First Insiders, Now Celebrities: 8 Emerging Brands Everyone Cool Will Wear in 2026
As a fashion editor, I like to think I have a laser focus on the latest emerging talent. Whenever I discover a new or new-to-me brand, it's usually because my peers in the fashion space like fellow editors, stylists, and influencers are wearing or talking about it. More often than not, these discussions happen in more insider circles before, inevitably, they spill over into the wider mainstream, and one way that happens is via a celebrity sighting. Although social media has largely democratized fashion, having an A-list name wearing your label remains a major milestone of success for many independent designers. Someone like Bella Hadid or Sofia Richie Grainge wearing your brand signals, on at least some level, that you've "arrived".
Right now, I'm earmarking eight such names as *the* ones to know. They were already beloved by the insider set before, but with several celebs wearing them over the past few months, I'm positive each of them is set to be absolutely everywhere this year. Whether it's the Parisian brand behind Jennifer Lawrence's sunglasses or the maker of Bella Hadid's sleek pumps, these are the A-list-loved emerging fashion brands charting a meteoric rise in 2026.
"Effortlessly chic" gets thrown around a lot in relation to French style, but Paris-based Alfie is the true embodiment of that spirit. Combining masculine and feminine influences, the line is made up of staples for the modern cool girl that are easy to wear but never boring, like Dua Lipa's the backless, a signature silhouette that designer Alice Fresnel reimagines in new colors and fabrics each season.
Seemingly overnight, a single shoe brand has become a quiet constant on the feet of all the most stylish celebrities. Dua Lipa, Alexa Chung, Katie Holmes, Bella Hadid—the list goes on, but everyone seems to agree on Jude. Established in 2024 by designers Jurgita Dileviciute and Denitsa Bumbarova, the label is defined by a modern minimalist aesthetic with a sculptural bent. The shoes are wearable but arrive with an unexpected twist whether that be a slit detail at the toe or sculptural heel shapes, making them an instant favorite among those in the know.
Launched in 2024, Aflalo has already become an internet sensation among key tastemakers, but it's beginning to enter the closets of Hollywood in the early stages of 2026 with the likes of Camila Morrone and Rebecca Hall. Veteran designer Yael Aflalo brings a certain '90s sex appeal to her minimalism, establishing new codes for the modern downtown cool girl.
Herbert Levine, the once-beloved American footwear brand that originated in 1948, is being thoughtfully resurrected by creative director Trevor Houston and the result is a collection of stunning luxury shoes put emotion and craftsmanship at the forefront. Celebrities from Tracee Elliss Ross to Emilia Clark have become fast fans.
Almada Label is quickly rising in the ranks as one to know for minimalist, high-quality basics and has slowly been making its way into the wardrobes of the most elegant and chic dressers who are wearing the elevated staples from Almada on repeat, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jennifer Lawrence among them.
Designer Amir Taghi takes cues from his Iranian heritage to inform the joyous color and opulent prints in his namesake collection. Precise tailoring and a sense of retro glamour is at the heart of the brand, with swingy car coats, decisive suiting, and sophisticated separates that have earned Gwyneth Paltrow and Eiza González among its fans.
More often than not, I'm the one discovering a brand before someone with celebrity status is spotted wearing it, but this time, I have to give full credit to Sofia Richie Grainge. When I saw her wearing a sculpted cardigan set in burgundy, I immediately needed to know more—who was behind such a great silhouette? The Copenhagen-based brand Birrot, as I learned, whose focus on technical fabrics like Grainge's signature 2-layered bonded crêpe brings a new POV to Scandi minimalism.
Parisian eyewear label Jimmy Fairly is disrupting the market with its sunglasses and opticals that have trend-forward silhouettes that read as luxury in both the aesthetic and the quality but ring up as affordable(-ish). The oval-shaped Elvie style is a particular favorite among fashion editors and celebs like Jennifer Lawrence alike and now that they've stuck their flag in the ground with a first U.S. outpost in New York, the hype is only just beginning.
