I Test-Drove the Best New It Brands to Hit the Fashion World
It’s my job to know about new brands (I know; fun, right?), and I have a few favored to tactics for sourcing them before they get big. I use the Instagram Collections feature heavily to remember new talent; if you dive into my “brands” folder, you’ll find thousands of saved photos. I also follow retailers that have their finger on the pulse of emerging designers.
One such shopping destination, Net-a-Porter, just doubled down on its dedication to fresh talent in a major way. The Vanguard is the site’s new program to incubate and accelerate fashion’s brightest new designers. The retailer’s buyers single out the brands they’re betting will make an impact on the fashion world and work with them to position them for success through a mentorship program with Net-a-Porter’s global team of specialists. The Net team is clearly on its game… When I was in Copenhagen this past summer for fashion week, one of the site’s buyers casually mentioned to me that stamped-croc bags were about to blow up. Fast-forward three months and my collection has grown from zero to four (including this boxy Staud pick, the By Far baguette, Bally’s new Cecyle bag, and a bag from Gu_de, one of the brands selected to be in the inaugural Vanguard program); in fact, every major editorial outlet— from Vogue to Forbes—has covered the trend.Even though I’m an online editor who works largely with digital assets, when I first heard about the program, I knew I had to see and feel the Vanguard brands firsthand. There are four companies that have landed a spot in the first season of the coveted program: Les Rêveries, Rh, Gu_de, and Souliers Martinez. After a few emails with the Net team, samples from each of the brands arrived in L.A. What better way to get to know the brands poised to be the next big thing than to wear and style them myself? I figured. Ahead, see some of the outfits I put together and get my thoughts on each of the It brands in training.RMy Take: Upon first reviewing the brand, it’s clear that Martinez has cultivated a distinctive aesthetic. Spanish artisans hand-weave the shoes, and you can sense the level of craftsmanship involved when you hold a pair in your hands. I’m especially taken with the black-and-white mixed iteration, as it displays the weaving technique to great effect. Best of all, after taking them for a spin, I found the woven leather molds to your feet, resulting in supreme comfort.
