Shanghai, Stockholm, Antwerp, Jamaica, and beyond, the days where the Big Four fashion capitals dominated emerging talent are long gone. Though New York, London, Paris, and Milan still highlight nuanced, innovative, and experimental designs — some of which you’ll see below — 2023 has been a year for breaking away from the norm. Announcements such as Ganni’s decision to take a step back for AW24 to make room for new Scandinavian designers and Dilara Findikoglu’s withdrawal from the SS24 lineup with a statement on the costs and difficulties of abiding by a schedule may have been surprises, but they reflect the changing landscape of the industry and the power that designers hold to champion new talent, drive inclusivity, and spark change. And the resulting creativity and artistry has been unparalleled.

Whether they made their fashion week debut, gained the support of Copenhagen Fashion Week’s NEWTALENT initiative, or crafted a collection that sent their designs to viral heights, 2023 saw visionary designers from around the world explode onto the global scene — reflecting the climate around them through thought-provoking socio-political statements and playful, nostalgic modes of escapism alike.

We’ve rounded up our top ten emerging designers of the year — ones we’ll be keeping a close eye on in 2024. Take a look…

Based in Shanghai, Shuting Qiu was launched in 2018 by its namesake, a Royal Academy in Antwerp graduate with a signature take on femininity and what a “modern romantic” looks like. Drawing inspiration from travel, art, and cinema, Qiu strikes the perfect balance of strength and softness — with joyful, eclectic detailing and bold, intricate textures and patterns. Championing sustainability and the craftsmanship of her hometown of Hangzhou, she works with local artisans to turn recycled materials into intricate flower patterns. In 2023, she showcased her AW23 and SS24 collections, looking at the dynamic conversation between art and nature in two distinct yet equally thought-provoking ways. For the former, she focused on French abstractionism with an homage to Frantisek Kupka’s mastery of transforming organic environmental occurrences into alternate realities in the painting Compliments. More recently, her collection Island Dreams and Ocean Preservation evoked the captivating waters of Tenerife and essence of her trip to North Africa — adorning her pieces with flora and fauna embroidery and bringing awareness to environmental conservation.

With a degree from both the London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins, the latter of which awarded her as an Alexander McQueen-Sarabande Foundation scholar, it is no surprise that Torishéju Demi has been one of the most exciting designers to watch this year. What was a shock, however, was her star-studded catapult into the industry. Showcasing the debut collection of her label Torishéju, the British-Nigerian-Brazilian designer took over the Shangri-La on the last day of Paris Fashion Week — tapping none other than Naomi Campbell to open the runway. Her presence and support reflected the excellence and power of Torishéju’s SS24 collection, Fire on the Mountain, which focused on innovation and exploration through shapes and structures — reworking traditional suiting, playing with fabrication techniques, and referencing traditional “lappa” garments from Nigeria. Layered, textured, and commanding, it would have been utterly captivating even without a supermodel entrance — though it certainly didn’t hurt.

Founded in 2020, Danish designer Nicklas Skovgaard’s eponymous label hones in on romanticism and realism, epitomising the idea of unexpected luxury. Creating his own textiles, including self-taught weaving techniques, and utilising material to tell stories, he explores the relationship between nuance and classical — resulting in carefully considered dichotomies that feel like you’re waking from a dream. Experimental and surprising yet completely recognisable as his own style, Skovgaard’s designs are almost addicting to look at. This year, he put on a show with performance artist Britt Liberg, reminding us of the power found at the intersection of fashion and movement.

Based in Stockholm, Rave Review launched in 2017 and has since been short-listed for the LVMH Prize. Focused on the intersection of luxury and rework, they create high-end pieces out of second hand t-shirts, vintage blankets, and more one-of-a-kind finds. For the SS24 season, designers Livia Schück and Josephine Bergqvist showed their collection in Milan, firmly positioning themselves as one to watch. With an emphasis on fabrication and carefully selecting existing materials for their perfectly-imperfect styles, they offered a fresh point of view and made us super excited for what the future holds. And not just us — just look to Rosalia who snapped a pic in a SS24 style.

Based in London, Ukrainian designer Masha Popova wowed the world with her sophomore catwalk show this year — bringing her namesake brand to new heights. Worn by the likes of Dua Lipa, it bridges couture and sportswear, as well as traditional craftsmanship and innovation, for a contemporary take on design inspired by Popova’s upbringing in post-Soviet Ukraine. Zero-waste textiles, embroidery, and functional fabrications are crafted into statements of deconstructionism, social criticism, imperfection, and her own story. The recent collection, titled MONSTER, was a seasonless, wonderfully loud, and powerful blend of autumnal and summery styles for a comprehensive, one-of-a-kind lineup of looks.

There are few designers as fun as Colin LoCascio, and this year he truly upped his game. Showcasing his debut NYFW runway show in February, an exploration of floral motifs, texture, and colour inspired by his grandmother’s garden, 2023 was a big one for the New York based designer. There is a sense of magic in all he designs, perhaps due to the balance between personal hyper-specificity and universal messaging that leaves us feeling awestruck with grandiose wonder, yet vulnerable and introspective at the same time. Take his SS24 collection, for example, the follow-up to his debut based in part around the fish tank he received for his seventh birthday. Equal parts an homage to his own upbringing, growing up in Queens, NY, and an exploration of early 2000s nostalgia that can be universally felt across the nation and globe, he incorporated aquatic symbols, familial references, and even his own dog’s portraits into shimmering, playful, fantastical reminders of youthful imagination. We can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store for LoCascio.

Jamaican designer Rachel Scott founded Diotima in 2021 with a mission to bring history and future together. Drawing on personal experiences, she puts her own nuanced and seductive spin on Caribbean style, focusing on uplifting local artisans and redefining what luxury means — and where luxury can come from. Crochet serves as the signature of the brand, and has lately become synonymous with the designer, who pairs it with tailoring, hand embellishment, and delicate craftsmanship. Based between Jamaica and New York, Diotima presented their first official NYFW show this year, with a SS24 collection that was undoubtably Scott at her best. Titled Nine-Night, it was named for a Jamaican funerary practice that prompts both reflection and celebration.

Antwerp-based Austrian designer Florentina Leitner has crafted a signature style that feels like a dream come true. In 2021, after completing her Master’s from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and working for none other than Dries Van Noten, Leitner founded her eponymous brand, whose combination of influences range from thematic — strong female protagonists, the archetypal idea of playing dress up — to structural, including 3D explorations and experimental textile combinations. Always with a focus on sustainable materiality and local production, the label feels as nostalgic as it does futuristic… as familiar as it does otherworldly. We were particularly taken by her SS24 collection, Picnic at Hanging Rock, which showcased during Paris Fashion Week in September. Elsewhere, Leitner presented a show at Vienna’s Dorotheum inspired by its archival artworks — the pieces of which went to auction — and a FW23 line, Jeanne, shot at her grandmother’s home in honour of her legacy. We can’t wait to see what magic she shows us in 2024.

Born in Nigeria and based in New York, Taofeek Abijako is the multidisciplinary artist behind Head of State — a brand that seeks to dissect and represent post colonial youth culture — and critique the effects western imposition has had on it. Founded back in 2016, HOS presented their first collection in 2018 during NYFW’s SS19 lineup, making Abijako the youngest to show. This year saw an acceleration for the designer, who dressed the likes of Kaytranada, hosted their first annual HOS 4v4 Futbol tournament with Nike, and… drum roll please…. won the Breakthrough Designer of the Year award at the Soho House Awards.

Okay fine, maybe Yuhan Wang isn’t “emerging”, but we can’t wait to see what 2024 holds for the label. Established in 2018, the London-based womenswear brand has been growing steadily since — with support of Fashion East and a 2020 nomination for the LVMH prize no less. A beautiful blend of rebellion and romanticism, they use silky floral fabrics of playful proportions that mimic feminine strength and grace, reminding us how interwoven both are. Specifically, Wang explores Chinese ideals of femininity as it relates to Western culture, experimenting with a balance of coverage and exposure. This year was a particularly exciting one for the brand, which showed as a BFC NewGen designer once again. For AW23 and SS24, Wang drew inspiration from fictional heroines — Uma Thurman’s Kill Bill character for the former and Thomas Hardy’s protagonist in Tess of the d’Urbervilles more recently. The pieces embodied the resilience and strength of the women, serving as armour for the models — and later the multitude of celebrities who have since worn the looks.