After graduating from the Royal College of Art in 1994, Beryl Man got her start in fashion when Donna Karan handpicked her to work at the label. The Hong Kong native refined her craft under Karan’s helm and later worked for Hussein Chalayan at Tse Cashmere and Calvin Klein, before returning to lead Karan’s knitwear department. But the ambitious designer has since made her own way with Ajna, a label heavily rooted in an environmentally friendly chic aesthetic.

Founded in 2007 as a socially conscious fashion line, Man combines ethical ambition with her intuitive sense of global style. Inspired by the patterns found within nature’s purest form, Man seeks to create clothes that will have a lasting presence while simultaneously upholding the appreciation and respect embedded within ancient art and craft practices worldwide. Ajna acts as a “socially responsible, effortless, honest, pure and chic collection echoed with organic and sustainable materials.”

Blending organically shaped construction with a modern-day silhouette, Ajna’s collections are crafted from eco-friendly fabrics (both biodegradable and recyclable) and while doing so, stays true to her mission of preserving and artistically developing worldwide textiles. With an international retail base ranging from Hong Kong to New York, it is Ajna’s mission to create sensual garments that will “endure, evolve and be treasured over time.”

—Yale Breslin