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Although Allen likes to study and deconstruct every single element of a garment, from the layers upon layers of underpinnings – think corsets, crinolines and delicate slips – to tailoring, she’s careful not to be too literal when translating these references in her own designs. “I’m interested in reimagining the origins of a woman's wardrobe but in a way that removes any sort of restriction. I’m anti any sort of preciousness. It’s about movement. It’s about things feeling lived in and having a sense of ease to them,” she says.

This approach extends to Allen’s intuitive use of color and fabric, too. Bright oranges and reds feature heavily, often rendered in rich, dimensional materials like velvet (her signature) that add depth and tactility to every look, from dramatic hook-and-eye coats to elegantly draped gowns. Washed-down cottons, silks, chiffons and lace, meanwhile, bring lightness and a softer, more romantic feel. From there, everything begins to take shape in a very organic way. “I really try to create a lot of space for intuition; I don't want to know what [a collection is] going to end up as from the beginning.”

On a recent trip to New York for fashion week, Kaminetsky and Kallmeyer had their first session over coffee. “Daniella has great instinct and a clear vision, which you can see running through every touchpoint of her brand. It’s more than just beautiful collections… I am so excited to see how Kallmeyer evolves,” says Kaminetsky. She also stresses why it’s important to give emerging designs a platform: “I believe we have a responsibility to champion the next generation of designers and it’s something we feel passionately about here at NET-A-PORTER. We not only owe it to the designers, but to the industry, to support [them] during the most challenging years of building a brand, and to nurture the future superstars of fashion.”

“We have a responsibility to support the long-term future of our industry,” agrees Sjöberg. “Emerging designers bring strong points of view, but turning vision into a brand requires more than creativity. It needs infrastructure and strategy behind it. By sharing what we’ve learned, we can help founders build businesses that are resilient and made to last.”

Subverville is excited to use the spotlight of The NET-A-PORTER Vanguard to tell her brand story while also accessing support and guidance from her mentors: designer Gabriela Hearst and climate activist and content creator Aditi Mayer. “Both of my mentors have their own experiences working with artisans, supporting communities and in the sustainability space. I’m looking forward to learning about their practices and bouncing ideas [off them] for what we can do to improve ours,” she says.

“I’ve never met a young designer who wasn’t concerned about sustainability – and they are the future,” says Hearst. “Fostering these values, which have become best practices in their generation, is very important to me.” Mayer echoes this sentiment, and praises Heirlome’s commitment to recontextualizing craftmanship today. “Craft is not nostalgia; it’s design intelligence accumulated over generations,” she says. “When emerging designers engage with that lineage thoughtfully, they aren’t looking backward – they’re building depth into their work… Heirlome stands out for the integrity of their approach: they collaborate with Mexican and Latin American artisans in a way that feels rooted in dialogue rather than decoration.”

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