Top 10 Standout Runway Shows of 2024

The Top 10 Standout Runway Shows of 2024 as chosen by our EIC, Kenneth Richard

While the fashion week headlines are dominated by major heritage houses, just as exciting are the independent and emerging brands operating within the undercurrents of fashion. Our Standout category celebrates the upcoming or under-celebrated brands and designers taking fashion forward – with 2024 showcasing a particularly broad and exciting mix of design perspectives, giving us a thrilling and thought-provoking window into fashion’s future.

For all of its difficulties, operating an independent brand that doesn’t strictly fall within mainstream fashion expectations gives designers more space to experiment as they find their own balance of commercial and cutting-edge. Brands like Ottolinger, Meryll Rogge, and Rokh do great work within this space, raising refreshing voices while challenging conformity.

On his way to being a household name – a process that will get a boost thanks to a great collab with Adidas – Willy Chavarria deepened his language of workwear references and Chicano culture with a celebration of American civil rights movements, spotlighting America as a country of immigrants.

Carven has had a unique journey since its founding in 1945, occupying that rare position as a luxury heritage house that flies under the radar yet has also had big moments in the spotlight throughout its various eras. With just over a year at the brand, creative director Louis Trotter delivered a collection that firmly solidified the Carven renaissance being well under way. We’re looking forward to see her take the reins at Bottega Veneta.

Undercover takes home the top spot, with Jun Takahashi delivering one of his most masterful collections yet for a seamless fusion of seemingly everyday looks that nonetheless abound with structural experimentation, avant-garde silhouettes, and inspired textural interplay.

Here are The Impression’s picks for the Top 10 runway shows of 2024 as selected by our Editor in Chief, Kenneth Richard.

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