3 Up-and-Coming Designers Share their Favorite Summer Fashion Trends

By Suzanne Singer
July 6, 2011

The only way to make a mark in the increasingly competitive world of fashion design is to find a way to stand out from the crowd—churning out seen-it-before designs is no way to get your line picked up by Barneys or shot for the pages of Vogue. So who better to turn to for some summer fashion inspiration than three up-and-coming designers who are constantly challenged to up the fashion ante? In order to escape the shorts/sundress summer style blahs, we asked these enterprising women to fill us in on their favorite fashion trends for summer.

Melody Ehsani

Jewelry and footwear designer Melody Ehsani believes in pushes the envelope—both personally and creatively. Born in Los Angeles into a traditional Persian home, she was on a path to becoming a lawyer (like many of her cousins and friends) when she broke ranks with expectations and followed her passion for design. Her bold statement pieces reflect her fearlessness, mixing rock star edge, pop star kitsch, tribal influences and urban flair. "To me, fashion accessories are what decorate you," she says. "They give insight to what your interests are, what you believe in, how courageous you are, where your boundaries lie, etc."

Melody Ehsani

Melody Ehsani See Me Earrings ($122), necklaces, Small Stackable Swarovski 2 Finger Ring ($34)

As for her favorite summer fashion trend? Shades! “I think they are the ultimate summer accessory," Ehsani says. "Shades make me feel like I’m doing the most even when I’m in sweats. I feel like I could wear a bathrobe and put some shades on and it would make it okay somehow to walk into the street." See her four top picks here (she's wearing the Fendi style).

Roll over items for details

New Fendi SS 2011 Sunglasses

Vintage Versace Model 413/A Sunglasses

New Classic Ray Ban Wayfarer

Grey Ant Status Sunglasses

(buy it now price, $240)

3 Up-and-Coming Designers Share their Favorite Summer Fashion Trends

Ramy Brook

Clothing designer Ramy Sharp arrived at her calling via the purest form possible—as an avid shopper, fashion follower and amateur stylist for friends, who would constantly ask her to help them seek out just the right piece. Sharp's own style uniform—one she defines as a sexy but refined pairing of a drape-y low cut top with a mini skirt—was so signature that her friends began to describe similar outfits as "very Ramy" or "VR." Rife with fashion ideas for new takes on the look—from fabrics to cuts to colors—Sharp launched her own collection under the label Ramy Brook. The Ramy Brook Spring/Summer 2011 collection combines Grecian-inspired cuts with an on-trend Southwestern color palette of white, cream, army green and shots of turquoise.

Ramy Brook

Fashion designer Ramy Sharp says the Harriet ($275, center) from her Ramy Brook collection is her favorite silhouette from her line. She loves white tops (left and right) for summer, too.

Though Sharp loves color, the one shade she keeps turning to this summer is white, in the form of a sleeveless, blouse-y top. White is a clean color that reads "summer is here!" she says. "The long drape adds a special appeal and turns the basic top into the sexy top. It's bright and goes with all types of jewelry, from silver bangles to long gold necklaces." Ramy Brook's "Harriet" (pictured above, center) top captures this look, and here are some options on eBay, too, in case you want to stock up.

New Helmut Lang White Draped Cowl Back Top

(buy it now price, $79.99)

Doo Ri New White Draped Sheer Tank Top

(buy it now price, $249)

New Theory Drape Cowl Neck Top

(buy it now price, $48.39)

New Ellen Tracy Sleeveless Cowl Drape Top

(buy it now price, $29.99)

Kaelen

Childhood moments spent watching her mother dress for social engagements sparked young Kaelen Farncombe's love of style and fashion design. After studying at Parsons and working for labels like Jenni Kayne and Stella McCartney, Farncombe launched her namesake collection in 2010. For Spring 2011, Farncombe drew inspiration from a tornado-chasing trip in the Midwest. The final result incorporated soft colors on an eclectic but not chaotic range of fabrics, from knits to silks and leathers, all hand-dyed using natural fruits and spices and cut into sophisticated, clean often color-blocked shapes.

Kaelen

Spring 2011 designs by Kaelen

For summer, Farncombe's fashion trend of choice is colored pants (perhaps paired with one of her angular, loose-fitting tops). "I’m really a big fan of the colored pants," she says. "Not necessarily jeans, but pants in general. I wore red cotton pants yesterday and I’m convinced my day was better for it. If you keep the rest of your outfit neutral and tonal, it won’t be over the top."