More often than we care to admit, a single celebrity outfit can send us into a shopping spiral. Whenever we're in the market for a fresh pair of sneakers, an A-lister seems to step out in a fun, easy, and surprisingly affordable pair. On days when we feel the urge to spruce up our basics, we'll discover that models are endorsing fun trends like pully tops or the throwback mid-section belt.
Our favorite, famous style icons always seem to have the answers to our top fashion dilemmas, but that's not by accident. Typically, they're working with talented stylists, who put together those spectacular looks behind-the-scenes. Those fashion pros are the ones who keep up with the hottest brands, and know about them well before they end up on their clients (and, ultimately, in our closets).
As a way to get ahead of the game in 2021, we asked a few celebrity stylists to spill on the best under-the-radar, on-the-rise brands we should know about now, before they truly explode and end up everywhere. If you're itching to give your wardrobe a boost, or are in need of some not-so-basics, check out the full list, ahead.
Erica Cloud
Clients: Kacey Musgraves, Akwafina, and Dan Levy.
Her Picks For Brands to Watch:
Comme Si: "I love Comme Si socks. They have the most lovely color palette and it's a quick way to freshen up your outfit"
anOnly Child: "anOnly Child is a fantastic new line from Public School designer Maxwell Osborne which was introduced this year. It started with his imagination and morphed into defining what it means to create on one's own, and working with what you have to make beautiful pieces. It's his luxury label, and all upcycled or dead stock fabric to begin with."
Thomas Carter Phillips
Clients: Millie Bobby Brown, Danai Gurira, and Emmy Rossum.
His Picks For Brands to Watch:
Thebe Magugu: "I discovered Thebe Magugu while working with Danai Gurira to source clothing from Africa on the Black Panther promotional tour, and the discovery of his clothes was a revelation. The South African designer's craftsmanship, coupled with his eye for textiles, make for a truly transformative fashion experience. One to watch!"
Sébline: "Sébline is a French seasonless shirting designer who studied under the late Yves Saint Laurent. His meticulous attention to detail and well-crafted pieces are a draw for women and men alike — especially as we approach the spring and summer seasons."
Patou: "While this French maison started in the early 20th century, Guillaume Henry has recently taken on the helm of creative director. He has revitalized the French house with a playful and authentic take on classic French style with his own twist."
Sophie Buhai: "Sophie Buhai's jewelry creations are pieces of my dreams. Simple and chic, while feeling holistic and other worldly all at the same time. The ease at which they are worn is remarkable and provide for a subtly eye-catching jewelry moment."
Kirsty Stewart
Clients: Patricia Manfield, Amy Jackson, and Maya Jama.
Her Picks For Brands to Watch:
Maxmilian: "A Black-owned brand based out of London. Super sexy, elegant designs."
Cult Form: "Major '80s disco vibes. I'm obsessed with the colorful capri leggings."
CLAN: "The designer is also a photographer, and she prints her own images onto sustainably-made tops and dresses."
Glynit: "Very on-trend and a simple way to inject some color into your look."
Gabe Sports Club: "Modern knitwear that will be a big trend for Summer 2021. All of the pieces are made by using discarded yarns from local mills."
KJ Moody
Clients: Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Aweng Chuol.
His Picks For Brands to Watch:
Taylor Nikole: "I went to fashion school with Taylor and am so proud of her and what she has created. Taylor has always been an inspiration when it comes to creativity, so I was not surprised when she premiered her line of hand-sculpted earrings. Now, these are no ordinary baubles for your ear, but incredible one-of-a-kind, hand-sculpted, painted, and fired works of art. In the past few months, her creation has been seen on Zendaya for her InStyle cover and on Tracee Ellis Ross. Taylor is now at the forefront of creatively-rare ear art, and I can assure you it's just the beginning of what you are going to see from her."
Orange Culture: "This Nigerian brand with African-inspired designs is so unique and cool. The textures of the fabric and the quality are uncommon and above anything I'm seeing in the fashion industry, and the mix of texture, pattern, and color will amaze you. This design house also takes garment-cutting to a new height, and the coloring choices are so perfect they work on every pigmented skin tone. I styled Kelly Rowland in one of Orange Culture's designs for a big celebrity party and she rocked it! I also think it's great that it's a Black-owned brand. I can't wait to see what they are cooking up for next fashion season."
Danielle Goldberg
Clients: Laura Harrier, Adria Arjona, and Alexa Chung.
Her Picks For Brands to Watch:
SUNNEI: "This brand has a sense of humor in its pieces, and its designs always feel fresh and new."
TEKLA: "It's a bedding and bath brand that has slowly started to expand into sleepwear, and I have been wearing its pieces outside the home more than in bed."
Sarah Slutsky
Clients: Maya Hawke, Emma Watson, and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
Her Picks For Brands to Watch:
Tove: "I fell in love with Tove over the summer — the fabrication is beautiful. I love how the brand uses neutral tones with feminine silhouettes."
Calle del Mar: "A twist on lounge wear. I love the matching sets in all types of color tops. They have reinvented the cardigan."
Denimist: "This brand has the perfect stylist uniform options when it comes to cool jeans (including carpenter pants and overalls — talk about pockets and ease for being on set!). I also love the oversized shirting and cozy sweaters."
Tara Swennen
Clients: Kristen Stewart, Lana Condor, and Jane Levy.
Her Picks For Brands to Watch:
Larroudé: "All of the leather from this shoe brand comes from local tanneries that are gold certified by the Leather Working Group, an independent group of tanneries and manufacturers that work on sustainable practices, while reducing the environmental impact of working with leather."
Petit Kouraj: "Petit Kouraj makes fun, stand-alone pieces of wearable art that celebrate a love of knitwear, sculpture, and identity. Fashion stylist and designer Nasrin Jean-Baptiste, born in London to Haitian immigrants, is proud to be in partnership with D.O.T Haiti, a women-led organization that works closely with artisans to provide opportunities, education, and vocation training, in turn serving the people of Haiti's and supporting economy. Also, in an effort to cultivate mindful consumption and greater transparency in fashion production, Petit Kouraj endeavors to evolve and adopt thoughtful practices. It is passionate about using responsibly sourced materials and collaborating with workshops that support their values.
Prota Fiori: "Prota Fiori is a luxury women's footwear brand sourced and made in Italy, and was created on the ethos of sustainability with the principle that business can be a catalyst for change. It uses unique materials like Upcycled apple skin (they transform biological residuals from the production of apple juice into new, raw material that gets developed into apple skin for our shoes) and upcycled grape skins (grape skins are made in collaboration with Italian wineries, through a process for the valorizations of wine waste — grape marc that is composed by grape skins, stalks, and seeds discarded during wine production)."
Morgan Pinney
Clients: Becky G, Victoria Monét, and Pia Mia.
Her Picks For Brands to Watch:
Hommebody: As a stylist, I noticed there was a gap in the market for high quality fashionable loungewear, therefore I co-founded Hommebody at the start of the pandemic in 2020. The collection consists of crewnecks, hoodies, hats, bike shorts, and joggers, all of which are minimal enough to be worn under a blazer and comfortable enough to lounge in all night. Whether you're into graphics or minimal embroidery, Hommebody is perfect for someone who values style and simplicity.
Studio Constance: "This is a newer brand with a dreamy aesthetic that was launched in 2020. It consists of mostly oversized knitwear styles, which I love for this time of year, especially in LA. I'm a proud supporter because the main focus is on sustainability and conscious manufacturing in the knitwear industry. They are also starting a program called Constance Circle, which allows customers to shop pre-owned pieces from previous collections in order to extend the lifetime of all the garments they produce."