17 Emerging Fashion Brands to Shop for Your Next Winter Favorites

For years, most emerging fashion brands that made an impact came out of New York, Paris, or sometimes Scandinavia or Berlin. But the democratization of the industry has given designers all over the world a platform, meaning it doesn’t take a fashion week show or a celebrity placement to find a wider audience. As it turns out, some of the most compelling small brands of late are ideal for winter shopping.

Take Mimchik, for example—the polished streetwear-adjacent label from Emma Marciano (yep, that Marciano) and Mia Kazovsky that’s gained popularity for its oversized leather bombers and double-belt skirts. Its latest collection's longline outerwear and genderless sweaters are ideal for layering. Meanwhile, Shanghai-based brand Short Sentence as well as Ukrainian labels Ienki Ienki and Gushka have found audiences for their off-beat cold-weather basics.

All that goes to say that if you're on the hunt for innovative takes on winter essentials, there's nowhere better to start than with the industry's freshest brands. Ahead, check out 17 emerging fashion labels to discover just in time for winter—plus, the best pieces to buy from each.

Gushka

Founded in 2016 by Oleh Lukaniuk and Daryna Furmaniuk, Gushka honors the livestock that graze at the base of the Carpathian mountain range. The heritage brand aims to modernize the traditional craftsmanship that local artisans have used for centuries while also creating beautifully warm, cruelty-free pieces like rugs, pillows, coats, and vests—all designed for harsh Ukrainian winters. Gushka’s shaggy coats, with their voluminous plumage, are a highlight for anyone who wants a charming alternative to a classic fur coat.

Short Sentence

After Shanghai-based designer Lin Guan graduated from Parsons, she set out to change the perception of the phrase "Made in China." Guan distributed the line of comfortable, off-kilter basics—which favors natural materials like wool and cotton—at home before landing in e-commerce stores overseas. Nearly a decade after its 2015 launch, Short Sentence is available at Net-a-Porter, IINC, and Seoul’s SolSol.

Halfboy

Milan-based brand Halfboy, which toes the line between streetwear and normcore with its ‘80s- and ‘90s-inspired cold-weather separates, is popular on fashion favorites Net-a-Porter, SSENSE, and Farfetch. The brand’s aesthetic isn’t exactly singular, but its genderfluid designs capture the best of several worlds: boxy, oversized outerwear, exaggerated suiting, and sheer button-down tops inspired by various Italian music-driven subcultures—and are sized as such.

Rus

Sustainable knitwear brand Rus, founded by two sisters in Galicia, Spain, has such a fun point of view. Each knit takes inspiration from the fluidity of nature—which is beautifully evident in the label’s almost-unfinished, boxy silhouettes. Many of the brand's sweaters boast frayed edges in a reverse-weave motif, while other standout pieces hang off the shoulder asymmetrically.

Ienki Ienki

You may or may not have seen this Ukrainian, ski-centric outerwear brand on your feed before. Its retro, colorful aesthetic is almost instantly recognizable on the slopes in Europe, but it still has a way to go stateside. Still, each of Ienki Ienki's pieces are made for the elements: Its signature padded separates are insulated with down filler and are about as water- and wind-resistant as it gets.

Tolu Coker

British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker is an artist first and a designer second, though both go hand in hand. Her work focuses on deconstructing the complexities that surround diasporic Black identity, and many of her collections give back to marginalized communities while pushing the boundaries of what it means to be "well-dressed." Sustainably designed from upcycled deadstock in London, Coker’s pieces are nothing short of a delight to wear—and her eye landed her a spot in Net-a-Porter’s covetable Vanguard global mentorship program.

Arakii

This knitwear-forward brand by Stockholm-based content creator Hanna Schönberg is just, well, fun. Each piece feels like the epitome of quiet luxury meets Scandi street style—and with materials like vegetable-tanned scrap leather and mohair wool, each piece is made to last.

Mimchik

Founded by Emma Marciano and Mia Kazovsky, LA-based label Mimchik has been co-signed by Emily Ratajkowski and Reneé Rapp, who wore the brand’s beloved leather moto jacket on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert in mid-January. Now stocked at FWRD, the brand has made a name for itself by creating easy-to-wear, almost genderless separates, dresses, and outerwear—each with a small, albeit enchanting detail. (A teeny bow at the collarbone adorns an otherwise simple tank, while the brand’s Maria Jean boasts a subtle D-ring on the belt loop for a throwback feel.)

Anne Isabella

L.A.-based shoppers may recognize Anne Isabella from concept store Maimoun, a trove of emerging brands with a smart POV. Berlin-based designer Anne Isabella Rasmussen graduated from Central Saint Martins and studied under labels like Jil Sander, Kenzo, and Courreges—and the elevated refinement shows. Not only is every piece handmade, but each consciously crafted design has a nostalgic, almost-psychedelic vibe.

Tach

A fun and imaginative knitwear-forward brand out of Uruguay, Tach is available at the likes of SSENSE and Shopbop—and Kendall Jenner even just gave the label a try. It’s only a matter of time before this brand as recognizable as, say, Lisa Says Gah.

Amomento

Amomento is technically a concept shop out of Seoul, but its in-house line of outerwear and knits make it one to know for the colder seasons. While styling them well is key, the vintage-inspired designs make for chic cozy separates that keep you warm while looking cool.

Ree Projects

Amsterdam-based designer Desiree Kleinen is reimagining the way the industry uplifts women of color with Ree Projects, her eponymous luxury label of sumptuous, on-trend handbags. Made in northern Italy from fine Italian leather, each bag is equal parts sculptural and easy to wear.

Kimeze

Founded by London-based sister duo Christina and Claire Kimeze, this genderless eyewear brand draws inspiration from the founders' African heritage. Each pair of sunglasses and opticals are hand-made from Mazzucchelli acetate by a family of artisans in the foothills of the Italian Alps.

Wynn Hamlyn

Auckland designer Wynn Hamlyn’s eponymous label will celebrate its ten-year anniversary this year, and in that time, it’s become a go-to for it-girls who gravitate towards relaxed, feminine silhouettes with a modern twist. Hamlyn takes simple designs—like boxy, single-breasted blazers—and makes them feel fresh.

Anton Belinskiy

Kyiv-based artist (and 2015 LVMH Prize semifinalist) Anton Belinskiy isn’t exclusively a handbag designer, but some would argue it’s what he does best. Either way, all his pieces reflect modern-day Ukraine with playful, avant-garde details like inside-out labels—and cool kids can’t get enough of it.

Eenk

Founded by Hyemee Lee, Eenk champions refined style that’s equal parts timeless and special. Its bold silhouettes and pliable knits feature details that you just can't help but notice.

Danz

Founded at the dawn of the pandemic, this easy-to-wear, Y2K-inspired brand out of New York champions community. Designer Danica Zheng makes each piece in small batches from materials like bioleather and Seacell, a sustainable, closed-loop biodegradable fabric.

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