Brands on the Rise - Feb 23

As trends circulate and what is popular is constantly changing, so are the brands that are in at the moment. Here are a few brands, some old, some new, that stood out to me, in particular, this month. From new styles that align with what is currently trending at the moment, to out-of-the-box concepts we have never seen before, to some new innovative beauty product concepts, here is what I anticipate to be hot based on the month of February.

Philipp Plein

Right now, a designer brand that is moving in the direction of the future arguably in a way different from anyone else is Philipp Plein. Philipp Plein is a German-based fashion company that is considering the fashion world in terms of the Metaverse! If you're anything like the average person, you're probably asking yourself right about now, ‘I still don’t know what the Metaverse is..’ The Metaverse is commonly defined as a virtual reality, with a computer-generated environment that may be interacted with in a seemingly realistic way. (Think of VR video games.) According to Philipp Plein, his mission is to make the metaverse accessible to everyday people like you and me. We have all heard of virtual reality and can likely even recall when that advancement in itself was on the rise in the technology world, now can we imagine its involvement in the fashion industry? Imagine how cool a shopping experience or fashion show would be that entails your favorite designs combined with a virtual reality experience! We have seen firsthand the spike in VR games when the brand-new concept of the metaverse was initially on the rise, which makes the success behind this specific idea even more foreseeable.

© Fillppo Flor / Gorunway.com

Have you heard of an NFT? An NFT is, in short, a form of collectible digital art. Plein has even incorporated NFT sculptures and artwork in the past 2022 autumn and winter collection presentation. This is such an innovative idea, as you do not see many fashion designers taking big risks like this with new technology concepts. The designer brands’ niche is edgy, punk rock apparel, and because of this, it makes it easier to reach their acquired target market. These types of advancements combined with the ‘haute couture meets glamorous gothic’ approach might guarantee Philipp Plein to be on the 2023 hottest brand radar!

Coach

If you grew up in the early 2000s, you are certainly no stranger to the designer brand Coach! I can vividly recall being younger and watching my friends' older sisters get ready, and without fail, they were ALWAYS decked out in their coach crossbody purses and wristlets with various fun colors, patterns, and textures. In the 2000s, bright, fun, and vibrant colors were what was in, and because of this, Coach’s bag styles were a massive hit. The patchwork purses with various fabrics and colors were seen hanging off tons of shoulders. Nowadays, a much sleeker and more modernized design is desired by the masses in terms of accessories. Despite being a well-established designer, brands are always adapting to what is trending, relevant, and contemporary as the times are ever-changing. Well, Coach is doing just that and it is anticipated the designer will be making a huge comeback because of this. Coach has effectively changed its style and business strategy to correspond with what is trending today. The logo for instance has been changed multiple times over the years in order to align with what is “in” showing the designers' everlasting efforts to keep the brand relevant.

When it comes to the style of bags the designer carries, they have begun to stray away from that early 2000’s approach with simply designed bags composed of mixed materials - leather paired with either canvas or nylon, in different prints and colors. These bags not only suffered durability issues often but as time went on this bag style was deemed to look ‘tacky’ and was simply not on trend with what is in style now. (However, I must admit, a rush of nostalgia certainly always comes over me whenever I might encounter one of these colorful mixed material handbags!) In more recent times though, the brand is trying to change this design, and incorporate more vintage-inspired, minimalistic products. The more durable leathers and materials they use not only look better aesthetically but they are made to last longer, too. The more recent incorporation of expensive-looking hardware and minimalistic leathers definitely gives the old patchwork design a run for its money. Coach also does a great job as a brand of creating unique products and accessories. Coach often releases season-specific collections (like wallets with snowflakes for winter, or hearts on a handbag for valentines), and even collaborates with other brands, such as Disney for example, which ensures hype surrounding these products and snagging them up when they do release. Coach is certainly projected to make a comeback as a brand because not only does the brand remain nostalgic to consumers, but it now also aligns with the most current styles as well. This places the brand in a good position to be a hot and trending retailer in the year 2023 . Also their marketing team deserves a raise.  

Summer Fridays

Now, while I cannot quite speak for everyone else, I know that my personal standards regarding beauty and skincare products have been raised in recent years. This is mainly due to the ever-developing product standards both in terms of ethicalness and formula. I grew up during the era when it was popular to watch beauty YouTubers online, and have always been very engaged in the world of makeup and beauty. With that being said, there is hardly ever a brand or product out there that I have yet to try or hear about. Summer Fridays is a brand name that we as consumers are seeing more and more emerging both online and in stores. Summer Fridays is a brand developed by two fellow beauty influencers, Marianna and Lauren, who have extensive experience with products given how many they have been sent over the years. This made it a breeze for the founders to determine what they wanted their products to include, as well as what they wanted them to lack. For instance, Summer Fridays focuses heavily on including good-for-you ingredients in their makeup products. (And, obviously in their skincare, too!)  How counterintuitive is it to have nearly a ten-step skin regimen to treat your acne by night, just to go ahead and stuff your pores full of makeup by day? This is a worry of the past when Summer Fridays carry products that look great on your skin, while simultaneously working FOR your skin.

A product I have recently purchased by this brand that I am absolutely living for is the sheer skin tint. This product is one of many that demonstrates the thorough process behind deciphering what ingredients to strategically include. Composed of rich emollients like squalane, vitamin E, and avocado oils, these ingredients work to make skin appear brighter and cause the liquid to blend like a literal dream. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant also found in the skin tint that works to actively lock in skin moisture and protect and strengthen our skin barriers, which has always been a staple in my personal skin routine. This skin tint even includes key ingredients like tiger grass, balancing out red tones and hyperpigmentation. The brand is also unique in the sense that all skin and makeup products are both clean and vegan. Many consumers prioritize vegan and cruelty-free skincare and beauty products nowadays, as well as clean ingredients, which is what indicates to me an upcoming rise in popularity. Overall, Summer Fridays is a multiple-benefit beauty brand, and is capitalizing on what should be important to us. Keep an eye out for this brand in 2023!

© Summer Fridays / SummerFridays.com