Women to Watch

This New York-based womenswear designer has impressed the industry's most important editors with her classic, perfectly tailored pieces. In only a couple of seasons, she's managed to find the perfect balance between clean-cut minimalism and colorful, girly glamour. Basically, if Blair Waldorf could wear just one collection for the rest of her life, it would be Katie Ermilio's.

The daughter of American fashion royalty Tommy Hilfiger is proving herself to be quite a force in the industry. As co-designer of NAHM, which launched in the fall of 2011, she helped to take a simple concept centered around a closet staple — the shirtdress — and turn it into a burgeoning ready-to-wear brand. Since we're already fans of NAHM's pretty patterns, rich fabrics, and boy-meets-girl sensibility, we're looking forward to seeing much more of what Ally has to offer.

If there's one young designer who really makes us believe in the fantastical aspect of fashion, it's Jen Kao. Her conceptual collections are artistic, dramatic, and — perhaps most importantly — incredibly innovative. Whether she presents crazy colors, kooky patterns, or intricate, crocheted knits on the runway, you can be sure that she'll give you something you've never seen — or imagined — before.

The CEO and designer of her eponymous label was featured in Marie Claire's 2011 Women on Top Awards, and for good reason. While she's primarily known for her edgy — and more often than not, dark — collections, we're consistently impressed with her ever-evolving range.

Her label Giulietta might only be a year old, but Sofia Sizzi — who has stints at Gucci, Calvin Klein, and Donna Karan under her belt — caught the attention of the world's most important buyers almost immediately with her sixties-inspired, smartly-tailored collections. The Florence native's knack for incorporating playful, fanciful elements into her timeless, feminine designs will definitely have us coming back for more.

Since launching their label in 2009, these two ladies have cornered the market on edgy sex appeal. Take one look at their body-con silhouettes, intricate shapes, and precise cut-outs, and you'll know why celebrities and the hottest women in town are clamoring to wear their clothes.

A master tailor, the New York-based designer's coats and jacket have achieved must-have status among the fashion set. Her elegant separates emanate a cool sophistication, and we're pretty sure that every one of Nonoo's designs could qualify as a timeless closet staple.

Don't let this Canadian-born, Paris-based designer's cute clothes fool you — she's a fashion force to be reckoned with. Calla trained under Olivier Theyskens at Rochas and Nina Ricci in Paris, and she's since formulated her own brand of effortless French chic. We're betting that her sweet prints, soft colors, and feminine silhouettes become classics in seasons to come.

The women behind Ohne Titel — that's German for "untitled" — are veritable superstars among the fashion crowd on account of the strong, directional collections the label has put out since 2006. Our admiration for the pair grows more with every passing season.