New York runs on the engine of aspiration. Aspiring musicians, aspiring artists, aspiring poets, writers, stylists, directors, and designers, all thrown into a melting pot of culture and ambition. These are the people that define a city. The people that come from all corners of the earth to, ultimately, turn their dreams into reality.
In fashion, the sentiment is as enduring as ever. And in cities like New York and London, young, emerging talent is part of what keeps the industry so full of life. From the early days of Lee McQueen and John Galliano to more recent superstar designers like Jonathan Anderson and Central Saint Martins graduates Phoebe Philo and Simone Rocha, spotting the next generation of design talent is one of the most exciting facets of the fashion world.
This year, it feels like there is more raw talent than ever before, with even more cultural impact. From London’s George Trochopoulous, who offers carefully woven knitwear silhouettes inspired by the Greek women of his heritage, to New York’s own Mel Usine, the emerging creative force tapping mythical silhouettes, we speak to five of the most exciting emerging designers who are breathing new life into fashion.
Instagram.com/mel___usine/
Conceived in 2024, Mel Usine’s Stephen Biga is a self-proclaimed history nerd with a background in design at Proenza Schouler, Gabriela Hearst and Rodarte. Through his skill and eye for the fantastical, Biga’s silhouettes are distilled from the mythic realm and brought to life through a contemporary, wearable lens.
What has been the biggest challenge as an emerging independent designer?
“The biggest challenge of being an emerging independent designer is making an aesthetic space for yourself that feels discernible in a sea of established brands. Building out a world of your own and a design vocabulary that feels simultaneously elevated, distinct, and urgent has been a balancing act. Staying true to yourself and your craft while strategizing the business is an important, but often complicated task to bear. We are navigating this dynamic in a way that feels thoughtful and reactive.”
What is the most rewarding part of your practice?
“The most rewarding part of my practice is the moment when we review the lookbook images for the first time. During development, the pieces in the collection are resolved independently as designed objects in their own right, while also functioning as part of a larger collective. Seeing everything come together through styling—into looks, and within the context of every element: the set, model, hair, and makeup—is like opening a gift. Experiencing the world you constructed together with your creative team through the imagery at the end of a season is the most invigorating part, because you have an idea of how it will all look and feel, yet are pleasantly surprised by unexpected elements in the imagery.”
Tell us about a career highlight so far…
"My biggest career highlight so far happened in our showroom last season. After Mel Usine held space as a concept in my head for so long, finally launching this point of view in an intimate setting—and seeing the positive response from editors, stylists, buyers, and industry peers—was magical. Witnessing the birth of Mel and seeing our approach to wardrobing resonate with people who truly understand fashion validated my decision to bring this brand into the world."
Instagram.com/george.troch/
London based, Greek-born George Trochopoulous draws on the women he grew up around as the inspiration for his eponymous brand. The London College of Fashion graduate’s practice focuses primarily on knitwear that straddles the subversive and the obscure, creating pieces that countless celebrities have already tapped to wear.
What has been the biggest challenge as an emerging independent designer?
“For me, the biggest challenge has been trying to balance building a healthy, growing business, while also aiming to keep as much integrity and conviction in my vision for the brand.”
What is the most rewarding part of your practice?
“Being able to see physical manifestations of different times in my life and work. In a way, through making clothes for a living, I can trace back emotions and memories through each garment, be it a custom, sample or order. It feels grounding to have a physical output to look back to.”
Tell us about a career highlight so far…
“So far, it has definitely been dressing Solange (via Kyle Luu). Solange has been someone I have looked up to since I can remember, both as an artist and a public figure, so her wearing our mussel shell jacket felt like a full circle [moment].”
Instagram.com/aislingcamps/
Columbia University graduate Aisling Camps launched her namesake label over a decade ago, and in 2023, the mechanical engineer-turned knitwear designer took home the inaugural Fashion Trust US award for ready-to-wear. Ever since, Camps has been focusing on quietly scaling her brand while establishing a loyal consumer base.
What has been the biggest challenge as an emerging independent designer?
“Cash flow is always the biggest challenge. When you are an independent brand, it is like walking a tightrope to keep things moving forward. Another thing is the number of hats you have to wear. Finding the balance between managing logistics, finances and selling a creative vision requires a lot of discipline.”
What is the most rewarding part of your practice?
“The best part is seeing your creations in the wild. It never gets old seeing a customer in my designs.”
Tell us about a career highlight so far…
“Realizing that I had so much support once I announced we were having our first NYFW presentation this season. The response from different creatives that I reached out to has been unanimous: ‘How can we help and we believe in you!’ I'm incredibly touched.”
Instagram.com/dwarmis
Dwarmis Concepción’s namesake brand is best identified for her ability to create silhouettes that feel both airy and considered, blending femininity with the grounded tactility one needs when living and working in NYC. With a sustainable approach, Concepción’s Dominican roots fuse with her Brooklyn lifestyle to offer effortless shapes.
What has been the biggest challenge being an emerging independent designer?
“The biggest challenge has been wearing every hat while staying true to the core of the brand. As an independent designer, you’re designing, producing, fundraising, and problem-solving simultaneously. Building a business that allows me to produce locally in New York; working closely with immigrant makers and small factories; while maintaining high standards of craftsmanship and ethical production has been both challenging and deeply intentional. Protecting that vision while navigating the realities of growth has been one of the most defining parts of my journey.”
What is the most rewarding part of your practice?
“Seeing the clothes exist beyond me. Watching women move in them, style them intuitively, and live real lives in them is incredibly rewarding. I design with versatility, longevity, and the body in mind, and producing locally with immigrant hands adds another layer of meaning; the garments carry human stories, skill, and care. Knowing the pieces are worn, reused, and lived in makes the work feel complete.”
Tell us about a career highlight so far…
“Presenting on the CFDA New York Fashion Week calendar has been a major milestone. Building the brand independently and producing locally in New York with immigrant makers—that moment felt like a validation of years of persistence, risk, and belief. It wasn’t just about the presentation; it was about proving that a brand rooted in personal history, craftsmanship, and community can stand confidently on that stage.”
Instagram.com/Agbobly
Launched in 2020, Jacques Agbobly's namesake label's mission is to highlight Black, queer, and immigrant narratives through storytelling and silhouette. Through vibrant colors, artisanal materiality and visionary silhouettes, Agbobly offers pieces that both uplift community and give back to the spaces and people within those communities.
What has been the biggest challenge being an emerging independent designer?
"One of the biggest challenges has been having the capital to fully engage every part of the business at the level the work deserves. As an independent brand, we are often compared to designers and companies with significantly larger budgets, teams, and infrastructure. The creativity is there, but creativity alone is not enough. It takes real structure, resources, and financial investment to fully realize ideas and sustain growth.
There have been many moments where the vision was clear, but the team capacity, capital, or access simply was not there, which has forced me to be extremely resourceful. That reality has shaped how I work and think, but it is also an ongoing challenge, navigating ambition within very real limitations."
What is the most rewarding part of your practice?
"The most rewarding part of my practice is the sense of community it has created. Through craft, storytelling, and world-building, the work becomes a shared space, not just something I make in isolation. Building Agbobly has connected me to people who believe in the work, show up for it, and help sustain it in very real ways.
That community has been essential to my growth, both creatively and personally. It reinforces why the work matters, especially during challenging moments, and reminds me that the brand exists beyond the garments. Being able to build something that feels collective, supportive, and expansive has been deeply fulfilling."
Tell us about a career highlight so far…
"Launching my first collaboration with a major brand, G-Star, has been a major career highlight. It was my first time creating a product for a true mass market, and it expanded my understanding of what Agbobly can become. My team and I worked closely with the G-Star team for over a year on a single product, which allowed me to see the full scope of how a large global brand operates.
The process was incredibly educational, from production to scale to collaboration at that level. Seeing the jeans released this past December, with a U.S. launch in February and a New York Fashion Week activation, has been both affirming and exciting. It felt like a meaningful step forward for the brand."
Instagram.com/dreaming_eli
Central Saint Martins graduate Elisa Tromatore had a strong start in her craft after securing support for her graduate collection via the Isabella Blow Foundation, which launched her hyper-feminine designs into the atmosphere. Drawing heavily on the female body and themes of power, Dreaming Eli offers ultra romantic pieces for the ultra romantic wearer.
What has been the biggest challenge being an emerging independent designer?
"The biggest challenge has been learning how to balance creativity with responsibility. Dreaming Eli began from a very instinctive place, with the desire to express something personal and emotional, almost like making art. As the brand grew, the reality of building a business became just as present. Design wise, there is always a tension between pushing ideas as far as they can go and creating pieces that are commercially viable. In an ideal world there is space for both within every collection. In reality, time and resources often mean you end up prioritizing one over the other. It becomes a constant battle between experimentation and practicality, between protecting the integrity of the work and making sure the brand can sustain itself. Finding that balance is something I am still learning every season."
What is the most rewarding part of your practice?
"The most rewarding part is seeing something that once existed only in my mind slowly become real, my vision taking physical form. Sometimes it happens quietly, while I am draping fabric or experimenting with textiles, and something simply falls into place. Other times it happens in the moments before a show, when everything is set and the world we built suddenly feels tangible, then comes alive through movement, sound, and clothing. Dreaming Eli has always been about emotion and touch. It is about creating a space where people can recognize something of themselves in the work. The most meaningful moments are when that private vision moves beyond the studio and begins to exist in the world, when others connect with it in their own way. Seeing that internal language become shared feels incredibly special and reminds me why I started."
Tell us about a career highlight so far...
"Showing our first on schedule catwalk at London Fashion Week stands out as a defining moment. Dreaming Eli has grown slowly and organically from the beginning, building the brand piece by piece rather than all at once. Stepping onto that platform felt like a quiet confirmation that the time and care invested over the years had led somewhere meaningful. Watching the collection move on the runway, seeing the silhouettes come to life, and feeling the energy in the room made it clear how far the brand had come. It felt like the moment the brand stepped into a larger space while still holding onto its intimacy."
Art by Sierra Cook
