Us modedesignerin
This American designer first broke into the fashion industry when he starred in season four of Project Runway. He became the youngest designer to ever win in the series and launched his namesake label in 2008. But it wasn't until 2015 that the brand became a force for change, as Hoffman committed to pivoting the brand and adopting ethical production practices (e.g., sourcing sustainable fabrics).
But if you find yourself wondering which American fashion designers have been able to take up such an enormous task, you'll want to keep reading. And that freedom can be felt in their whimsical pieces—it's present in every feather, bead, and lace bodice found on a Rodarte design.
13. Christian Siriano
Christian Siriano
Off the Shoulder Drape Dress
It's no secret that fashion has long struggled with inclusivity, especially when creating size-inclusive clothing.
Founding the organization in 2009, Burch had the foresight to advocate for gender equality and invest in fellow female entrepreneurs—cementing her as a maverick doing the work to pave the way for the future.
4. But talented designers can be found everywhere, including in the United States. For example, baby-doll dresses are part of the cottagecore aesthetic, and that dress style came back into style when Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington walked down Anna Sui's 1994 spring ready-to-wear runway.
It's not just another fashion brand; it's a part of history.
3. We wouldn't even be where we're at without the contributions of designers like Halston and Michael Kors, of course. Beloved by titans of modern pop culture, his collaborative relationship with Katy Perry has been widely documented on social media, while he’s also responsible for creating the flight attendant outfit worn by Britney Spears in the “Toxic” video.
Since its inception in 2009, Gurung's namesake label has cemented itself as a fixture in the American fashion industry—not just because he's won numerous awards or even because Sarah Jessica Parker and Kamala Harris are fans. Mara Hoffman
Mara Hoffman
Sunja Colorblock Hemp Skirt
As fun as fashion is, the industry itself happens to be one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions in the world, and that's not something that the New York–born designer Mara Hoffman takes lightly.
Unlike other luxury houses, they're not on the traditionally fast production cycle that other brands are on, so it allows them to only create the pieces that inspire them. Tory Burch
Tory Burch
Minnie Travel Ballet Flats
Things have always been run by the "boy's club" when it comes to business (even in the fashion industry), but Tory Burch aims to change that.
1990 entwickelte sie DKNY Jeans und debütierte zwei Jahre später bei DKNY für Männer.
Seitdem wurde eine ganze Reihe von Hilfsprodukten unter dem Namen DKNY von Kindern hergestellt's Kleider zu Möbeln.
Spätere Jahre
Im Jahr 2001 verkaufte Karan ihr börsennotiertes Unternehmen an LVMH, Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, ein französisches Luxuskonglomerat.
Serving as artistic director at the house until 2014, Jacobs introduced a long-term series of artist collaborations, reworking classic Vuitton handbags with Stephen Sprouse, Takashi Murakami, and Yayoi Kusama. The New York–born designer first made waves in the industry when his post-graduate collection made him the youngest designer to win the CDFA's Perry Ellis Award and subsequently led to the launch of his namesake label in 1984.
From cementing the Americana look into the cannon to popularizing gothic grudge and streetwear, these 28 American designers are worth knowing about and shopping year-round.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren; Courtesy of Christian Siriano; Courtesy of Rick Owens; Courtesy of Prabal Gurung; Courtesy of Rodarte; Courtesy of Proenza Schouler; Courtesy of Tory Burch)
So which designers paved the way for what we know as American fashion today?
After all, the label began when co-founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez partnered on their final project at Parsons back in 2002.
