Comfort, escapism, sustainability & diversity will be the buzzwords in fashion in the 2020s. Here are the 7 global fashion brands that changing the luxury fashion industry with their designs for the modern women.
Top Luxury Brands Bring a Global Outlook to Fashion
As the world becomes more and more connected, it is becoming easier to browse, buy, and get inspiration from designers all around the world. No longer are you restricted to pieces that are made in your area. Instead, you can have a closet that reflects your place as a global woman.
However, with this increase in the availability of designers also comes the overwhelming factor. It’s the all-too-common feeling that you are behind on what is happening in the fashion industry and that you are going to miss out on a piece that was clearly designed with you in mind.
7 Global Fashion Brands that are Redefining the Industry
To help you out (and to ensure you love the contents of your wardrobe), read on for the Indian woman’s guide to the global fashion brands.
1. Bibhu Mohapatra
Known for dressing America’s First Lady Michelle Obama, the Rourkela-born and raised designer Bibhu Mohapatra is known for his exquisite evening dresses that flow and flatter the female form. In his final year at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, Mohapatra won the 1997 Critics’ Award for Best Evening Wear Designer of the Year and then launched his eponymous label in 2008. Since then, it became one of the global fashion brands. Women around the world (including Hilary Swank, Gwyneth Paltrow, Glenn Close, and Jennifer Lopez) have lusted after his glamorous dress designs and fine jewelry collection, Artemis.
Mohapatra is a designer who values structure, as well as the feel of comfort and ease. The amazing handcraft distinguishes every piece he designs, which is why, even though this year is his 10th anniversary, the fashion world is not bored with his creations. He describes the Bibhu woman as an “urban nomad”. This is the reason why, no matter the theme of his collection, his designs are always ladylike and tend to be perfect for dancing until dawn.
2. Gucci
As one of the most revered design houses in the world, Gucci is a household name no matter where you live. Currently, the label is under the direction of Alessandro Michele, who has beautifully unraveled romantic and eclectic undertones at the very heart of the brand. Now, season after season, the Gucci catwalk witnesses an assortment of luxurious pieces that fabulously combine the best of Italian craftsmanship with modern characteristics of 21st-century style, while also featuring notably escapist patterns and silhouettes.
This season, Gucci is responsible for some of the most fabulous accessories on the market – from the Arli medium shoulder bag to the crystal Gucci hair comb, the Charlotte slip-on espadrilles, and the flora Gothic print scarf.
The Arli has a slim, vintage-inspired silhouette that is guaranteed to enhance any woman’s bag collection. However, if you are looking for something slightly more trendy, the Crystal Gucci Hair Comb is the fashion house’s answer to the hair accessory trend (one of the biggest trends of the year).
The Charlotte espadrilles are known throughout the fashion world as timeless summer classics thanks to their chic versatility, while the flora Gothic print scarf comes in a timeless colorway that exemplifies the attention to detail for which Gucci is known.
3. Stella McCartney
Committed to creating sustainable high fashion, Stella McCartney is way ahead of her time as her designs reduce their environmental impact (due to her use of organic and recycled materials) without having to make concessions on style. Her pioneering efforts in sustainable fashion have helped to both raise consciousness, as well as demonstrate that sustainability and healthy business are not mutually exclusive.
For this reason, it is no wonder so many women around the world are attracted to her sporty silhouettes and sleek femininity that expertly merge British quirkiness with Savile Row tradition. And, each time you make a purchase, remember that it is as good for the environment as it is for your wardrobe.
As a passionate nature lover, McCartney likes to incorporate natural beauty into her collections as much as possible – as is seen clearly in her Resort 2020 collection, which features a notable amount of flowers. However, no matter how fashion-forward the concept of her clothes are, you can always be assured that they will remain covetable and relaxed in style. As she says, she tries always to keep it light and to include an element of humor.
If you are looking to purchase some Stella McCartney this season, consider the Eclypse sneakers made from white vegan leather and entirely on-trend with “Dad sneakers.” Alternatively, one of her lace trimmed jumpsuits or tie-dye mini-dresses will see you through all types of events for summers to come. However, if you are looking to enhance your daytime wardrobe, her Florance jumpsuit and wide leg pleated linen blend trousers are (most likely) just what you need.
4. JW Anderson
JW Anderson presented his first menswear collection at London Fashion Week in 2008 and then his first stand-alone women’s wear collection in 2010. In the decade since, he has become increasingly lauded for his unique aesthetic that obscures the lines between masculinity and femininity. Undoubtedly at the forefront of pioneering fashion design, Anderson has dedicated buyers worldwide who believe in his vision of womanhood in motion.
If functionality and androgyny are your keywords in fashion, this is one of the top global fashion brands you want to try. Each season, his collection displays how a talented designer can create intricate, crafted clothes that both prioritize elegance and are also concurrently wearable for daily life. It is through this point that his showings demonstrate that, sometimes, it is the simplest, most functional of pieces that become the items that women crave.
This is one of the global fashion brands whose pieces are made for wearing again and again. Whether you go for a pair of his pants (like the bubblegum patchwork paneled trousers) or one of his famous bags (such as the logo plaque shoulder bag), you can be assured that a JW Anderson piece is one you continue to reach for in your closet for many years to come.
5. NorBlack NorWhite
One of the most exciting global fashion brands in the athleisure realm of fashion, NorBlack NorWhite, is designed by Mriga Kapadiya and Amrit Kumar who fuse their Canadian upbringing with their South Asian roots. With design experience going back almost a decade, the two friends came up with the idea for their brand during their travels in the Kutch district in Mumbai when they came across a library of indigenous textiles and tie-dyed fabrics with a local artisan family.
Their sportswear isn’t for those who are shy of color; in fact, their pieces are meant to demonstrate their belief that life should be lived in color. Despite jetting around the world for fashion pop-ups and other business-related events, their headquarters are located in Delhi, which enables them to work closer to their manufacturers and frequently travel around northern India to source new fabrics and gather inspiration. By challenging the prevailing concept of what “Made in India” means, the designers see NorBlack NorWhite as being part art, part anthropology, and part fashion.
6. Salvatore Ferragamo
If you are looking to invest in some timeless footwear or accessories, then this year, you want to take a look at Salvatore Ferragamo’s offerings. What most people think of when they hear the words “Italian” and “charm,” Salvatore Ferragamo never shies away from its routes and genuine colors. Managing to mix references and decades while maintaining modern twists is no easy task, yet Ferragamo accomplishes this, ensuring that each pair of shoes or accessory is as timeless as can be.
Some of his iconic designs have earned Salvatore Ferragamo a place in our list of the global fashion brands. The embossed Gancio clutch features the house icon – a “Gancio” horseshoe-style motif – and supple black calf leather, making it an inherently elegant piece for evening wear, while the Gancini crossbody bag personifies old Hollywood refinement, with its feminine form and slightly eccentric detailing. For something with a little more punch, the Vara Bow mini bag comes in color “bubble gum” and features a round top handle and gold-tone hardware.
On the footwear side, some of Ferragamo’s current bestsellers include Vara Bow mini bag comes in color “bubble gum” the flower heel ballerina flat, the Alba X5 pump, the buckle fastening sneaker, and the wrapped ankle sandals, all of which will ensure you are putting your best (Italian) foot forward.
7. Koché
The clothes of Koché seek to embrace and support diversity on a global level. Christelle Kocher called her Spring 2019 Ready-to-Wear collection an “homage to the know-how” of the world and experimented with inspiration from a variety of locales – making it a visual language that everybody can appreciate. Now that’s how you make global fashion brands. Generally, her clothes can be considered a blend of high-low/haute-street, a vibe that has undoubtedly inspired a plethora of other designers.
Browse the current offerings of Koché, and you will find items such as a multicolored shift dress, a color-block T-shirt, and an oversized hooded coat, all of which feature bold colors and relaxed fits. It is through these individual items that you can clearly see the genuine appreciation Kocher has for contemporary art and streetwear. So, if your style is eclectic, chic, and often quirky, then Koché is the new creative label for you.
Which designers are you excited to add to your wardrobe this summer? Are you lusting after any pieces from the global fashion brands mentioned above? Or, do you have your eyes on something else? Let us know your favorite designers and pieces on your bucket-list in the comments below!
Author bio
Lamia Dahmash is a stylist and fashion blogger at Farfetch. She is always one step ahead of trends and known for perfectly coupling eclectic and minimalist styles. Check out Lamia’s Instagram (@luludahmash) to get a feel of her style and different fashion tips and tricks.
Image credits (except wherever mentioned): Farfetch
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Shilpa Ahuja the editor-in-chief of ShilpaAhuja.com, which she founded with the goal of inspiring confidence in the modern working woman through fashion. Other than defining the direction of the magazine, she also writes about fashion & beauty trend forecasts, industry analysis, and opinions.
Shilpa’s work has been published in the University of Fashion blog and Jet Airways magazine. She is also an artist, illustrator and cartoonist. She is also the creator of Audrey O., a comic series that represents the lifestyle of millennial women. She enjoys creative writing and world travel. Her art has been exhibited at Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Aroma Hotel, Chandigarh and been published in Chandigarh Times.
Originally from Chandigarh, Shilpa also has a degree in architecture and has worked in interior project management. She is also the author of the book “Designing a Chinese Cultural Center in India”. Shilpa has a Masters in Design Studies degree from Harvard University.
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