Meet NYC’s breakout fashion upstarts

The cult label making prairie-punk dresses for the fashion crowd? The most talked about show during NYFW? HUNGER highlights the new designers to name-drop in the fashion capital.

@tomokoizumi

The vibe

Superstar power from Bella Hadid and Gwendoline Christie modelling, rainbow-coloured dresses, Katie Grand styling: Tomo Koizumi’s buzzy NYFW debut was the talk of the town. The Japanese designer to watch offered pure escapism.

The Insta-following

24.7k

@batshevadress

The vibe

Prairie dresses just got a cool-over, thanks to new cult fashion brand to follow BATSHEVA, which already counts Celine Dion, Natalie Portman and Erykah Badu among its famous fans. Founded in 2016 by New York designer Batsheva Hay, BATSHEVA plays with “American styles of feminine dress – from Victorian to Pioneer; from Housewife to Hippie – by taking elements symbolic of restraint and repression (high collars, voluminous sleeves and skirts) and giving them a modern inflection”. Think ‘80s Laura Ashley model meets Grace Jones, with a hint of Molly Goddard pretty-punk.

The Insta-following

41.6k

@mrhuamrshua

The vibe

NiuNiu Chou, of ERXI X MRHUA MRSHUA, uses Pop Art as an approach to cross borders with fashion. He focuses on “emotions, the five senses, and strives to create trends with his avant-garde fashion.” Based in China, NiuNiu Chou has showcased his AW19 collection as part of the Global Fashion Collection during New York Fashion Week. “This season, I am inspired by oriental fashion culture” he says. “The theme of the show is ‘Silk Road * Beijing Beijing’. I want to tell a story of Oriental artistry. I based my collection on traditional Chinese New Year symbols such as Lu, Shou, Xi, and Cai and I combined them with western symbols like fortune, happiness, and blessing. My designs are funny, stylish, and beautiful.”

The Insta-following

13.3k

@vaquera.nyc

The vibe

The subversive label and design collective – made up of Patric DiCaprio, Bryn Taubensee and Claire Sulliva – creates “fashion fan fiction” while aiming to subvert luxury and tell stories with clothing. A mash-up of high-concept body adornment and art history.

The Insta-following

41.7k

Main image
Tomo Koizumi / via tomo-koizumi.com
Text
Emma Firth