Phrases like "the next big thing" are thrown around loosely and often in the fashion realm these days. You'll hear so-and-so referred to as "the hottest young designer" and we all sort of nod in agreement, and accept that we'll be seeing more of them. For example, 24-year old designer Eddy Anemian winner of the 2014 H&M Design Award. It's like when the Kardashian/Jenners started popping up literally everywhere in the fashion world. At first, we all whispered, "Well...I don't know if that seems right..." to each other, but look at us now! We simply expect Kendall, Kim, and Kanye's man cleavage to show up somewhere along the way.
But what ever happens to those "next big things" and hot young designers? Where do they go? While some, like Anemian, manage to gain more exposure, for the most part, super young designers fall under the radar. But 20-something designers have more to offer to the fashion world than just a better understanding of Instagram and a love of Birkenstocks. A young, fresh perspective in the world of design is something that should never be underestimated. Here's seven up and coming designers who you probably have never heard of— you know, until they get North West at their runway shows.
1. Eddy Anemian
Anemian is a student at La Cambre school in Brussels and won H&M's coveted design award in 2014. He was awarded 50,000 euros and the opportunity to design a collection for the Swedish super-brand. The 10-piece collection will be available for purchase in H&M stores around the world as of October 23. Not bad for a 24-year-old, right?
2. Olivier Rousteing
You might have heard of this guy; he designs for a little fashion house called Balmain. No big deal. What you might not know is that Rousteing is only 28. And he takes casual selfies with the world's most famous super models, apparently. I know, I know, I'm jealous too.
3. Yang Li
Yang Li began his career by interning for Raf Simons, and his work has been compared to that of Helmut Lang.
4. Pedro Lourenco
Lourceno launched his first collection at Paris Fashion Week when he was just 19. When I was 19, I mostly just listened to Bon Iver and wrote emotional entries in my personal Tumblr account. So, yes, I am impressed.
5. Kaelen Haworth
Kaelen attended Parsons in NYC and turned out her first collection in 2010, just months after graduating. Her collections since have been impressive, with her recent SS15 collection putting the young designer in the spotlight once again.
6. Mathieu Mirano
A talented designer with a taste for luxury, Mirano is only 22 years old, but has already made a name for himself in the fashion industry.
7. Misha Nonoo
Between her unique name and bright, patterned collections, Nonoo (who is only 26) is hard to forget.
Images: H&M; Getty Images; @silaguven, @pedro_lourenco, @kaelennyc, @mathieumirano, @mishanonoo/Instagram
