Derek Lam
Derek Lam has proved an unstoppable force since he launched his eponymous label in 2003, with a bevy of celebrity fans (Natalie Portman and Gwyneth Paltrow, no less) and a design identity with a universal appeal. That is, he aspires (just like his mentor, Michael Kors) to reinvent American city-chic without making it scarily directional. Indeed, he achieves this through his own focus on sophisticated tailoring, party-perfect prints and tendency to pay subtle homage to the seventies through his designs. With all this and more under his belt, it is no wonder he has garnered such an impressive following.▼
