Sally LaPointe
Why We Need To Know Now: At the beginning of 2011, Lady Gaga revamped her look to businesswoman chic as defined by Sally Lapointe — chatting up Oprah, Marissa Meyer, and Polaroid, all in LaPointe's dramatic dresses. (And who could forget Gaga's baroque "Judas" dress, also a LaPointe creation?) Yet, 2012 had LaPointe extending beyond her "Gaga designer" label when the 27-year-old showed two seriously mature and elegant collections (with Bergdorf buyers eagerly seated front-row). Though still meant for the downtown girl (just ask fans like Zoe Lister Jones and Neon Hitch, Lapointe let this year prove her staying power.
In Five Words: Minimal/maximum interplay for NYC.

Photos: Courtesy of CMMedia PR