Les Chiffoniers

Spray-on leather, PVC, silver sequinned or Spandex leggings might not be everyone\'s idea of high-glam but on the right legs - wowza! When Kate Moss first wore her LC black leather skinnies - previously seen only on Knightsbridge hairdressers (male), chavs and Chrissie Hynde - opinions were divided. Now the grungy, rock chick vibe is hurtling into fashion at breakneck speed this is the label of choice, and some. Now of course, Les Chiffoniers is the stuff of waiting lists and dreams. Beg, borrow, steal...

-by Julia Robson

Thakoon

It always helps when your No 1 fan happens to be the most important person on planet fashion. Anna Wintour believes her protégé, Thakoon Panichgul, winner of several American Vogue awards, is one of the most exciting American designer talents around. Who are we to argue? The 32-year-old made his debut with his particularly clever dressed down ‘dress-up\' chic in New York in 2007 and hasn\'t looked back. He has already collaborated with Hogan and Gap, and his own women\'s wear line is so hot it sells out the second it lands instore.

Left: Thakoon s/s08

Right: Kate Bosworth in Thakoon

Castaner

It makes sense in what is surely the season of the espadrille wedge, the original Spanish brand, globally renown for its rope and canvas construction, should become cult. The current brand was founded in 1927 by Luis Castañer and his cousin Tomas Serra, but has its roots in an older family business dating back to the 1700s. Trendy Paris destination boutique Colette recently voted its espadrilles one of the 10 mainstays of any woman\'s wardrobe. I\'d go one step further and predict the Castañer espadrille will be a bigger hit in summer 2008 than the Macarena was back in 1995.

Toms

Before Toms, the notion of charidee to most fashion folk involved swinging your post-catwalk show goodie bag at a homeless man. Now, hunky Californian, Blake Mycoski\'s Shoes For Tomorrow - or Toms - concept, which pledges a pair of shoes will be donated to a poor child for every pair bought, has become the latest fashion cult. It helps the fabulous slip-on canvas pumps, based on traditional Argentian alpagartas, look stylish, in a beachy way. You can even feel the good karma when you wear them (or could that be the comfy rubber sole and padded leather inner lining?) £25, from shoestudio.com in the UK.

Picture: Keira Knightley in Toms shoes 

Mike and Chris

Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Keira Knightley... who isn\'t wearing this cult label? The New York husband and wife team - former fashion photographer Mike Gonzalez and artist Christine Park-Gonzalez - produce clothes that are all about nonchalant, luxury street style. Which is why they are perfect for celebrities to wear when they are officially off-duty but might just get papped. Signature pieces include highly desirable super soft fleece hoodies in muted colors and distressed leather biker jackets, again in subtle colours, with details like oversized buttons and antique brass eyelets.

Left:  Rachel Bilson in Mike and Chris 

Tom Binns

Rugged Irish-born jewellery designer Tom Binns has been responsible for triggering countless accessory trends - most recently skulls and crosses, studded punky baubles, bangles and beads, and giant diamante paste brooches in exotic colours - over the past two decades. His non-conformist, tough-chic approach to fashion, inspired by as diverse elements as the Dada movement, punk rock, the lavish days of the British Raj in India, debutantes and driftwood on a beach, has led to all sorts of non-stereotypical pieces as well as tons of outstanding modern classics.(By the way he predicts cameos and gothic pieces are the next big thing...

 Left:  Alice Dellal in Tom Binns jewellery

Take a look at what we have in store for September over at our 30 DAYS OF FASHION AND BEAUTY site

Derek lam

Lam is a New York-based designer a million miles in signature style from his almost-namesake and neighbour, Philip Lim. Lam worked for Michael Kors for 12 years before going it alone. Occasionally you see hints of the glamorous jet set heiress-look so beloved of his ex-boss. Lam\'s take on the understated American sportswear theme is consistently younger and girlier but still rich bitch. (Why not, you have to be to wear it). His exquisite colour palettes, watery prints and signature styles including sheath dresses with plunging necklines and satin robe jackets which slip seductively off the shoulder have made him a fashion star in the ascendant.

Pictures: Kate Hudson in Derek Lam; Models backstage at Derek Lam s/s08

Ju$t Another Rich Kid

NYC artist and designer, Ken Courtney, founded his streetwear line in 2002 with an explosive line of lippy tees addressing the cult of celebrity. (Remember Starfucker t-shirts?). Recently, one of his artistic fashion installations underscoring the disparity between designed perfection and the realities of everyday existence, featured a pair of gold-dipped Nike Dunks. Courtney has hinted there\'s a certain irony in his £200-a-pop t-shirts, which are created to look like the grungy remnant of a 1980s rock festival. I\'d argue this is a small price to pay for instant cool?

Rick Owens

Californian-born, Paris-based designer Owens\' clothes are the antithesis of bling. He once said, \"I try to make clothes the way Lou Reed does music.\" If you\'re familiar with his low-key glamour grunge - and The Velvet Underground - you can see the logic behind these wise words. Although he\'s actually been around since 1994, doing the same old kind of thing with twists of slinky cotton jersey, suede and super-soft leather, in muted, sludgy shades, he\'s only now bleeping on the fashion radar. Maybe this is because his particular vision of stealth wealth, cavewoman-meets-Armani chic, so beloved of celebrities like Courtney Love and Madonna, (he has been known to use sable linings under the humblest jacket), fits the current fashion climate. It ain\'t cheap, however.

Pictures: Rick Owens s/s08; Courtney Love wearing Rick Owens

Alexander Wang

This laid-back urban label is considered the coolest of the cool if you believe the fashion hype. Don\'t even bother trawling shops for native New Yorker, Wang\'s ‘boyfriend\' jacket, perhaps the cult item of summer 2008, this sold out ages ago. Wang\'s current five-piece dress collaboration with Japanese giant, Uniqlo, proves low-high collabs - as high falutin\' designer and lowly mass market marriages are called these days - work. Is it any wonder that at £24.99 the collection still has to be replenished a few times a day due to demand?

Picture: A selection from the Alexander Wang s/s08 look book