We won’t lie, when it comes to designers and fashion, we’re always looking for the new label or the next thing—the designer that the street style crowd and the front row haven’t quite latched onto yet. The fact remains, however, that there are hundreds—thousands, even—of up-and-coming designers, and, well, who has the time? Independent boutique owners, however, make it their business to find those labels that no one else has—and the ones that they sell are worth noting if only because they’re the ones they know we’ll like (you can trust their taste). Here, three owners of three incredibly worthwhile boutiques across the country tell us about the under-the-radar designers that we should be paying attention to (and spending our hard-earned cash on) this season. You’re welcome.
Stacia Canon
Canon NYC, New York
1/3
JT BY JT Jessica Trosman “Jessica is one of my all-time favorite designers, and I’m so excited to be selling her collection. She’s based in Buenos Aires and is well-known in Argentina, but people don’t really know her here. I find it shocking because her clothes are so amazing! Watching people react to it is fun. This denim jacket is so beautifully made and bustles in the back.”
Geraldine Chung
LCD, Los Angeles
1/3
Collina Strada “Designer Hillary Taymour always has her finger on the pulse of what’s going to trend next. Her clothing is always very fashion-forward, well priced, and guaranteed to make you the coolest girl in the room.”
Diana Kim
Stand Up Comedy, Portland
2/3
Andrea Jiapei Li “She’s found joy within her futuristic feel, an intelligence in design’s relation to the body, and an iconoclastic independence from the market. Her clothes aren't casual exactly, but they're so well thought out that one feels carefree when wearing them, despite the big footprint they represent. This line is super clean, soft science.”
