DHL Exported New York Finalists

With dozens of designers applying for their shot at a Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York runway slot over the next two seasons through the DHL Exported program, selecting the top three candidates proved quite challenging for our experts.

Beyond the individual designers' talents, the committee looked for a strong understanding of the unique New York market and the business sense to ensure success there. While each of our finalists has seen tremendous local growth over the last few years, it takes daring and acumen to branch out into the American market. As Alexis Bryan Morgan, Executive Fashion Editor at Lucky magazine said, however, emerging designers need to establish their own brand identity and stay true to that DNA – not adapting it to the latest trends or markets. So just who are these finalists with a strong brand identity?

Francesca Liberatore, who established her brand in London and Rome after graduating from Central Saint Martins in London, has years of experience working with Viktor&Rolf, Jean Paul Gautier and Brioni. In 2009, CNMI awarded her the Next Generation award and she began showing her eponymous personal collection at Milan Fashion Week. She's shown at events around the world, including Kiev, Berlin, Warsaw, Shanghai and Beijing and has served as creative director for international clients including most recently Nolamisu in Dubai.

Yasutoshi Ezumi of Japan graduated from Central Saint Martins in London and worked as an assistant at Alexander McQueen and as a knitwear designer in Aquascutum London before launching his eponymous brand in 2010. He's shown each season at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo since being selected to be part of the 3rd SHIMAI Creator's project in Autumn/Winter 2011. The young, up-and-coming designer also won the DHL Designer Award sponsored by DHL Japan and juried by Japan Fashion Week Organization for his 2014-15 Autumn/Winter Collection in March.

Katty Xiomara has been an integral part of the fashion scene in Portugal since 1998, with seasonal showings at both Moda Lisboa and Portugal Fashion in Porto. Her portfolio is broad and diverse, with award-winning designs for resort uniforms, exclusive footwear designs and a lingerie line alongside charity work, including a t-shirt in partnership with the Portuguese League Against Cancer. She has been frequently nominated for “Best Fashion Designer” in Globos de Ouro and has shown in markets around the world, including New York, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Barcelona, Berlin and Paris.

For more from the designers' lookbooks, become a fan on Pinterest or Instagram. And stay tuned to In Motion for the official winners' announcement at the end of May.