8 It-Girl-Favorite Indie Brands You Need To Know
Eight independent fashion brands worn by It girls to shop now, including Commission, Nicklas Skovgaard, Burc Akyol, Grace Ling, Colleen Allen, and more.
Just as the landscape of pop music is crowded with new names seemingly cropping up every other day, fashion is a ruthless field with people vying for attention. It can feel impossible to stick your head out above the rest, but everyone does indeed have to start somewhere. One of the most surefire ways to get some clicks is a placement on a celebrity, but that often can’t carry a brand: Great clothes must follow. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up eight independent designers who can walk the walk (dress Dua Lipa) and talk the talk (finish a hem).
At the very least, they’re worthy of an Instagram follow to gain different perspective on dressing, but if you’re in the market for a sheer party dress or a skirt fit for a doll (complimentary), we have options for your purchasing pleasure.
Burc Akyol
Turkish-born and Paris-trained Akyol burst onto the scene with a quick placement on Kendall Jenner, and the fashion world was tuned in for his take on sexed-up tailoring and jersey dresses that fall on the body like a dream. Katy Perry just wore one of his signature pieces: half T-shirt, half sheer skirt, embodying his brand’s vision for refined (and skin-baring) glamour.
Commission
A favorite of Lily-Rose Depp and Dua Lipa, Commission is the work of Dylan Cao and Jin Kay, who take traditional Chinese energy and apply it to American sportswear. Think: pale blue minidresses, roomy nylon jackets, and striped knitwear fit for a soccer dad.
Colleen Allen
Colleen Allen is the must-know and must-attend name of New York Fashion Week, just a few seasons into starting her own brand. Her witchy, contemporary take on Victorian dresses and bloomers have fans in Ayo Edebiri, Lady Gaga, and Saoirse Ronan.
Nicklas Skovgaard
Skovgaard is a Copenhagen-based designer with a keen eye for bringing back “ugly” silhouettes from the ‘80s and making them so alluring, you wonder why anyone hated a baggy shoulder and asymmetrical skirt in the first place. His taste is impeccable, which brings new life to overlooked fabrics like this Flintstones suede on Tracee Ellis Ross.
Giovanna Flores
The New York-based designer got a major cosign in the form of dressing Rihanna back in 2015, but she’s still deeply committed to her craft. She has a raw, honest approach to creating textural, intriguing pieces that demand closer reads. Her “deconstructed-art dresses,” as Chloë Sevigny calls them, are almost all one-of-one pieces and available to shop through her website.
Judy Turner
Judy Turner is the love child of Conley Averett, who designs knitwear for Khaite and knows his way around a loom. His decadent, whimsical knits are pieces of art in their own right, and have been worn by Lily-Rose Depp and the author of this article, who loves a good woven short.
Grace Ling
Grace Ling burst onto the New York fashion scene with her 3D-printed bags shaped like butts, but she’s backed it up with great ready-to-wear that’s sexy, feminine, and craft-forward. She’s beloved by Alex Consani, Kim Kardashian, and Tate McRae, and already has recognizable design signatures like these pierced separates on McRae.
Renaissance Renaissance
Cynthia Merhej is the woman behind this Beirut-based label, creating modern fairytale fashion out of a deep appreciation for femininity and craft. Her cutesy designs are still very serious, thanks to her incredible eye and knack for creating volume without making dresses feel flimsy. She counts Sevigny and Caroline Polachek as admirers.
