LABELS TO LOVE

Cecilie Bahnsen

About: Cecilie Bahnsen’s designs have granted the term ‘pretty’ a cool new context. Unabashedly feminine, the Copenhagen-based designer, who was a finalist for the LVMH Design Prize in 2017, creates dresses that are heavy on girlish charm – and have mass appeal, too. Spot one of her puff-sleeved creations on the likes of Pandora Sykes and Susie Bubble or on Instagram, where they’re catnip for fashion fans and modern brides alike.

Key pieces: Dresses. A Cecilie Bahnsen dress rewrites what you’d expect of Scandinavian design (think: less stark, more relaxed) and is big on proportion play. How? The designer leans into voluminous sleeves and dramatic full skirts, experimenting with quilting techniques and body-skimming shapes. Add one to your shopping cart for instant wardrobe whimsy.

Wardrobe NYC

About: It’s official – 2022 is set to be the year of the elevated wardrobe essential. Right now, considered staples that will work overtime take precedence in our lives – and our closets. Thankfully, Wardrobe NYC delivers that in abundance. Loved by the likes of Pernille Teisbaek and co-founded by fashion editor Christine Centenera, the US label neatly solves the age-old conundrum: where does one find the perfect white T-shirt?

Key pieces: The brand is about more than basics. These are conscious buys that represent the future of low-key luxury. Think utilitarian jackets, wear-anywhere hoodies and sleek blazers, all designed for an urban world. Insider tip: one wear of the label’s stretch-ponte leggings and you’ll be hooked.

Aje

About: Craving destinations unknown? Whether it’s island-hopping or a jaunt to the riviera, Aje is an Australian brand that delivers a far-flung, holiday vibe to your wardrobe. More precisely, it delivers on summer dresses so good you’ll feel compelled to book a holiday.

Key pieces: A dress by Aje makes a statement. See the brand’s Riviera dress designed with a voluminous sleeve framed by rich, diaphanous organza. Meanwhile, the eye-catching Vanades linen dress delivers a shot of high drama with cut-out detailing and a power shoulder. Accessorise with a statement earring – Aperol Spritz, optional.

Alessandra Rich

About: Whether she’s riffing on the 1980s or remixing the 1940s, Italian-born, London-based designer Alessandra Rich is all about the XL collar, which dominates statement blouses and mid-length dresses. A childhood in the Venetian countryside, as well as careers in the world of art and real estate, have informed the Alessandra Rich aesthetic which nods wonderfully to grandeur and excess.

Key pieces: The designer’s polka dot tea dress is loved by Kate Middleton and Sarah Jessica Parker. Meanwhile, the spring summer collection sees blousy shoulders à la Diana Spencer and tweed bouclé jackets that nip at the waist, just so. However, it’s the prim but never-too-proper skirt suits, loved by Beyoncé, that win out for us.

Jonathan Simkhai

About: Slip dresses! Shirting! Sharp tailoring! A piece by Jonathan Simkhai is a celebration of getting dressed up again. (And, boy, are we ready.) The New York-based designer flips masculine dressing codes into feminine, eco-aware pieces that scream ‘future classic’. It’s no surprise that celebrities such as Gigi Hadid and Miranda Kerr flock to his body-hugging midi-dresses on the regular.

Key pieces: Modern but not austere, a Jonathan Simkhai design celebrates the female form. The brand’s hero piece, the midi-dress, majors in clean lines and body-hugging cuts while the ribbed knits are undone but oh-so sexy.