The Freshmen: 7 Fashion Week Virgins to Watch

To quote the greatest movie ever (that would be Center Stage), "Whoa! Where'd she come from?" If you want to get technical, Valentina Kova came from Russia, studied at Parsons, then moved to Paris to begin her design career. Though her fine jewelry collection has been around for several seasons, her sleek ready-to-wear clothes are what really gained flashbulbs this year, as everyone from Lorde and Alicia Keys to Julianne Moore and Miranda Lambert stepped out in her color-swathed designs. Buzz Factor: Kova's first NYFW presentation will feature a drop-dead view on the Mondrian Soho roof, plus a concert with indie music darlings HAERTS. Despite being a new name on the Fashion Calendar, the label has already closed their guest list due to an unusual flood of requests.

For most modern women, the word "milliner" might be more familiar from a spelling bee than a fashion magazine. (Milliner, noun, a designer of hats.) But blonde bombshell Gigi Burris could change that, thanks to her consistent collections of wearable, luxe headgear sported by Rihanna, Rita Ora, and Leandra Medine. A native of Florida, Burris uses sustainably-sourced animal skins for her leather. How cool is that? Buzz Factor: Burris' cult following of fashion folk is paying off—she was recently tapped for a CFDA Fashion Fund Award, which puts her in a league with past nominees like Proenza Schouler.

Louis Vuitton and Prada began their labels with accessories only. Zana Bayne's gone the same way, crafting leather harnesses, corsets, and belts for Beyoncé, Prabal Gurung, Victoria's Secret, and Cara Delevingne. (Remember when Lady Gaga surprised Jimmy Fallon in a mesh-and-leather bodysuit? That was Zana Bayne, too.) They'll make their MADE Fashion Week debut at Milk Studios on Thursday, with a range called "Moonbathers" that's inspired by lunar beauty. Buzz Factor: Besides the celeb fans, they've also been "borrowed" by major fashion stylists for their own personal party ensembles, and whispered comparisons to Alaïa's laser-cut belts are starting to happen. Status accessory alert? Very possible.

Born August Williams, Mr. Getty is a bit of a wild card—he's very young (20!), very handsome, and very funny (his Instagram bio reads, "Personally victimized by Regina George.") He's also self-taught, which can either be a bonus (Rodarte and Zac Posen come to mind) or… not. What's piqued our interest, clothes-wise, is this photo shoot by L.A. artist Tyler Shields. It shows Getty's strong flair for construction, and stars his (equally gorgeous) sister Natalia—plus a diamond-collared penguin. We can only hope both appear on his first-ever runway at Lincoln Center. Buzz Factor: Getty taught himself to build dresses by using his mother's Paris couture collection as a guide—yes, he's that kind of Getty, and a member of the famous L.A. dynasty.

Fashion PR 101: If you have a new clothing line, try very hard to get Alexa Chung to wear it. Oh, you've already done that? She posted a photo of herself wearing your coat on Instagram? Then you must be Serafina Sama, the designer of British label Isa Arfen, who arrives stateside for her very first New York showing this season. Keep your eyes peeled for street style bait like blogger Hanneli Mustaparta wearing her sexy gray jumpsuits and oversize aqua cardigans all over your Tumblr feed. Buzz Factor: Net-a-Porter picked up her line for the first time this season, where she'll be sold alongside her former employers, Lanvin and Marc Jacobs.

Have you always wanted a giant pink coat with sheepskin sleeves? Of course you have. And NYFW newbie Sandy Liang is going to give it to you when she arrives for her first-ever presentation on Wednesday. The downtown NYC native got rave reviews for her debut collection last season, which mixed organic materials like leather and shearling with gauzy chiffon and shiny black rayon. Buzz Factor: Like most New York babes, Liang knows how to play the game. Last season, she smartly seeded her most wow-worthy pieces to models and street style starlets for off-duty publicity. Now everyone eyeing Instagram fame wants to know how to get their hands on her clothes.

Attention, Upper East Siders: Blair Waldorf's wardrobe might be imaginary, but the lush floral silks and sharp tailored tweeds of Kempner's clothes are very real. The product of brother-sister duo Meggie and Chris Kempner, the two bring their prep school pedigrees to the table for a one-two punch of refined style and fiscal savvy: She was a stylist for Ralph Lauren, he's training at Harvard Business School. Steal your mom's old Chanel bag and don't forget to call your BFF Serena on your way to the brand's first NYFW show. Buzz Factor: Their clothes may be multi-colored, but Meggie and Chris' bloodline runs blue: Their grandmother, the late Nan Kempner, was the social maven of New York City in her time, and she had the Warhol portrait and Capote correspondence to prove it.