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Designers to Watch: Jen Kao

8/29/08 at 8:34 AM

Jen KaoPhoto: Courtesy of Jen Kao

Everyone's always looking for the next breakout talent, but the tents can leave you feeling empty if you don't know where to look. Hence, some guidance: We've got five up-and-coming designers to watch at the spring 2009 shows. This is our second installment.

It's easy to write Jen Kao off as yet another hipster designer. She's a regular in Nylon and a newbie favorite of WWD and Style.com, and her clothes were recently in a V shoot and graced M.I.A. in Paper mag last year. And her spring 2008 presentation was accompanied by photos from Ryan McGinley. But this designer has all the makings of a young Rei Kawakubo. Her tailoring is precise, her draping technique is nothing short of beautiful, and though her palette is somewhat limited to neutrals and dark colors with a few bright colors thrown in, Kao is poised to go far.

See a slideshow.

Our other designers to watch:
Joanne Cordero Reyes
Miguel Adrover
Frank Tell
Abigail Lorick

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Writer
Amy Odell
Managing Editor
Jessica Coen
Fashion Editor
Amina Akhtar
Assistant Editor
Sharon Clott
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