5 independent fashion brands that caught our attention in 2022, from Blackpink favourite Miss Sohee to Erl, from a filmmaker turned designer

This year five independent fashion brands stood out, including Paskal, headed by Julie Paskal, who had to flee Ukraine but still released a collection

Then there’s rising Korean label Miss Sohee, which outfitted Blackpink, Miley Cyrus and Cardi B; and Nensi Dojaka’s sensual, lingerie-inspired designs

Reading Time:2 minutes

Blackpink wear outfits by Miss Sohee, an emerging fashion label that really made a splash in 2022. It is one of five that captured the Post’s attention in a crowded field this year. Photo: @miss_sohee/Instagram

Published: 4:15pm, 1 Jan 2023

These five independent brands, spanning the globe and offering pieces that stand out in a very crowded fashion industry, captured our attention in 2022.

From a Ukrainian designer trying to put out collections during a war to an independent men’s label based in Los Angeles, read on to discover brands that should be on your radar.

Sportswear, streetwear, tailoring: in Wardrobe. NYC, you get it all

The label’s founders, an Australian pair in New York, realised there was a niche in the fashion market for people who are always on the go, but who still care about looking good. The result was pieces that act as building blocks, high-quality essentials that can take you from work to dinner and are go-to staples for any occasion. Rihanna’s a fan. Read more

A unisex hoodie from Erl, founded by Eli Russell Linnetz. Photo: Erl

Fashion label Erl had a banner year. Its founder takes stock

Eli Russell Linnetz, founder of Erl, came to fashion almost by chance – the label was born in 2018 after the filmmaker worked on a Comme des Garçons advertising campaign. A collaboration with Dior, exposure from A$AP Rocky and winning a 2022 LVMH Prize award made this a big year for the label, and the executive mentoring that comes with the LVMH Prize will allow Erl to tell “bigger stories”, its founder says. Read more

Nensi Dojaka explores interplay between sensuality and strength

Nensi Dojaka’s lingerie-inspired designs for her eponymous label, which explore the balance between sensuality and “making women feel empowered”, have earned a celebrity following, having been worn by the likes of Zendaya and model Emily Ratajkowski.

The designer’s new capsule wardrobe for French luxury retailer 24S.com reinforces that aesthetic and is inspired by Parisian femininity and light, she says. Read more

An outfit from Nensi Dojaka’s spring-summer 2023 show at London Fashion Week. Photo: Isadore Montag/Gorunway.com

A look from Ukrainian designer Julie Paskal’s spring-summer 2023 collection. Photo: Anna Mengelieva

For this Ukrainian fashion designer, giving up was never an option

Working from Germany, where she moved with her family to escape the Ukraine war, Julie Paskal is still producing and delivering her clothes, despite challenges.