Born in Kazakhstan, Meruert Planul moved to the United States as a child and trained in biosciences before pivoting her career toward design. In 2022, she founded her eponymous brand, MERUERT TOLEGEN, presenting its debut collection in New York. A semifinalist for the LVMH Prize and a finalist for the CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund in 2025, she opened her first boutique in SoHo that same year.

Nurtured by childhood memories of Almaty, Meruert builds a creative language rooted in construction and craftsmanship. This is expressed through sculpted silhouettes, meticulously crafted corsetry, and materials selected for their rigidity and hold. The designer’s sensibility, forged between two cultures, shines through an aesthetic that seamlessly articulates structural rigor and delicate gestures.