A New Era of Fashion in New York
New York Fashion Week has once again proven to be a vibrant stage for creativity, innovation, and cultural expression. This season, the event unfolded across unconventional venues, from the golden-hour lit warehouses of Manhattan to an Episcopal church, showcasing a blend of high fashion and everyday life.
The week was marked by the return of influential designers, many of whom chose to present outside the traditional calendar or not at all. However, the city still managed to attract big names, with stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Leslie Bibb attending Michael Kors’ show, while Rosalía, Lily Collins, and Jung Kook made appearances at Veronica Leoni’s Calvin Klein collection.
One of the most anticipated events was Alexander Wang’s show, where he announced plans to transform a former bank into a permanent cultural space dedicated to Asian arts. The show featured Cardi B and her daughter, as well as Martha Stewart and stylist Law Roach. The VIP guests were seated at mahjong tables, creating an immersive experience that blurred the lines between audience and runway.
Community and Collaboration
Several designers focused on community and collaboration, emphasizing the importance of shared experiences. Off-White, designed by Ib Kamara, presented a maximalist 1970s-inspired collection on the rooftop basketball court of a Manhattan high school. Street artists transformed the environment with visual homages to the city’s five boroughs, creating a unique backdrop for the show.
Coach ambassadors Elle Fanning, Charles Melton, Storm Reid, and Soyeon attended the American heritage brand’s show. Later, Jessica Alba, Emma Roberts, Naomi Watts, Tessa Thompson, and Mindy Kaling traveled to downtown Brooklyn for Tory Burch. Vivian Wilson, the estranged daughter of Elon Musk, also made appearances, modeling for Prabal Gurung.
Duality and Contrast
Many designers explored the theme of duality, reflecting the essence of New York itself. Nicholas Aburn, the creative director of Area, brought theatrical party looks and wearable streetwear with unexpected twists. His collection featured sports jerseys spliced together and sleeves twisted into mini skirts, culminating in colorful tinsel and bouncing gift ribbon that enveloped the models.
Aburn spoke about the balance of high and low, chic and crazy, cheap and rich, which he believes defines New York. “There is this duality: high and low, chic and crazy, cheap and rich,” he said backstage.
Optimism and Creativity
Tory Burch, like other designers during the week, emphasized the importance of designing with a sense of optimism through color and texture. Her collection explored the complexity of women, highlighting the tension between precision and imperfection, femininity and strength. One standout piece was a slingback heel adorned with dainty barbed wire instead of metal links.
At Collina Strada, founder Hillary Taymour presented a playful yet politically salient concept. Models walked in pairs, with one outfit entirely in black, creating the illusion of a shadow. Taymour explained that the shadows represented “humanity’s darkest impulses,” which “no longer lurk in abstraction; they are taking concrete form.”
Building on Tradition
Amid a tumultuous fashion landscape, some designers leaned into the familiar, presenting collections that felt like smart extensions of past seasons. Zoe Latta, co-founder of Eckhaus Latta, stated, “We don’t want to reinvent the wheel every season. I don’t think that’s how we dress.”
Khaite, a label that has steadily grown into one of the week’s headlining acts, focused on established symbols of power dressing: bold shoulders, clean lines, exaggerated shapes, and a balance between hard and soft materials. Kendall Jenner made her runway debut in a polka-dotted skirt, a favorite print of the season.
Intimate Shows and Traditional Formats
Willy Chavarria returned to New York with a small, intimate show on Wall Street, featuring womenswear looks from his latest collection first shown in Paris. The format harkened back to traditional salon shows, with models in vibrantly hued Zoot suits, trench dresses, and wide-brimmed hats holding numbered cards to identify the outfits they were wearing for purchase.
A Celebration of Diversity
The week concluded with a celebration of diversity and creativity, as designers drew inspiration from various sources. Jason Wu partnered with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation for the artist’s centennial, taking inspiration from two series of collages for the Spring-Summer 2026 collection.
Luar’s runway brought the feathers and glitter of Carnival from the Dominican Republic to downtown Manhattan, with the collection confronting the brutal legacy of slavery while celebrating radical forms of creativity and resistance.
Conclusion
New York Fashion Week continues to be a dynamic platform for emerging talent and established designers alike. This season, it showcased a blend of tradition and innovation, community and individuality, and a deep connection to the city’s diverse culture. As the fashion world moves forward, the lessons learned from this season will undoubtedly shape the future of design and expression.
