Based in: Orneta, Poland
Founded: 2021
Karen Arcanjo is a Polish designer who draws on her country’s folk traditions and rich culture of handcraft to create a distinctly contemporary fashion language. Working with independent artisans across Poland, she incorporates crochet, hand-knitting, and embroidery into garments that celebrate the time, knowledge, and individuality held within handmade techniques. Rather than quoting folklore literally, she distills its textures, methods, and emotional memory into modern, quietly expressive silhouettes. Her work demonstrates how regional craft can be preserved as a living and evolving form of design. —Ina Lekiewicz, Vogue Poland
Portugal: Arndes by Ana Rita de Sousa
Based in: Porto, Portugal
Founded: 2019
Focused on craftsmanship and sustainability, Ana Rita de Sousa, the name behind Arndes, always wanted to express herself through uncanny silhouettes in textiles, making sure form and function were always in their sweet spot in the brand’s designs. Committed to reducing waste by reusing deadstock fabrics or upcycling staples, turning classics into fashion statements, this made in Portugal name is what any wardrobe that loves timeless pieces with a shot of design needs and wants. Case in point: its winter collection, prioritizing rich textures and lines that are familiar and yet unconventional. —Sofia Lucas, Vogue Portugal
