I gave up Depop four months ago out of sheer fear for my bank account, but I relapsed a week ago, enticed by the whispers of Are You Am I silk shirts. I found myself scrolling out of boredom on the reseller platform and then somehow plugging in my credit card info (I know I have a problem, thank you). Regardless of my possible shopping addiction, the scrolling did actually prove to be valuable. I stumbled upon some gems- some were pieces that I have been hunting for for months- so I wanted to share my brand obsessions of the week, going from most-known to most obscure.
OTTOLINGER
I bless the fact that Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient came together while studying at the Institute of Fashion Design in Basel. Without this union, the world wouldn’t have been re-introduced to “punk couture”, a deconstructed and then reconstructed aesthetic that may look haphazardly done yet requires “meticulous trial and error.”
Based in Berlin, the duo uses blow torches and acid to create garments focused on contrasts. This daring design process could partially be attributed to the Swiss designers’ off-kilter time spent as head creatives for YEEZY Season 4.
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HYEIN SEO
I have a soft spot for streetwear largely in part to its accessibility- not necessarily, however, in price these days. One brand though that is well worth its price tag; HYEIN SEO. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and showcasing her bachelor collection during the VFiles Made Fashion show during NYFW, Seo launched her brand name in 2014.
Drawing from a continued inspiration of twisted beauty, she explores “the stretched transition from teen to adulthood,” infusing her clothes with text and slogans that draw on the “irreverent counterculture.”
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HELENAMANZANO
Helena Manzano is truly one of my favorite upcoming designers. The Andulician-born designer works out of a London studio with a “constantly evolving, very organic, very fluid” creative process. While having graduated from London College of Fashion, Manzano did not see herself as much of a designer, yet she created a look-book after graduating that sparked the attention of Opening Ceremony in 2017.
Her signature 3D stripe design came about during this time, inspired from her love of pinstripe suits. This staple “optical illusion” piece has helped to both ground and guide the unconventional aesthetic, but what has made me love this brand has been her use of dead-stock fabric and compostable packaging and labels as well as her experimentation into creating her own sustainable fabrics.
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ORIENS
I found ORIENS while scrolling through the results for HYEIN SEO on Depop. It’s a small brand birthed from the mind of Shirley Tang, a Canadian Parsons student, that has gotten great exposure through celebrity commissions for figures such as “SZA, Kali Uchis, and Madison Beer.”
While limited, her collection focuses on deconstructed engineering to create unusual pieces that have been featured in various music videos and magazines.
Enduring Kairos
Enduring Kairos is the smallest brand out of the aforementioned list, but I love it nonetheless. It's a “minimalist, Ancient greek-inspired clothing brand” focused on embracing the female form and slow-fashion, high-quality philosophies that makes handmade, custom pieces in Los Angeles.
Kat Delviscio
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