New & Not So New Designers of 2023 to Remember

In the year 2023, we had our minds blown away during fashion week. Sometimes it was about the designs itself and other times it was about the tailoring. Four designers in the world of fashion made us feel this way: Dilara Findikoglu, Peter Do, Willy Chavarria, and Kuai Li. These talented designers gave us a new perspective on fashion itself and made a name for themselves this year.

Dilara Fındıkoğlu

2023 was a year of accomlishments for Turkish-British fashion designer, Dilara Fındıkoğlu. You can’t scroll through Instagram without seeing her designs on the runway or red carpets. Her cutlery dress caught the attention of many people setting her dark almost sinister and overly femme brand’s aesthetic on the radar. In this decade, we often see modern and contemporary brands during fashion week and Findikoglu came to give us a new sound and it is refreshing.

Peter Do for Helmut Lang

The revival of Helmut Lang came as a result of Vietnamese designer, Peter Do, incorporation into the brand. Prior to his appointment as creative director the brand was declining for one major reason; once Helmut Lang left his brand there was no creative direction to keep the brand going.

Helmut Lang peaked in the ninties with its minimalistic, deconstructed designs, androgynous sillouhettes, and its high quality materials. So when Do was appointed he had to incorporate these features into his designs but also modernize it. He was able to execute those tasks successfully and made Helmut Lang the talk of Fashion Week again.

Photo via I-D Magazine

Willy Chavarria

Willy Chavarria has given a new perspective to menswear and his vision is phenomenal. His notable work can be seen in his SS24 collection with the concept of “self-reflection”. The Mexican-American designer found himself reflecting on his race, culture, and queerness. Models were seen wearing ranchero hats with Chavarria’s signature floral design on it, khaki knee length shorts, and 70s inspired suits. There is also an odd mix of sportswear, formalwear, streetwear, and eveningwear. Latin culture is something we never see on the runway so, this collection and its meaning is extremely important and a turning point in fashion.

Photo via SHOWstudio

Kuai Li

Since Li graduated FIT this spring, she has been unstoppable. The sillohuettes that she creates are peculiar and unconventional and this attracted a fan base for her designs. Her craft earned her a highly anticipated show at NYFW, her designs featured on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour Magazine, and the VMAS. She also worked with celebrities such as, Ice Spice, Kylie Jenner, Sabrina Soto, and Julia Fox. We can’t wait to see what’s in store the designer in 2024!

Photo via Glamour UK

Photo via Teen Vogue

These four designers had the best debuts due to their gift of tailoring, the gift of creativity, and the concepts they use in their collections. We can’t wait to see how they grow as designers in 2024!