New Guard, New Tricks

Three or four seasons ago, a slew of new names popped up in post-fashion week conversations. Whenever a buyer or editor talked about a favorite show, he or she mentioned Proenza Schouler, Derek Lam, Zac Posen, and Behnaz Sarafpour rather than Calvin, Donna, Marc, and Ralph. In a transient business like fashion, designers’ popularity rotates regularly, and a young talent can go from It Boy or It Girl to has-been within a season or two. (Todd Oldham, anyone?) What is fascinating about this new lineup of young turks, however, is that their impact has gone beyond press attention and retail accounts at Barneys. This past week it became evident that they – along with a host of other up-and-coming designers – are actually changing the image of American fashion.