Designer Dossier: Mary Katrantzou

Some designers are all about form and shape. Others are interested in expanding the boundaries of fashion. And still others focus on perfecting simplicity. Mary Katrantzou is in a class all by herself, not only in terms of her talent, but in leading the millennial trend of digital prints. There's no question that Katrantzou considers the feminine form in her designs, as she embraces the extreme fit and flare shape dominating the most recent runway shows. Yes, she knows how to cut a frock — but she is most celebrated for her prints. So much so that she was awarded the Newgen Sponsorship, providing a designer funds for six seasons. Born in 1983, she's a young designer who has shot to the top of the industry since her debut in 2009.

Katrantzou was born in Athens, Greece to an interior designer mother and a textile designer father. It's no wonder, then, that she thought to join the family business by originally studying architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design before moving on to Central St. Martin's to study interior textile design. She earned her Master's degree from Central St. Martin's, but had in the meantime switched focus from interior to fashion textiles, and we're so glad she did! No other designer can touch her skills when it comes to manipulating images digitally and transferring them to clothing which stands out but remains steadfastly wearable to the most daring and chic fashionistas. She's been featured in Vogue, has designed a line of bags for Longchamp, and is one of Anna Dello Russo's favorites. She's also been awarded the Swiss Textiles Designer Award. Feast your eyes on a standout in the world of new designers.