Why we’re fascinated: Because, bar for bar, he has the skills to become one of the greats — and the discipline to go with it. The independent Brooklyn-based spitter (by way of Norfolk, Virginia) recently released an impressive EP, “Prescribed Overdose,” which features Virginia hip-hop legend Pusha T and stunning visuals to accompany the music. Now Al-Doms is bracing for tour and wrapping up a new project, slated to be released later this year. On his standout track, “Sincerely,” Doms raps, “You’re either the n—a you know you are, or find out you ain’t who you think you is.” Al-Doms, an artist full of healthy hubris, knows which he is.

— Curtis Rowser III

Why we’re fascinated: Because Reverend Vince’s weekly concert at Union Pool is equal parts Joe Cocker, John the Baptist and a sweaty good time. By day, he’s the music and artistic director at Bushwick Abbey, a queer-friendly Christian community, and runs their Tiny Purple Pantry. By night, you might see him dancing (possibly naked) onstage every Monday in Williamsburg. This year he added a new line to his resume: movie star. Anderson is the subject of Brooklyn filmmaker Nick Canfield’s stellar documentary “The Reverend,” about his 20-year residency at Union Pool.

— Joshua Encinias

Why we’re fascinated: Because Baeza creates affecting dreamscapes that explore immigration and the struggle to survive. While some curators have tried to pigeonhole Baeza’s work as solely a reflection of his undocumented status (he was born in Mexico), they are missing out on the full scope of his talent and creativity. Prominently featured in this past year’s Venice Biennale with his large-scale, uncannily alluring paintings of foliage bursting from human heads, Baeza has also recently showed in London at the Maureen Paley gallery and is currently an invited artist-in-residence at the Getty Research Institute. Not content with taking over the art world, on August 9 he will take over bus stops too, with his new works titled “Unruly Forms” to be displayed in thousands of bus kiosks across all five boroughs, Chicago and Boston.

 — Jessica Robinson

Why we’re fascinated: Because there are very few people in the world we would want narrating a two-hour meal for us. But Balogun, the chef and affable host at this acclaimed Nigerian restaurant in Bed-Stuy, is definitely one of them. Because as good as the food is at Dept. of Culture — the place was just nominated for a James Beard Award for being among the best in the city — it’s Balogun’s stories that precede each course, whether about his family, his childhood in the Nigerian state of Kwara, or the many different cuisines of his native country, that make this such an unforgettable night out.

 — Scott Lynch

Why we’re fascinated: Because Balingit first made a splash in the thick of pandemic, when the Filipino American culinary guru started selling pasalubong (“souvenir” in Tagolog) treat boxes bursting with delicious desserts around town and donating proceeds to those affected by Covid. Today, the gastro genius inspires thousands of followers on her unique Instagram account and through her excellent cookbook, “Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed.”

 — Anna Rahmanan

Why we’re fascinated: Because this writer and artist deftly dissects the commonalities and differences between the worlds of art and politics. Bishara, who is Palestinian, has written for Hyperallergic, Euronews and Al Jazeera, among other outlets. His position as co-director of Soloway Gallery in South Williamsburg also reflects his overall worldview: Run by artists, the space sheds light on works usually overlooked by more prominent museums across town.

— Anna Rahmanan

Why we’re fascinated: Because it’s gator season, y’all. Brooke — aka “Big Gator” — has made her home of Bed-Stuy proud. On New Year’s Eve, she became a viral sensation after unleashing her first smash hit, “Don’t Play With It,” at Future’s sold-out Barclay’s show. Now backed by Arista Records (in collaboration with New York’s Team 80 Productions), Brooke’s making moves, appearing on CBS’s “East New York,” releasing “Da Girls” with Ciara and landing a spot at Hot 97’s Summer Jam. For Brooke, who can hype a packed arena, then freestyle like no one’s business, this is clearly just the beginning. “When I do have control,” she says, “I’ll make sure shit happens.”

— Colin Kirkland

Why we’re fascinated: Because Bui, born in Vietnam and educated at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts and the New York Studio School, is a bulwark of the New York art world and beyond. Bui founded the acclaimed “Brooklyn Rail,” a monthly print magazine distributed for free across the city that has spawned sister projects like “The Miami Rail” and the publishing press Rail Editions. Bui himself has curated some 60 exhibitions. In 2008, he began a portrait series depicting colleagues and collaborators with pencil softness and startling clarity. A selection of those appeared at the latest Frieze art fair in Los Angeles with Craig Starr Gallery. Whenever this enigmatic polyglot walks through the door you can bet people in the room are angling to get a minute of his time.

— Vittoria Benzine

Why we’re fascinated: Because small businesses need all the help they can get, and Michelle Cadore’s space in Downtown Brooklyn does just that. After leaving a career in business and workforce development, Cadore opened Da Spot in 2017 and since then has been amplifying Black and POC-owned creative brands, including C.A.N.V.A.S. art gallery and her own line, Yes I Am. Da Spot most recently held their annual Black Creatives and Culture Fest at City Point BKLYN, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop by giving the community more opportunities to showcase products and art.

— Nick Youssef

Why we’re fascinated: Because Cirillo is watching New York. Literally. Since 2016 Cirillo has stationed himself on street corners in Williamsburg and Greenpoint and snapped thousands of photos of fabulously attired New Yorkers. It started as an homage to the late, great Bill Cunningham, the New York Times street style photographer, but the passion project has very much morphed into its own thing: On Instagram, where he has nearly 1 million followers @watchingnewyork, and more recently on TikTok, Cirillo posts candid shots of — and interviews with — stylish Brooklynites. It all adds up to a sizzling and swaggy slice of life in the borough. Look out for the “Watching New York” coffee table book next year.

 — Brian Braiker

Why we’re fascinated: Because the Conversanos are probably on a first-name basis with your favorite filmmakers — and will likely rank among them before long. The Conversanos have worked with everyone from Timothée Chalamet for his early-career gig on “Homeland” to Andrew Yang for his run for mayor. Look for their production company Apple House Picture’s new movie “Summer’s End” later this year or early next. Next up, they’re adapting Mesha Maren’s novel “Sugar Run” for the screen.

 — Joshua Encinias

Why we’re fascinated: Because making waste is a waste of time. After nearly two decades in fashion and witnessing its catastrophic impact on the environment, Cooper sought out newer, more sustainable ways to do business. IXV (her father’s nickname) serves its Boreum Hill community with everything from coffee to regional farm-to-table produce to subscriptions for coffee that give you free reusable cups as incentive to revisit and reuse. Like the old saying goes: Waste not, want as much as you want without the guilt!

— Nick Youssef

Why we’re fascinated: Because for decades she has been challenging viewers to confront their assumptions about women’s experiences. Cronin is best known for “Memorial to a Marriage” at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, a bronze mortuary sculpture created when same-sex marriage was still illegal. It depicts Cronin with her wife, embracing beneath a bedsheet, and sits atop their future burial plot. Arguably the “world’s first marriage equality monument,” it is both intimate and epic. More recent works — like “Shrine for Girls,” which commemorates three groups of young martyrs, and “Aphrodite Reimagined,” inspired by a fragmentary first-century broken torso of the goddess — provide vital commentary on how we understand the narratives around women’s histories and bodies.

— Brian Braiker

Why we’re fascinated: Because Cupo can get away with being both a fierce cultural critic and head designer of the fashion brand Hood By Air, which he cofounded. Cupo, whose custom looks include designs for Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and RuPaul, got us through lockdown with daily episodes of “NOT REALLY,” his (now-defunct) podcast with friend Patrik Sandberg. He told The Cut, “We always do a wig” at HBA runway shows, underlining his Warhol-meets-downtown unorthodox aesthetic.

— Joshua Encinias

Why we’re fascinated: Because emigrating from Iran during wartime means holding family recipes near and dear. Dashtaki’s rich, creamy yogurt would make her Zoroastrian ancestors proud. Named after her dad’s huge white ’stache, Dashtaki’s wares have recently landed on Whole Foods shelves. Make sure to look for her ever-expanding line of bottled yogurt whey drinks under the same moniker.

— Nick Youssef

Why we’re fascinated: Because this born-and-raised Bay Ridger is a gracious host who knows how to throw a party —his restaurant in Brooklyn Heights, Al Badawi, is one of the borough’s best big-group hangs — but also isn’t afraid of pissing people off, if need be, by being loud and proud about his heritage as a Palestinian American. “After opening Ayat I realized a lot of people didn’t really know what Palestine was,” Elenani tells Brooklyn Magazine. “Was it a country? Was it a country at war with other people? So I want to make it obvious and clear to people that Palestine does exist, Palestine does have a culture, Palestine does have beautiful traditions and Palestine does have very good food.”

— Scott Lynch

Why we’re fascinated: Because the fashion photographer and fine artist sees the miraculous in the mundane, capturing it all with vivid playfulness, as evidenced at her first-ever New York gallery exhibition last June at hotshot dealer Hannah Traore’s Lower East Side gallery. Falquez’s Colombian parents moved her family from Mexico City to Barcelona while Falquez was a kid and whisked her away on road trips and museum visits across Europe. Moving to New York as an adult inspired Falquez to celebrate the hidden gods and goddesses among us by portraying her subjects — usually LGBTQ+ folks and people of color — in portraits evocative of shrines and idols. Falquez outfits her Bushwick studio with hand-painted backgrounds, fresh flowers and thrifted props before each shoot. Keep your eyes on the latest international issues of Vogue for this glossy mag regular until Falquez announces her next show.

 —Vittoria Benzine

Why we’re fascinated: Because for over a decade, he has helped turn the harsh industrial facades of Bushwick into a sea of vibrant mural art. The Bushwick Collective, which he founded in the wake of personal tragedy, attracts artists from around the world who leave acclaimed creations on business shutters and old brick walls. It’s one of the few remaining programs of its kind in the entire city.

 — Gabe Friedman

Why we’re fascinated: Because death becomes her. Gatto, the coordinator of public programs for the Green-Wood Cemetery, is a death educator at the cemetery and a death doula. She is constantly thinking about the one thing we all fear the most. And she makes it … kind of fun? Check out one of the salon-style “death cafes” she hosts regularly at the cemetery. Death education, per Gatto, is an umbrella term for studies and activities that explore the historical, cultural and emotional aspects about understanding and accepting death. “Which I think is pretty cool because for me, it’s getting comfortable with the uncomfortable truth,” she told us earlier this year. “We’re all going to die.”

— Brian Braiker

Why we’re fascinated: Because nestled into the chaos that is Bed-Stuy’s Fulton Street is the chill brick-and-mortar Savant Studios. Filled with great vibes and people, both the brand and the store embody Brooklyn’s Black culture with its garments. Whether it’s a leather vest, a baseball cap or a splatter-painted shirt, each piece taps into a certain nostalgia for the Brooklyn of the ’80s and ’90s. Graham recently had the opportunity to shine a light on his craftsmanship at the MADE x Paypal fashion runway show and introduced a collaboration with Todd Snyder this past March.

— Marisa Kalil-Barrino

Why we’re fascinated: Because Hamamoto shares his zest for life with others through his collective, WORTHLESSSTUDIOS, which provides space, materials and support to emerging artists in Bushwick, imparting tools to flourish regardless of the artists’ backgrounds. Giving back to the local community is a core tenet of Hamamoto’s mission. He is currently spearheading two ongoing programs, the “Free Film Project” and the “Plywood Protection Project,” which collect 35 millimeter film and wood, respectively, for artists to use. Bonus: The collective also knows how to throw a great party.

— Kayla Curtis-Evans

Why we’re fascinated: Because within the art of art curation, Daniela Holban is a builder of bridges. Her practice has taken her from Bucharest to Brooklyn via a long-term tenure at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the Met could be seen as a professional pinnacle, Daniela brought her radical, community-conscious version of event art to Brooklyn, where she programs and curates multidisciplinary art happenings at NOoSPHERE Arts in East Williamsburg, connecting the work of artists from around the world to a New York audience, in conjunction with Artfare, the digital platform she founded to introduce these artists to collectors and art fans worldwide.

— Paula Henderson

Why we’re fascinated: Because as one of first openly gay Black women on the City Council — and one of 20 members of its progressive caucus — Hudson is unapologetic in her quest “to actually serve the people with the greatest needs,” she told us earlier in the year. Having cared for her mother who had Alzheimer’s at the end of her life, Hudson ran for office in 2021 on a platform that tackled issues around affordable housing, education, criminal justice reform, and especially elder care. She’s held the mayor’s feet to the fire on proposed budget cuts and, as of this writing, five of the 10 bills she proposed in her Age In Place NYC package passed before she reached her 18 month mark.

—Brian Braiker

Why we’re fascinated: Because perseverance and uplift is what paves the way for immigrant communities to succeed. After starting Imani House in Liberia 30 years ago during the war, Ideraabdullah and her husband opened a second location in her native Brooklyn. Through offerings like her ESL classes to writing workshops for women of color, Imani House is strengthening the foundations of the immigrant class through literacy skills, allowing countless people to unlock their full potential.

 — Nick Youssef

Why we’re fascinated: Because this ever-morphing Brownsville-based squad has been bringing ropes and beats in classic Brooklyn style since the 1980s — all in the name of uplifting and celebrating their oft-overlooked neighborhood. Double Dutch fans can find former coach of the Jazzy Jumpers Sandy Baker-Fortune (pirctured here) commemorated on a 10-story mural honoring 16 Brownsville legends. But the squad’s saga is still jumping along strong under the leadership of their latest coach, Toni Veal. Brownsville kids and beyond are invited to get involved however suits them, and professional bookings are open just about year-round. This past year alone the Jazzy Jumpers have shared their stuff for Michael Strahan on “Good Morning America,” performed alongside Little Amal at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and graced the Etsy corporate offices with their good vibes.

— Vittoria Benzine

Why we’re fascinated: Because no one has ever looked better in high heels and a blue sequined leopard-print suit lip-syncing Beyoncé or Gaga — even Linkin Park — from a revolving swing 20 feet above a stage slick with crisp bills. J uses performance to champion community, organizing Stand Up NYC, an ongoing drag-fueled benefit that raises thousands of dollars to support trans folk while fighting anti-trans and drag legislation. J says she doesn’t care what you call her, just as long as you call her, but with residencies across New York and her own show, “Sylvester,” now at Bushwick’s Purgatory bar, Julie J might be too busy to answer.

— Colin Kirkland

Why we’re fascinated: Because BRIC Arts Media is so much more than the organization behind the Celebrate Brooklyn! concert series. It’s an arts and media institution anchored in Downtown Brooklyn whose work spans contemporary visual and performing arts, media and civic action. It’s a public media center, a contemporary art exhibition space, multiple performance spaces, a TV studio, artist work spaces and classrooms. Heading it all up is Wes Jackson, who took over as BRIC’s president last year following a career that is just as multifaceted as the organization he’s running. An avid lacrosse player and coach, Jackson founded the hugely influential Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, of which he was the executive director from 2005 to 2020. “We are wizards,” he told Brooklyn Magazine late last year. “We are alchemists.”

— Brian Braiker

Why we’re fascinated: Because Jilani has been out here supporting Brooklyn creatives for over 15 years. Producing Afropunk via his Coup d’état Art Collective, curating global grant partners for the Lambent Foundation, and assembling diverse artist networks for the New Museum’s art/tech-incubator NEW, Inc, the man knows what’s good: Artists and local communities depend on each other. As the Brooklyn Arts Council’s new executive director, Jilani continues to advocate for the locals who make Brooklyn an epicenter of global culture.

— Colin Kirkland

Why we’re fascinated: Because this friendly Windsor Terrace counter service spot has one of the most interesting menus in Brooklyn — half is Syrian food, half is Korean, reflecting Khoury’s and Kim’s respective heritages. And everything is really good. Plus it’s one of those invaluable family businesses that keep Brooklyn’s neighborhoods vibrant and alive. In fact, Khoury and Kim are brothers-in-law, and, until May, Kim’s parents ran a handy bodega a block from SYKO (where his mom, Sandra, sold homemade dumplings and other delicacies). These people have a big emotional stake in the community, and in its future, and it shows.

— Scott Lynch

Why we’re fascinated: Because Kondabolu is an astute observer on racial politics, a writer and filmmaker, and a very funny stand-up. You may know him from his appearances on Conan or Letterman or Kimmel, his stints on “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me” or his Chris Rock-produced FX show “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.” Maybe you saw his documentary “The Problem with Apu” about the two-dimensional minstrelsy of the “Simpsons” character, or his Netflix special “Warn Your Relatives.” His latest special, “Vacation Baby,” came out in April and includes some of his more personal work to date. In it, he discusses the surreal nature of having a baby in the middle of a global pandemic and raising a kid as a first-generation American child of immigrant parents himself. Filmed days after Roe v. Wade was overturned, though, he pulls no punches in terms of his biting political humor, whether about anti-Asian crimes or “white replacement theory.” Also he hates San Diego, which is a plus.

— Brian Braiker

Why we’re fascinated: Because with A-list celebrities favoring his iconic bags and clothes, the Brooklyn-native Dominican designer makes it look easy. But Lopez overcame many obstacles before making Luar a buzzy brand. In 2019, he lacked the funds to produce his own runway shows. During the pandemic, Lopez and his cousin fed and raised money for underserved people in his community. By the time 2022 came around, Lopez’s bags had gone viral multiple times and sold out quickly — leading to new and improved teamwork and runway shows for New York Fashion Week. Last year, Luar won the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s award for accessory designer of the year.

— Marisa Kalil-Barrino

Why we’re fascinated: Because Lopez’s fantastic new memoir hits as hard as his crosscourt backhand. With a dazzling pink cover, “Dispatches From Puerto Nowhere” highlights Brooklyn’s surprisingly diverse tennis community while investigating the absurdity of American assimilation — a process millions of New Yorkers know well. As a long-time professor and prolific author of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, Lopez implements fragmentation, frantic characters and a deliciously dark sense of humor to keep readers alert and wanting more. Lopez’s home courts are in Fort Greene; head there if you think you’ve got game.

— Colin Kirkland

Why we’re fascinated: Because she’s one of the leading progressive feminist voices writing historical romance today. MacLean is a New York Times bestselling author and Washington Post and Bustle contributor whose work takes on the topics of classism, sexism, racism, police corruption and the normalization of sexual desire. Her novels, the next of which is the third in the “Hell’s Belles” series and is due out in August, are set in the late Georgian and early Victorian eras and star badass females who strive toward equity — and have a talent for explosive sex and … actual explosives. MacLean also cohosts a top romance podcast, the whip-smart “Fated Mates,” which examines a once-non- serious-seeming literary genre through the eyes of a 21st-century feminist lens.

— Erin Felgar

Why we’re fascinated: Because this mistress gets paid to humiliate men. With a master’s in fashion marketing, she’s found a more lucrative career draining the wallets of finsubs (financial submissives) who can’t resist her insults and enjoy paying for her champagne dinners, Fendi purses, vacations and more. But don’t get the wrong idea: There’s no hanky-panky involved. Her financial domination is as nonsexual as it is transexual. While insulting men is highly enjoyable, Marley gets even more of a kick out of putting them in a collar and walking them around the streets. Let’s be real, who wouldn’t want to be the one holding the leash?

— Jessica Robinson

Why we’re fascinated: Because there’s a lot going on in Prospect Park these days, and Monaco is the new(ish) park boss overseeing it all. The Vale of Cashmere is undergoing a massive, multimillion-dollar redesign process. The two-mile section of the park’s loop known as East Drive is getting fresh asphalt and is in the middle of a trial redesign meant to make life easier — and safer — for both cyclists and pedestrians. The historic Lefferts House has gotten a makeover that pays proper homage to the native Lenape people who lived on the land before it was colonized and the enslaved Africans who worked there after it was colonized. “There are a number of really critical existential questions we have to ask ourselves,” says Monaco. We are looking forward to the answers.

— Brian Braiker

Why we’re fascinated: Because game recognizes game, especially on an anniversary! This year, local media maven C. Zawadi Morris, a Chicago native and longtime Brooklyn resident, is celebrating 10 years of BK Reader — a news source that covers everything from immersive art in Bushwick to the hunger strike of Brooklyn Assembly member Latrice Walker, specifically across nine North and Central Brooklyn neighborhoods. Morris has been recognized by the Pulitzer Center and Tory Burch Fellow program and has served on the board for the Brooklyn Community Foundation’s Spark Prize, which honors impactful local nonprofits. Somehow, this “Life Path 33” adherent also still manages to maintain her passions for sewing, cooking, foreign languages and more.

 — Vittoria Benzine

Why we’re fascinated: Because Williamsburg-based Nava, who has an MFA from Yale, is classically trained — yet chooses to thwart traditional ideas of beauty altogether. Represented by sleek-yet-edgy Chelsea gallery Pace, Nava’s work pushes back at pretension and embraces fairy tales while evading narrative. Depicting sometimes-fuzzy, tangled battles between dragons, blushing unicorns and righteous seraphim in a style evocative, at times, of an elementary school class, Nava’s work is no doubt divisive. Whatever your reaction, what matters most is that
you have one at all. Something about these whimsical artworks summons unexpected emotions. Nava said in a recent interview that one friend was staring at one of his scenes of an alligator getting slain. The work, said the friend, calmed him down.

— Vittoria Benzine

Why we’re fascinated: Because the impact the Brooklyn Community Foundation has had in the borough is immeasurable. Well, almost immeasurable: Since its founding in 2009, the foundation has helped provide more than $90 million in grants to exclusively Brooklyn nonprofits. Which is important because Brooklyn is home to nearly 30 percent of the nonprofits in New York City, but its share of philanthropic giving is only 7.6 percent. Jocelynne Rainey, the president and CEO of the foundation since November 2021, is working to change that. “It’s Brooklyn and, unapologetically, it’s around racial justice,” she told us on “Brooklyn Magazine: The Podcast” earlier this year.

 — Brian Braiker

Why we’re fascinated: Because he lives and breathes the 33rd! Born in Brooklyn and currently residing in Greenpoint, Restler has introduced numerous bills that strengthen the backbones of working and immigrant families (you know, otherwise known as Brooklyn). His biggest accomplishment to date is IDNYC, putting identification cards in the hands of undocumented residents and giving them access to school libraries and a real chance at a complete life.

 — Nick Youssef

Why we’re fascinated: Because Riley filled the Brooklyn Museum with trash. Scouring New York’s polluted shores for lipstick tubes, tampon applicators and vape pens, Riley crafts repurposed fishing lures, intricate mosaics and politically charged scrimshaw depictions, making him among Big Plastic’s most vocal crusaders. His modern-maritime work has recently infiltrated Boston’s central library and can be acquired via permanent ink at the self-proclaimed garbage man, artist and thief ’s tattoo parlor in Greenpoint. In the name of Riley’s current exhibit? “DEATH TO THE LIVING, Long Live Trash!”

 — Colin Kirkland

Why we’re fascinated: Because this New Mexico native has been making us killer pastries and breakfast burritos in Brooklyn since his Awkward Scone (RIP) days on the border of Bed-Stuy and Bushwick, and at his follow-up spots in Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy, the awesome Ursula and the new, much larger Ursula 2.0. See is building a business centered on equitable pay among front- and back-of-the-house employees, with profit sharing, as well as a fiercely advocating for LGBTQ+ people, uplifting queer voices and creating community. His food totally rules, too. Witness the James Beard Award Best New Restaurant nomination in 2022. And also every time we’ve ever eaten there.

 — Scott Lynch

Why we’re fascinated: Sherman also goes by Sarah Squirm because she can make you smile and want to puke at the same time. In two short seasons, Fort Greene’s resident gross-out surrealist became SNL’s secret weapon. Sherman blends into normie sketches as needed, and during the show’s second half, you’re just as likely to see her play a bleeding meatball with Oscar Isaac on live TV.

— Joshua Encinias

Why we’re fascinated: Because he has given us BagelFest, purportedly the first festival of its kind dedicated to one of the most Brooklyn of foods. The festival is a smorgasbord of local and regional offerings that celebrates how creative bagel bakers have become in recent years. He also gives tours as a self-described “bagel ambassador.” Have no fear, the schmear is here.

 — Gabe Friedman

Why we’re fascinated: Because Stoddard has made a career doing all of the art: acrylic murals, digital photo collages, black-and-white comics, ceramic sculptures, installations, magical films, books, and plays that she writes, directs and stars in. She kicked off 2023 with a performance at Brooklyn’s Irondale Center, premiered her play “Quail Tales” at the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village, and in late December of 2022 released an experimental film about mental health and mermaids called “Her Garden.” These creations are backed by Stoddard’s own press and production company, Quail Bell. Season two of her podcast, “Badass Lady-Folk,” is currently underway.

— Colin Kirkland

Why we’re fascinated: Because Thompson is unapologetically himself in every precious piece of clothing he crafts. The 2021 Council of Fashion Designers of America emerging designer of the year, Thompson creates apparel that embodies his Jamaican pride and culture and the experiences that come with his Jamaica-to-New York love story. Every time you see a Theophilio design on the runway — or, say, on Keke Palmer on the cover of Vogue UK — you can’t help but to feel a part of that journey yourself.

— Marisa Kalil-Barrino