With such an artful approach to men's and women's wear, it's not surprising Assembly's founder began his career in the art world. Greg Armas was at the helm of galleries before opening his store on the Lower East Side in 2008. A namesake line followed in 2012 and a second forward-thinking retail environment in Los Angeles three years later. In addition to their own label, Assembly New York and Los Angeles focus on international and otherwise independent designers who maintain an emphasis on craft and design as an ethos, regardless of trend.

This is something of a second incarnation for the Carrie Forbes brand. Its first life was as a line of crocheted bags in the 1990s, a business its namesake founder closed in 1998 to move to Italy and work for luxury brands like Fendi and Armani on handbags. The relaunch came in 2013, accompanied by a move back to the States, with a focus on footwear. It takes a full day for a pair of Carrie Forbes raffia shoes to be woven, all handmade in Morocco.