Rachel Scott runs her Diotima label from a modest studio in New York’s Chinatown. Next door, a small shop sells jade, pendants and hand-carved amulets meant to ward off illness and misfortune. Upstairs, as Scott prepares for her first-ever runway show – after four years of atmospheric presentations that established her distinctive universe – similar ideas of protection, intention and meaning linger in the air. Those quiet beginnings have already brought her international acclaim and two CFDA awards: Emerging Designer in 2023 and last year, the prestigious Womenswear Designer of the Year award. That honour is typically reserved for designers who have already made their mark on the runway, names like Marc Jacobs, a record 15-time CFDA winner or Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez.
Incidentally, Proenza Schouler is now part of Scott’s narrative as well. Earlier, she was named the brand’s new creative director. She contributed to the label’s presentation earlier this week, though her true imprint will appear next season, a shift that may mark a pivotal new chapter in her career. This appointment also reflects a broader evolution in her own design sensibility, as seen in the way she approaches craft and concept.
Scott founded Diotima in 2021 using her personal savings, which meant every garment had to serve a purpose. „Everything had to sell,” she says plainly. „I couldn’t make something that wouldn’t.” Today, she feels less constrained by that pressure. The collection has grown and for her first runway outing, she’s embraced the freedom to create pieces that stretch technique, form and inspiration – even if they’re not the easiest to envision on a department-store rack. But when it comes to world-building, they thrive.
Source: Diotima PR
