Kenneth Ize
The Nigerian designer Kenneth Ize—who
was raised in Austria before moving back
to Africa—mirrors the boundless energy of
Lagos while also helping to move the thriving
megalopolis onto the global main stage. Ize
landed on the international scene in 2013,
when he launched his namesake label,
which focuses on polychrome suiting using
modernized iterations of local handwoven
aso oke fabric. He now runs a small atelier in
Lagos, where many of his textiles are made,
keeping an essential Nigerian practice alive
by bringing it into a contemporary zone—
and showing that localism can apply on a
worldwide scale, too.Telfar Clemens Telfar
The New York–based Clemens is a
mastermind at translating cues from
performance to politics into work
that pushes against gender norms
or industry expectations (his vegan-
leather genderless shopping tote, for
one, has been a massive hit). He is
also a pioneer, having long celebrated
queer communities, advocated for
diversity, and insisted on building his
brand on his own terms. “It’s not about
old entities changing strategies,” he
says. “It’s about new people. There is a
lot of diversity on the surface, but not
yet in ownership.”Kate and Laura Mulleavy Rodarte
Rodarte’s California-centric, Pasadena-based
Kate and Laura Mulleavy have become world
famous for their dreamlike, brainy, confectionery
dresses, and they do evening like nobody
else, with their resolute independence only
adding to the creativity and character of their
magnetically insular storytelling (explored further
in Woodshock, the 2017 feature film they wrote
and directed). Think: warped, weird, wild, and
wonderful—and a prime example of trailblazing a
new way to the future.Julien Dossena
Paco Rabanne
Dossena is a quintessential
Parisian designer, versed in
both craft and couture finish
but just as attuned to overall
trends and tides. Equally
impressive, though, is the
way he has delved deep into
his imagination to push the
house of Paco Rabanne into
a robust, global territory
(often accompanied by the
razzle-dazzle of chain mail).
He understands clearly that
a brand that was once so
enamored by the prospect
of the future—Paco Rabanne
himself was fascinated by the
space age—is at its best when
it’s connected to the present.266 SEPTEMBER 2019 VOGUE.COM
20 for 2020 (and beyond...)