We're used to fashion coming from Paris, London, Milan or New York but what about Latvia, Estonia and Croatia? Recently, a generation of increasingly powerful eastern European designers has emerged.

Consider Roksanda Ilincic, born in Serbia and now based in London, who revealed a capsule collection for Whistles in July. Ilincic, beloved of Vogue thanks to her demi-couture evening dresses and a clientele list that includes Cate Blanchett and singer-songwriter Róisín Murphy, has had her own-name collection since 2003.

Then there's Estonian designer Reet Aus, who had a show at Estethica, a showcase for eco-sustainable designers at London Fashion Week in February. In April, Latvian duo Marite Mastina and Rolands Peterkops, otherwise known as Mareunrol's, won both the L'Oréal Grand Prize and the 1,2,3 Prize at the Hyères new design festival in southern France, the first time in the event's history that one entry won both awards.