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The most compelling emerging designers have a way of shifting the fashion industry's perspective, reimagining what it looks like and where it might go next. Across L.A., NYC, and London—the cities many of our editors call home—we have a front-row view of the rising talent shaping each fashion community. The four designers featured here offer a glimpse of that talent and the distinct creative energy driving each city. Their perspectives, backgrounds, and studies vary, from engineering to fine art, but what unites them is a commitment to following their own creative instincts and challenging convention while carving out a distinct point of view. Consider this an early introduction to four designers finding their own way forward and giving us plenty of reason to pay attention.

Briah Taubman has always been a creative. However, before becoming a fashion designer, she was a classically trained painter. As her relationship with the art form evolved, she yearned for a new way to express herself. "I was a shy kid, so clothing became the way I could communicate without talking," she says. Starting at age 14, she spent her summers interning in New York's fashion industry. Those early experiences—including roles at Anna Sui, Eckhaus Latta, Batsheva, and Proenza Schouler—confirmed that fashion was where she belonged.

"Having had the experience of watching the process from ideation to the runway felt similar to putting the final glaze on a painting," she shares. "But the feeling is amplified with fashion because it allows me to give someone the opportunity to express themselves."

While studying at Parsons School of Design, her vision got clearer, so she balanced classes with designing her own brand. In 2022, Taubman graduated, presented her thesis collection titled "Broken/Open," was named a CFDA Fashion Future Graduate, and officially launched her label—Briah Artemis, which specializes in knitwear and handcrafted fabrics.

Since then, Taubman has drawn heavily from her artistic background and her home, New York City. Viewing fashion as a canvas for emotional expression, she finds inspiration in the city's constant reinvention and vibrant energy. Her brand is built on rich textures, bold colors, and local artisanship, and numerous samples are handmade in her Nolita studio.

"The Briah Artemis universe is characterized by vibrant, intentional colors and celebrates imperfection," she says. Her hope is for anyone wearing her clothes to remain true to themselves while discovering their own identity—even if that involves growing pains. That distinct point of view has already attracted fans such as Kylie Jenner, Clairo, and Charli XCX.

Where do you go in New York City when inspiration runs dry?

All I need is a night out with my friends, time to people-watch at the Washington Square Park Fountain, or some fresh air from my fire escape. I'm inspired by spirituality, emotions, textures, and color. One of my prized possessions is my floor-to-ceiling, color-coordinated yarn wall in my apartment.

For London-based designer Gina Corrieri, fashion has always been a form of self-expression. Growing up, she was fascinated by the ritual of getting dressed and the way clothing communicates without words. That idea, combined with the creativity that ran through her bloodline, motivated her to learn how to sew and begin reworking secondhand garments for those who inspired her most: her friends and family. The way they move through life—and, therefore, what they want and need from their clothes—is what she built her eponymous label on in 2024. "In London, we're all busy running around, [so we] need movement and flexibility," she says. "It's exciting to think [about] how you build a wardrobe for that."

London's club culture is another defining influence. Corrieri draws inspiration from the anticipation of a night out as much as the dance floor itself—the freedom, connection, and openness that come with it. She also references the post-club feeling of watching the sun come up without caring that your shoes may be dirty and your phone is out of battery. "The Gina Corrieri world is a party," she says.

Today, her independent label dedicates itself to limited-edition drops of meticulously crafted garments from secondhand, vintage, and deadstock textiles. Each draws from her Trinidadian, Guyanese, Italian, and English roots, which are reflected in the mix of colors, shapes, and versatile silhouettes.

Although still in its early stages, the label has grown from a small circle of friends and family to a fan base that includes Paloma Elsesser, Ashley Graham, and Iris Law. For Corrieri, the expansion has been surreal. "I've watched this dream stretch out over the past couple of years, reaching out from my mind and my bedroom to different parts of the world, and it's the most amazing thing," she says.

Where do you go in London when inspiration runs dry?

I find inspiration at flea markets like Second Life Market and suburban charity shops. I also visit the National Gallery to look at large-scale paintings and Sadie Coles HQ on Kingly Street for intriguing modern art, appreciating its quiet atmosphere within a busy area. Additionally, I enjoy visiting souvenir shops to consider how we remember places and people-watching in Tottenham to observe unique combinations of textures and colors.

Launching her own label wasn't part of Margaret Williamson Bechtold's plan. "[I started out] as a stylist, editor, forecaster, art director, and consultant," says Bechtold. Her early years included helping others execute their visions, so she never thought about implementing her own. In fact, she doubted her capacity to build a brand. Eventually, though, she envisioned a single piece—something structural, grand in scale, minimalist in detail, and powerful enough to command attention on its own. This concept materialized as the Opera Coat, and it became the foundation of Margaret, a label built on the principle of mastering one item.

"Margaret began very simply: just one coat offered in a single size and color with the modest intent of selling to family and friends," she says. "Once it started gaining momentum, [I realized] I was in business."

Established in 2024, the label has grown past its signature Opera Coat to offer opera-length gloves too. Produced in small drops, these pieces are handmade by local artisans in Los Angeles using high-quality Japanese satin from an Osaka mill.

"The project as a whole is inspired by art itself: big-impact pieces in bold shapes and singular colors," she says. Her design aesthetic draws inspiration from notable American artists such as Donald Judd, Richard Serra, John McCracken, and Ellsworth Kelly.

Although her pieces have already been worn by Hilary Duff, Leandra Medine Cohen, and Allison Bornstein, Bechtold's journey is just getting started. She remains focused on creating distinctive designs. "Originality may have a longer runway to breaking through, but there's a better shot you'll gain a more loyal following if you make something truly new," she says.

Where do you go in Los Angeles when inspiration runs dry?

Galleries always. Bookstores too, specifically to judge books by their covers. I love walks by the river in Frogtown as well. Something in the contrast of the wildlife, plants, and water against the concrete rim surrounding it [is] odd but also satisfying.

What if clothing didn't have to be sewn together? The question became the starting point for Grey Buscemi's London-based eponymous label, launched in February during London Fashion Week. Rather than accepting traditional construction as a given, Buscemi set out to rethink how garments are made from the ground up.

"I'm obsessed with engineering," he says. "I like taking objects apart and figuring out how they came together." The more garments he deconstructed, the more he noticed that nearly everything relied on identical sewing methods. "That sameness felt like a lack of craft, and I wanted to see if it could be done differently," Buscemi shares.

Instead of stitching, Buscemi's paperlike creations borrow engineering from references such as 1900s aviation. Individual components are assembled, disassembled, and reconfigured, allowing pattern, closure, and structure to shine through. The result is a collection that balances highly technical construction with familiar silhouettes.

Behind the designs, though, is a deeply personal point of inspiration: his mother. She was a news anchor, and he admired her because she was powerful, serious, and feminine. He also credits his Korean grandfather, an engineer, and his Italian grandfather, a bespoke tailor, as equally formative influences. The three of them, he shares, define the Grey Buscemi world. While his clothing is best described as avant-garde, Buscemi shares that his home city, London, gives him permission to believe in his ideas. "Nothing feels too crazy here," he explains.

Where do you go in London when inspiration runs dry?

The Institution of Civil Engineers in Westminster. It's a Grade II–listed building with libraries of engineering texts going back to the 1800s. IDEA in Soho, Tenderbooks, and the mathematics gallery at the Science Museum.