7 Under The Radar British Fashion Designers
Get to know the names before all your friends follow them on Instagram. By Michelle Varinata
By Harper’s Bazaar Singapore Team - published
When we first saw Rihanna wear an oversized blue tiered ruffle dress, we thought that it looked like a cake coming to life. No matter how much we wanted to hate the design, it started to grow on us. We learned that the genius who made the dress was no other than Molly Goddard.
Although she went to Central Saint Martins, the designer put her education on hold to develop her career based on the advice of her boyfriend, who is now her business partner. Since that risk paid off, Goddard's reputation for oversized ruffles, Rei Kawakubo-esque avant garde volumes and bright colour palette helped her become the emerging star she is meant to be.
Sweet, yet edgy, this black floral tulle dress is perfect for weddings and parties. Doll it up with a pair of mules for a party-appropriate spin.
Molly Goddard Ruby Dress Black, £1,295.00 at Molly Goddard
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If you feel that the designer's oversized tulle skirts and voluminous silhouettes are too extra for your liking, you can play it safe with this cloudy tulle skirt.
Molly Goddard August Skirt Ivory, £645.00 at Molly Goddard
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It's not a regular top, it's a cool top. Either style it as a one-shoulder top or as a loose billowy blouse.
Molly Goddard Gisele Top, £600.00 at Molly Goddard
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Relive your '90s and '00s nostalgia with this fun and playful brand. Emphasising on going out tops and party dresses, Poster Girl's pieces are made for an aspiring Hilton sister. With Paris Hilton, the heiress, as their main inspiration, the catchphrase spitting, baby voiced blonde DJ and entrepreneur is one of their biggest fans.
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Bubbly Baby Spice blue gets a grown up twist with criss cross straps and a slinky ruched silhouette. Pair it with pointy white pumps and a small matching white handbag.Or, you can channel young Emma Bunton with chunky-soled platform sandals and a backpack.
Poster Girl Estella Dress, £450 at Poster Girl
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Turn up the Friday night mood by rocking this skirt with a band tee, layered necklaces and ankle boots.
Poster Girl Winona Wrap Skirt, £180 at Poster Girl
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As one half of the Medusa two-piece set, this buckled top is bound to slay with a t-shirt (underneath) or a biker jacket. Optional: You can also try wearing it with a matching snakeskin print jacket and red lipstick for a Wild at Heart-inspired twist.
Poster Girl Medusa Top, £189.00 at Poster Girl
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Style it with either a matching top for the full Paris Hilton effect or a black knotted button-down shirt for a conservatively modern spin.
Poster Girl Medusa Skirt, £270.00 at Poster Girl
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This anaconda print dress don't want none unless you want curves, hun.
Poster Girl Anaconda Dress, £396.00 at Poster Girl
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Classically feminine with an eclectic twist, Isa Arfen is known for its subtle cutout dresses, gentle draping and unconventional silhouettes. In spite of their dressier elements and aesthetic, each piece is easy to style.
Flaunt your taut and toned abs with this knot-detail minidress.
Isa Arfen Magnolia-Print Knot Detail Dress, US $433 at Matches Fashion
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Party-hearty sequins get dressed down for brunch in form of a body-hugging navy blue pencil skirt. Pair it with a plain white tee or a graphic shirt and suede heels.
Isa Arfen Skirt With Sequin Fringes, RP $5,733,000 at Shoppe 33
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Style it with tailored trousers, a tiny handbag and PVC sandals for the ultimate 'grammable cocktail outfit.
Isa Arfen Asymmetrical Draped Top, $387.63 at Shopbop
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In 1990, Julia Roberts dropped the jaws of every moviegoer with that infamous O-ring cutout dress when she paired it with a blonde wig and thigh high boots in Pretty Woman. Although the dress deemed trashy 28 years ago, we proudly wear it around in public without any shame today.
As we remember the design and the celebrities who follow Roberts' sartorial footsteps (looking at you, Miley Cyrus and Emma Watson), we learned that the mastermind behind one of the most copied dresses was Hunza G. Relaunched in 2014, the beloved label has celeb fans from Kim Kardashian, Pandora Sykes, Alexa Chung, Suki Waterhouse and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. If you have yet to get a piece from this brand, you are going to love it as the crinkle fabric hugs every curve.
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This is the closest thing you can get to the original Pretty Woman dress. Wear it as a bodysuit underneath mid-rise flared jeans, wide brim straw hat and espadrilles.
Hunza G Ring Detail Crinkle Swimsuit, $217.32 at ASOS
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Millenial pink gets a red hot update with fun, flirty frilled edges. Go hard with a pair of simple hoop earrings and an optional glass of rosé at the poolside.
Pandora Sykes x Hunza G Tracey Frill Bikini, £130.00 at Hunza G
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Swipe right to set up thirst traps at the beach or your handsome neighbour's pool with this cutout one-piece. Who knew that a dating app can be our fashion counselor?
Bumble x Hunza G Greta Swimsuit, £175.00 at Hunza G
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Channel the '80s with this sweet, classic bandeau bikini set. Pair it with tortoiseshell sunnies and coral lipstick.
Hunza G Gloria Seersucker Bikini, US $143.97 at Net-a-Porter
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Founded by Jessica Horwell, the Los Angeles-based Londoner juxtaposes laid-back California girl cool with her hometown's eccentric eclecticism. Between an off-the-shoulder top, Almost Famous-inspired shaggy Mongolian fur collar coat, skintight grommet jeans, snakeskin printed jacket or a sweatsuit, you can always mix and match these pieces from Hardware LDN to create the wardrobe you've always dreamed of.
Kourtney Kardashian channeled Princess Diana in an oversized pinstripe sweatshirt with these matching bike shorts. If dressing like a Kardashian sister isn't your cup of tea, you can channel the late Princess of Wales with a black blazer, white tee, top handle handbag, tortoiseshell sunnies and loafers.
Hardware LDN Pinstripe Cycling Shorts, US $79.99 at Hardware LDN
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Ran out of what to wear for Fashion Week? Make the street style photographers turn their lenses in your direction when you walk out and about with this statement-making topper.
Hardware LDN Reworked Vintage Leather Jacket, US $859 at Hardware LDN
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Summery off-the-shoulder tops get a pre-fall update with edgy snakeskin print stretch denim.
Hardware LDN Queen Cobra Bralette Top, US $159 at Hardware LDN
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Doll it up with cowboy boots, a structured bag, shrunken leather jacket, beret and a cropped tee when the weather gets chilly.
Hardware LDN Ray Ray Trousers, US $165.00
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Watch out, Tommy. Bianca Whyte and Lynne Haywood of Whyte Studio are ready to take luxury sportswear to the next level. Dubbed as a "motorsport inspired luxury" ready-to-wear label on their Instagram, this brand caught the eyes of Hailey Baldwin, Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix and Nina Agdal and Khloe Kardashian. Known for their sleekly tailored belted blazers and cargo-inspired dresses, you can easily wear them to the office or coffee run.
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Wear it to work as a top with a matching olive green pencil skirt and loafer heels.
Whyte Studio Element Dress, £375.00 at Whyte Studio
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Let your legs have some air during the dog days with these cooling linen pants.
Whyte Studio Chalk Check Wide Leg Pants £295.00 at Whyte Studio
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Flow like Neo in this lightweight viscose crepe trench coat (best worn as a maxi dress). Accessorize it with a pair of tiny cat eye sunglasses and ankle boots.
Whyte Studio Polish Fluid Trench £460.00 at Whyte Studio
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As London's newest bright young thing, Mimi Wade is filling in the space where Meadham Kirchhoff left after the latter closed down their label in 2016. Brimming with whimsical designs and a heavy dosage of kitschy camp, Wade's clothes feels like wearable art.
If you were lusting after the late Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire, you can wear your #thirsttrapthursday on your sleeve. (Even though his character was a douche in the movie, we can't get over those rippling muscles and chiseled cheeks!)
Mimi Wade Brando 3D Top, ¥44,064 at K3
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If you love 1950s Old Hollywood, Elizabeth Taylor's sex appeal and Alfred Hitchcock movies, you'll swoon hard over this graphic denim slip skirt. Pair it with a plain black t-shirt, Fendi logo handbag and strappy sandals.
Mimi Wade Blue Corduroy Devil Panther Pencil Skirt, US $278 at Peri A
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If Pamela Anderson had a clothing line in 1999, this marabou trim top would the first thing that we would get our hands on. Dress it down with flared beige pants and square toe sandals like it's your favourite decade.
Mimi Wade Marabou Trim Flocked Corduroy Top, $399.20 at Opening Ceremony
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