From Fledgling to Fashion Week – Emerging Designers featured in Runway 7’s FW2023 NYFW

Hybrid fashion production house and fashion show producer Runway 7 showcased a collection of emerging and established designers to present their latest and greatest for Fall/Winter 2023 fashion. Their shows run in parallel to New York Fashion Week and with big names like Naeem Khan, Stephen Goudeau, Barbara Hulaniki and Susanne Bartsch, you know a three day fashion event from Runway 7 is going to be good.

This past NYFW for Fall and Winter Fashion 2023, the selections were even greater than last time with a whopping 45+ designers. Runway 7 has definitely upped the game this year with the latest in teen and young adult fashion, swimwear, evening wear, street fashion, emerging designers to keep your eye on, and all with their core focus on philanthropy and giving back.

One of the amazing things about Runway 7 is their ability to give a platform to smaller designers. This isn’t just any platform either. The Sony Hall stage is a magnificent start to any designer’s career. Here are some of the new faces to the floor.

Vaughn Sims Closet 95

Vaughn Sims Closet 95 is a fashion brand created by owner Dontrell Sims. The brand started after Dontrell lost his job. Upon spending time in prayer and introspection, he started making bows with his wife, eventually leading up to the opportunity to walk the runway for NYFW.

Their latest collection featured ready-to-wear items in a satin like fabric in bright greens, oranges, yellows and earth tones. All their designs held simple and clean line-work, highlighting the craftsmanship of intentional design.

Broccoli Tree Designs is a fashion brand started in 2020 with the intention of creating an affordable, high-end brand for consumers. Inspired by Virgil Abloh, Off-White, Supreme and italian fashions, the brand focuses on ready-to-wear items detailed with a mixture of floral patterning and decals, collage like cutouts, and Italian culture related graphics.

Their showcase featured these items along with trench coats and denim attire with subtle patterning. Streetwear met romantics with floral cropped tops and cupid imagery placed upon sleeves.

Broccoli Tree Designs can also be seen as a part of the slow-fashion movement. Each piece is made to order, by hand, with your custom measurements.

Kiaragems is a hand-made crocheted apparel brand created and owned by Elizabeth McCurdy. Their collection includes crocheted tops, bottoms and dresses in a variety of colored yarn. Their showcase featured ripple lace crochet patterning and a butterfly sleeve top design.

Kegonii is a streetwear brand that mixes its designs with traditional African prints. Their latest collection highlighted their bold usage of mixing fabric types, and color block cutouts.

Kegonii’s stylistic African prints could be seen placed upon matching tops and bottoms. Selected outfits also featured vests, jackets and balaclavas with these prints. Much the collection were transitional fashion pieces that could be worn during the day and still stand out at a night out.

Celeste Victoria is a self-taught fashion designer based in New York City, who created her brand as an extension of her own personality and dreams.

Her latest collection showed the powerful and vibrancy of her image through glamorous dresses that aren’t afraid to take up space. Bright colors, florals and what seems to be a signature single shoulder ruffle decal outlined the fashion set.

Heirs is a fashion brand created by multi-hyphenate André White, or better known as Monsieur Blanc. It functions as an intersection between multiple types of art with fashion as its primary core. Heirs overall mission is to focus on the promotion of intimacy, love and authenticity.

Their latest collection featured various apparel with an italicized ‘H” used as a clever and visually pleasing pattern. The collection also contained large cable knit sweaters in earth tones and oversized dresses with large printed graphics.

Martianally is an avant-garde, whimsical fashion meets costume art brand, created by queer designer Adrian Ally of alleged human origins Vaughan Ontario. Their fashion shows tend to blur the edges of wearable apparel and costume attire, but all of it follows the fashion show necessity of being entertaining.

Their latest showcase had unique selections of entities with many eyes, many teeth, masks, and a big martianally heart. The collection was less like a fashion presentation and more of a meet cute between the audience and different, lovely beings.

Rhyan and Rhyse is a sustainable couture brand founded by designer Phillip RyanChike Okonma. The brand offers handmade garments, original art and custom pieces from the designer.

Their showcase for Runway 7 featured blazers paired with slacks, shorts and a neck scarf for models. The collection felt tasteful, European-esque, and was a delightful mixture of nostalgic design and modern printed appliques.

You can view their collection in action here.

While not a completely new face, Chick, the teen and young adult fashion brand is branching into a more adult style. Crown by Chick is for young adults into early adult years who still seek that cute, trendy, comfy look that Chick is known for.

Their debut showcase was during Runway 7 and featured a variation of cropped tops, jackets and cargo style pants. The collection also featured a more edgy style with a larger focus on vegan leather looks and the inclusion of a sheer top.

Riddim Driven is an apparel company born in Kingston, Queens that is driven by the lifestyle and culture of reggae. The brand draws influence from the art, music and styling and aims to keep the “ease and comfort” that lies alongside the inner core: rebellion.

Riddim Driven’s showcase started off with the reggae classics “Girl I want to make you sweat” and Marcia Aitken’s “I’m Still in Love with You”. Then followed an assortment of reggae culture inspired apparel with hoodies, pants and shorts. Outfits were accessorized with the occasional gold jewelry.

The showcases of the weekend could not have happened without a huge backing to support it all. From the amazing selection of models from Famous Talent Management, the official makeup artist AMA , the official hair team Rogue House and the official model glam location Sicily Osteria. You also cannot have a production without food and water which was taken care of by catering partners Greek Eats and Ess-a-Bagel  and hydration sponsor RX Water. Lastly, NYFW is about enjoying fashion in a party environment, which means you need a place to stay and a place to party. INNSIDE New York Nomad was the official Runway 7 NYC Hotel Partner and Me Cabo was the official vacation hotel partner. Nightclub venue MUSICA was the official after party partner and model casting venue for Runway 7.