5 Fresh Faces You Might Have Missed at NYFW

This Spring/Summer 2025 New York Fashion Week instalment has now come to a close and we saw the runway graced by an impressive mix of established designers and rising stars. From OG brands like Off-White, Tory Burch and Tommy Hilfiger to beloved brands like Who Decides War, Eckhaus Latta and Sandy Liang. This past week was packed full of some incredible talent. As always, NYFW is known as a launchpad for emerging brands that may not be household names just yet, but are sure to steal your heart on the runway.

Below, we've curated a list of the most exciting new designers you may have missed but need to keep an eye on -- so, you can be in the know before they're the next big thing. Don't say we didn't give you a heads up!

Keep reading to discover more.

Grace Ling

Worn by it-girls like Julia Fox and model of the moment — Alex Consani, Singapore-born and New York-based designer Grace Ling crafts sleek, sexy pieces that demand attention. Ling's work is the epitome of bold, avant-garde fashion, fusing futuristic aesthetics with organic forms and a surreal, almost ethereal vibe -- think sharp, metallic structures intertwined with soft, flowing fabrics, creating sculptural garments that feel both elegant and haunting.

Her SS25 show, "Neanderthal," took this to the next level. With a focus on asymmetry and a minimalist, monochromatic palette, Ling's creations blur the lines between fashion and art. Shown on the runway were windswept skirts, metal mini dresses and bodices to play with the the intricate and multifaceted connection between humans and the environments we occupy.

Allina Liu

They say it takes ten years to become an overnight success and this rings true for Allina Liu. After graduating from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2013, she boldly launched her brand without any formal fashion training. Despite the hurdles of breaking into the New York scene and facing the pandemic, Liu now owns a boutique shop in Brooklyn.

Her SS25 collection, "Good For Her," is a celebration of femininity, inspired by women-led cults and the pagan traditions of Sweden's Midsommar festival. Drawing from Scandinavian bunads, Liu reimagined traditional folk costumes with her own unique twist. Shown on the runway was a lot of whites and light fabrics. She elevated the collection further by incorporating biomaterials made from recycled seafood shells and mushrooms to create cruelty-free leather -- remarkably innovative if you ask us.

PH5

Let's start with the name. Founded by Wei Lin, the daughter of a knitwear manufacturer, the brand's name was carefully chosen to reflect its edgy, feminine essence. If you imagine the pH scale, which ranges from 0 to 14, as a metaphor for gender expression in fashion -- where 0 is ultra-feminine and 14 is hypermasculine -- Lin sought to position her brand just below the androgynous middle. PH5 represents a brand that leans into femininity, but with a contemporary twist.

PH5's SS25 collection, "Save The Ugly Animals," was showcased in a volunteer-run green space under threat of closure, reinforcing the message of environmental preservation. This season marked a first for the brand, blending knits and wovens in a fresh way. While previous collections featured bold graffiti-like spray effects on knitwear, this lineup took a softer approach with fabric bubble hems, nylon-backed garments and a pastel palette, staying true to the brand's identity but with a more refined, eco-conscious twist.

To emphasize the gravity of the show's message, PH5 plants a tree for every garment sold or produced, reinforcing the commitment to climate action and making this collection even more purposeful.

Gabe Gordon

If you don't know Gabe Gordon, then get to know. In previous collections, Gordon romanticised nostalgia, teenage angst and drama in hand-loomed knitwear. His fabrics created a melancholic beauty in the delicate decay of it, each piece a testament to the passage of time and the stories they carry. His pieces balance a feminine yet demure aesthetic, featuring details like cute buttons and corset-style accents. The color palette is soft and subdued, dominated by muted pastel tones that enhance the shy, understated vibe of his designs. Each garment feels like a cherished relic, blending the bittersweet with the beautiful.

This SS25 season, Gordon gave us a '80s homoerotic fantasy turned nightmare, named "HORSEPLAY." The story behind this is about a horseback riding competition, where the only male rider is thrown off his horse, when he is pulled out he is hazed by a group of jocks, becoming possessed by a twisted darkness and kills all other female competitors. Gordon's attention to detail was striking. Models appeared bruised and tattered, with strands of hay woven into their hair, capturing the raw intensity of the story. The distressed knits, which were artfully beaten, added to the chaotic beauty.

Caroline Zimbalist

You might recognize one of Caroline Zimbalist's stunning hand-painted dresses on the musician of the moment, Midwestern America's very own princess, Chappell Roan, styled to perfection by the renowned Genesis Webb.

Zimbalist has always showcased her deep-rooted expertise in fashion, art and design with her bespoke pieces going beyond mere clothing -- instead, they're living, breathing works of art that blur the lines between painting, illustration and sculpture.

This season, Zimbalist's SS25 show was filled with collaborations, featuring bioplastic jelly shoes with Melissa and bioplastic rings with Edie Flower - extremely fitting. Drawing heavy inspiration from the beauty of the natural world, the collection felt like a reimagining of flowers as clothing. Soft pastels and vibrant colors combined with flowing, petal-like fabrics and tulle, creating pieces that seemed to bloom on the runway.

"I see our effects on nature and its inhabitants and try to imagine man-made replications of what we are losing. The biomaterial I use is an idea of the marriage between plant components and the plastic that is taking its place," the designer said in a press release.

MINDBLOWN

Following the brand's debut SS24 NYFW show last year, design duo Millicent Grace Dunstan and Ben Lucas Jones of MINDBLOWN returned to the runway for SS25 on September 5 and didn't disappoint. Continuing to craft eco-conscious collections that reflect the brand's counter-cultural identity, the two artists revealed a runway show inspired by technology, consumption and nostalgia. Drawing from the early to mid '00s, Dunstan and Jones incorporated tech components of that time, such as old computer cords, circuit boards and keyboard pieces, into their unique, upcycled designs of maxi skirts, single-leg tights and belly-baring bralettes. "Nostalgia was an important element because it touches on the evolution of the tech industry," they share. "Now, with the ever-growing use of AI, we are entering a new kind of digital era. We wanted our collection to speak on the relevance of the time we’re living in." Although the creative minds behind MINDBLOWN typically gravitate towards playful pops of color in their garments, they traded those striking shades for silvers and neutrals. With the throwback silhouettes fashioned with tech trash and the head-turning hair and makeup reminiscent of the '90s and Y2K era, MINDBLOWN successfully told their compelling style story this NYFW.

In more fashion week news, get to know the model of the year, Alex Consani.

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