Hands Down, These Were the 8 Coolest Brands of 2018

In 2018, we saw a number of cool new brands enter the fashion landscape and others that have been around for years which really took off. To say that fashion excited me over the last year would be an understatement. I feel like I was in a constant state of discovery, finding fresh new talent on Instagram (hello there, Amina Muaddi) and seeing cool product launches that swept the fashion world and rose to cult status (I’m looking at you, By Far bags). But of all the fashion brands that were buzzed about this past year, which ones landed in the closets of every fashion girl?

Ahead, I’m breaking down the ones we’re crowning best fashion brands of 2018. Scroll on to see why these eight fashion labels made the cut and shop my edit to wear for yourself. I only see bigger things happening for each of them when we hit 2019 in a few short weeks.

JACQUEMUS

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(Image credit: @jacquemus)

Back in April 2018, I declared, “If you’re not obsessed with Jacquemus, you’re not paying attention.” Now that we’ve reached the end the year, I still feel strongly that the French brand deserves everyone’s close attention.

NANUSHKA

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(Image credit: @nanushka)

Nanushka is the label that rose from fashion-girl darling to the brand in everyone’s closet. The pieces are finished with unexpected details and crafted from interesting textiles, like vegan leather.

BY FAR

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(Image credit: @byfar_official)

Not only does By Far have some of the most coveted shoes on the fashion scene, but it also dropped the most talked-about bag launches of the year.

AMINA MUADDI

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(Image credit: @aminamuaddiofficial)

Amina Muaddi just launched her eponymous shoe label months ago, which is hard to believe considering how quickly the buzzy brand has gained a following among the fashion community. Just last week, the label secured Launch of the Year at the FN Achievement Awards.

SAKS POTTS

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(Image credit: @sakspotts)

With their bold colors and avant-garde aesthetic, Copenhagen-based brand Saks Potts is one of the most fun labels of the year. Need any proof of its status? Just look to Instagram, where it’s been nearly impossible to spend one day this fall without bumping into a photo of the brand’s fur-trimmed leather coat—one of the year’s most major It items.

GANNI

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(Image credit: @ganni)

There’s no doubting that the fashion scene in Copenhagen exploded this year, and Ganni is further proof. The cult label has been photographed on fashion girls across the globe and hits at a retail sweet spot, with prices that range from $70 to %750.

STAUD

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(Image credit: @staud.clothing)

L.A.-based label Staud regularly drops must-have pieces alongside cool editorial content on its Instagram. Bonus: The items hit an under-$500 price point that makes their pieces irresistible.

ALESSANDRA RICH

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(Image credit: @alessandrarich)

Bringing luxe glamour to the fashion scene is Alessandra Rich, whose ’80s-inspired clothes and crystal earrings hit on some of the year’s biggest trends.

Next: nine ways to boost your Instagram selfie likes.

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.