to its simplest form. “In the intensity of this global election year, I found myself yearning to reconnect with the essentials—the simple, foundational elements that ground us and bring us comfort and joy,” Taymour shared. This manifests as the innocence of ruffles, floppy hats, soft palettes, silks, and plaid, all displayed on grass-stained models. “It’s a reminder to escape the distractions sprouting from our phones and reconnect with what really matters,” Taymour said. 

ALLINA LIU 

Allina Liu’s Spring/Summer show, titled Good For Her, celebrated femininity through a presentation inspired by woman-led cults and the Pagan tradition of Midsommar, one of Sweden’s most popular summer holidays. Drawing from traditional Scandinavian bunads, Liu references shapes and designs from old folk costumes. 

The passing down of tradition comes to life through contemporary scallops and geometric necklines using sustainable methods, like naturally biodegradable leather and biomaterial made from enzymes from recycled seafood shells and mushrooms. The attendees weaved through the cult members (a.k.a models), which felt like an alternative reality where divine feminine energy took the main stage. 

KATE BARTON 

Kate Barton’s debut runway show at New York Fashion Week made it clear the designer is committed to rejecting fleeting trends. Instead, she focuses on the architecture of fashion and form, grounded in a fabric-first approach. Exploring the intersection of volume, texture, and silhouette, her pieces are both surprising and timeless. Her work is characterized by thought-after techniques like moulded draping, sculptural tailoring, and unconventional material pairings, all challenging the status quo without losing sight of wearability.