From modernity and minimalism to sustainability and sportswear, the Autumn/Winter 2025 season delivered striking moments and thought-provoking conversations. New York Fashion Week was always set to be a unique affair this year. A looming snowstorm, political uncertainty in the U.S., and the absence of industry heavyweights such as Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Proenza Schouler all contributed to an atmosphere of unpredictability. Additionally, with four major fashion houses currently without creative directors, industry-wide turbulence was palpable. The conversation even reached the point where Business of Fashion questioned whether February should remain part of New York Fashion Week at all.
Yet, despite the challenges, the week offered undeniable creative energy. While homegrown powerhouses like Calvin Klein, Coach, Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, and Tory Burch presented their polished aesthetics, a wave of independent designers brought fresh vitality. Khaite, Luar, Christopher John Rogers, Diotima, and Thom Browne showcased inventive collections, while Marc Jacobs, ever the visionary, opened the week with his off-schedule Spring/Summer 2025 show—a masterclass in fantasy and escapism.
The five most compelling takeaways from NYFW AW25:
1. Veronica Leoni’s Impactful Debut at Calvin Klein Quiet luxury may have reached its saturation point, but Veronica Leoni’s debut at Calvin Klein proved there is still room for refined minimalism. The 41-year-old Italian designer, who previously worked under Phoebe Philo and The Row, delivered a streamlined, modern wardrobe of sharp tailoring and draped jersey. With Calvin Klein himself watching from the front row alongside muses Kate Moss and Christy Turlington, the collection marked the brand’s first runway show since Raf Simons’ departure six years ago. While not as sensual as Klein’s signature style, Leoni’s vision was a sophisticated evolution, embracing simplicity with a contemporary edge.
2. Michael Kors’ Enduring Optimism Michael Kors remains unwavering in his optimistic outlook. With 44 years in the industry, he has witnessed the cyclical nature of fashion and remains steadfast in his belief that style should instill confidence. “When the world is this crazy, you need to feel confident and comfortable,” Kors remarked ahead of his show. His AW25 collection, while luxurious and high-end, stood in contrast to the season’s prevailing minimalism. Instead, Kors offered rich textures and elegant silhouettes for a woman who values classic glamour. Notably, he acknowledged that Melania Trump has been a longtime customer, emphasizing that she purchases his designs rather than receiving them as gifts.
3. Leather Reigns Supreme If one material dominated the AW25 season, it was leather. Catherine Holstein of Khaite elevated her signature outerwear by pairing cashmere T-shirts with elbow-length calfskin opera gloves—an effortless styling trick. Coach introduced shrunken, distressed leather jackets reminiscent of well-worn vintage finds, paired with oversized, skater-inspired trousers. Tory Burch echoed this silhouette with boxy, patchworked leather jackets and plush velvet trousers. Meanwhile, Brandon Maxwell presented fluid leather skirts, and Michael Kors’ belted leather trench confirmed the fabric’s enduring appeal.
4. Stuart Vevers Champions Sustainability at Coach As one of Britain’s most commercially successful designers, Stuart Vevers has shaped Coach into an accessible yet innovative brand since 2013. Backstage, holding one of his four-year-old twins, he reflected on the importance of self-expression and sustainability, particularly for younger consumers. Coach’s Coachtopia initiative, launched in 2023, underscored the brand’s commitment to circular fashion. This season, pre-worn and reworked leather pieces took center stage, their aged patina adding depth to the collection’s storytelling. Even the opulent flapper dresses, layered over baggy trousers in true 90s style, were authentic vintage pieces.
5. Tory Burch Redefines Modern American Fashion Practicality and functionality have long been pillars of American fashion, and Tory Burch continues to refine this ethos. Set against the sleek backdrop of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), her AW25 collection celebrated contemporary dressing with an effortless allure. While many designers leaned into sportswear influences, Burch’s designs maintained a polished yet wearable appeal. The collection, characterized by intelligent layering and sophisticated silhouettes, was not about minimalism but rather a fresh and modern take on everyday elegance.
Despite external challenges, New York Fashion Week AW25 reinforced its relevance by showcasing a dynamic mix of heritage brands and emerging talents. Whether through Veronica Leoni’s poised debut, Michael Kors’ unwavering optimism, the dominance of leather, Stuart Vevers’ commitment to sustainability, or Tory Burch’s redefinition of modern dressing, this season delivered moments of creativity and vision. Far from being redundant, NYFW remains an essential platform for shaping the future of global fashion.
Every season, New York Fashion Week delivers the brilliance of industry veterans Michael Kors, Tory Burch, and Thom Browne, among others. Their craftsmanship and consistency remain the bedrock of the event. Yet, beyond the household names, a new wave of designers is steadily reshaping the landscape of American fashion. The magic of NYFW often lies in its emerging talents those who push boundaries and redefine aesthetics, setting the stage for the industry’s future.
This season, beginning February 6, four promising labels will make their debut on the official CFDA calendar, marking a significant milestone in their journeys. Some, like Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen, have already made waves among fashion insiders and celebrities, while others, such as LeBlancStudios, are fresh exports bringing a new cultural narrative to the global stage. From sculptural art-infused pieces to experimental knitwear and bold streetwear, these designers bring a compelling vision to Fall/Winter 2025. Before the frenzy of fashion week begins, get acquainted with the names poised to dominate conversations and social media feeds in the coming months.
Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen: Where Art and Fashion Collide
Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen resists conventional labels. “I joke that I’m a fashion designer whose medium is art,” she explains. Whalen, 30, has gained recognition as a designer with an artistic approach reminiscent of Susan Cianciolo and Eckhaus Latta, the latter of which she worked with before earning her MFA. She operates at the intersection of art and fashion, crafting ethereal yet thought-provoking pieces from deadstock materials.
Growing up in a literary household in suburban Boston, Whalen was an avid consumer of fashion magazines and a self-taught seamstress. However, upon arriving at the Fashion Institute of Technology at 18, she realized that her vision for fashion extended beyond traditional industry structures. Whalen critiques the mass-market approach to clothing, advocating for garments that hold deeper emotional and artistic value. “The current model of wholesale and retail devalues the individual labor and work that goes into each garment,” she says. Her brand is an effort to challenge that cycle, placing the creative process at the forefront.
A firm believer in sustainability, Whalen operates a small-scale, DIY atelier, partnering only with retailers that align with her ethos. As her reputation grows, she faces the challenge of balancing expansion with her values. “I’m still figuring out how I can fit into this space without compromising my ideals,” she admits.
Her debut runway show on February 10 will reflect her brand’s philosophy melding pre-industrial-era silhouettes with modern sustainability. This season, Whalen introduces heavier textiles and earthier hues, dyeing fabrics with tea and iron to achieve moody grays and rich browns. While she remains coy about the format of the presentation, she hints at an immersive experience involving 15 to 20 models. “I want to leave room for mystery,” she teases, ensuring her debut will be as unconventional as her approach to fashion itself.
LeBlancStudios: A New Vision for Latin American Fashion
Yamil Arbaje and Angelo Beato’s journey began long before LeBlancStudios made its way to the NYFW calendar. The duo, both from Santo Domingo, were connected in 2015 when Beato—then 19—invited a 14-year-old Arbaje to collaborate on a design contest. What started as a shared interest quickly turned into a creative partnership, leading them to explore factories, experiment with textiles, and eventually launch their label.
LeBlancStudios emerged from a desire to amplify Latin American youth culture on the global stage. With few Dominican designers achieving mainstream recognition—Oscar de la Renta being the most notable—the duo felt a responsibility to represent their heritage. Initially catering to a local audience, they later expanded internationally, with Arbaje relocating to New York while Beato remained in Santo Domingo. Their creative process, largely conducted via WhatsApp, reflects their deep trust and understanding. “We both know our strengths and respect each other,” says Arbaje.
For Fall/Winter 2025, LeBlancStudios presents “Other People’s Money,” an exploration of work, power, and identity in an evolving economy. The collection speculates on the future of workwear through bold prints, experimental dyeing techniques, and a conceptual approach to tailoring. “Most of our work is a thesis in that way,” Beato explains, emphasizing the intellectual underpinnings of their designs.
Their debut at NYFW marks a significant step not only for their brand but for Caribbean fashion representation on a global platform.
Gabe Gordon: Weaving Stories Through Fashion
For Gabe Gordon, fashion is more than an aesthetic pursuit it’s a form of storytelling. At 26, Gordon is making his NYFW debut with his eponymous label, blending handwoven and machine-knitted textiles with deeply personal narratives. “I always picture my collections as little worlds,” he says, explaining how each piece reflects an intricate storyline.
Gordon’s journey with knitting began as a coping mechanism following his father’s passing while he was studying at the Rhode Island School of Design. The therapeutic process evolved into a design signature, with hand-knitted textures forming the core of his brand. His work often juxtaposes fragility and resilience, capturing themes of grief, queerness, and American identity.
For Fall/Winter 2025, Gordon’s collection draws inspiration from the 1950s and 1980s, centered around an imagined dance team that kidnaps a wrestling squad and transforms them into fashion muses. The collection, blending sportswear and fetishism, features knitted wrestling singlets and a collaboration with designer Timothy Gibbons, known for his corseted sweatshirts. Gordon embraces the fantastical nature of his narratives, acknowledging that while they may be unconventional, they fuel his creative process. “I struggle with direct references sometimes,” he admits, preferring to let his imagination lead the way.
As he steps onto the NYFW stage, Gordon’s intricate storytelling and unique textile manipulations position him as a designer to watch, weaving his way into the industry’s future.
The Future of American Fashion Unfolds
New York Fashion Week has always been a platform for reinvention, and Fall/Winter 2025 is no exception. As these four debuting designers step into the spotlight, they bring with them a collective vision that challenges tradition, celebrates craftsmanship, and redefines what American fashion can be. From Whalen’s wearable art to LeBlancStudios’ Latin American narratives and Gordon’s deeply personal knits, the next generation of designers is here—and they’re ready to shape the future of fashion.
As New York Fashion Week unfolds, several designers are taking inspiration from nature in a way that goes beyond the usual floral prints or botanical motifs often seen in spring collections. Labels such as Collina Strada, Libertine, Christian Siriano, Rachel Antonoff, and Susan Alexandra are showcasing an amplified connection to nature, highlighting flora, fauna, and the joy of natural surroundings in innovative and thought-provoking ways.
Collina Strada’s Spring 2025 show, led by creative director Hillary Taymour, stands out for its explicit connection to the environment. Held outdoors at Marble Cemetery in the East Village, models walked through grass wearing prints inspired by nature, with some playful touches like a lawn mower and a model carrying a dog. Taymour’s show notes revealed the inspiration behind this naturalistic presentation: “In the intensity of this global election year, I found myself yearning to reconnect with the essentials—the simple, foundational elements that ground us and bring us comfort and joy… Ground yourself. Touch grass.”
The sentiment of finding joy in nature was echoed by other designers throughout the week. Rachel Antonoff and Susan Alexandra teamed up to celebrate the unconditional happiness that animals, particularly dogs, bring into our lives. Their collaborative show was themed around a playful “Best in Show” concept, reminding attendees of the happiness and comfort that pets provide, whether inside or outside.
Libertine’s Johnson Hartig took a more localized approach, using his Spring 2025 runway to champion the preservation of the beloved Elizabeth Street Garden in Soho, which is under threat of closure. In an ode to the garden, models walked through pebbles while carrying gardening tools, with guests receiving flowers and seed packets—a reminder of the significance of preserving green spaces in urban environments.
Christian Siriano, known for his whimsical and theatrical designs, brought a dreamy, fantastical interpretation of nature to the runway. Inspired by fairy tales and folklore, his Spring 2025 collection featured bold, romantic pieces surrounded by lush greenery. “This season felt like falling into an evening fantasy dream, centered around the idea of dark, romantic glamour,” Siriano explained in his show notes. His collection balanced elements of power and elegance with an enchanting escape into nature, drawing on stories like *Hansel and Gretel* and *Rapunzel*.
Collectively, these designers are offering more than just fashion—they’re providing a reminder to reconnect with the natural world. Whether it’s through a runway enveloped in greenery or a nod to the simple pleasures of a garden, they’re urging us to step away from screens and back into the elements that nourish our souls.
Content Courtesy of Fashionista & NFH Digital Team
New York Fashion Week (NYFW) 2024 is set to make a grand return this September, showcasing a wide range of innovative designs and runway shows. Designers are gearing up to present their spring/summer 2025 collections, sparking excitement across the fashion industry.
With over 60 runway shows planned, the event will feature some of the most esteemed names in fashion, including 3.1 Phillip Lim, Luar, and Willy Chavarria. Organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), NYFW 2024 is anticipated to be a standout event on the global fashion calendar, according to USA Today.
Kickoff and Designer Lineup While the official start date of NYFW is Friday, September 6, the excitement begins earlier with notable designers like Ralph Lauren and Proenza Schouler. The acclaimed design studio Area will kick off the event with their fall/winter 2024 collection. Throughout the week, both established and emerging designers will take the stage, culminating in a finale by Melitta Baumeister. Baumeister, a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner and Parsons School of Design graduate, is renowned for her avant-garde style and will close the six-day event.
Celebrity Guests NYFW is not just about fashion; it’s a cultural spectacle that attracts celebrities from various industries, including music, film, sports, and fashion. The February edition of NYFW saw appearances from stars like Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Sam Smith, Anna Wintour, Emily Ratajkowski, and Blake Lively. The upcoming September event is expected to draw an equally impressive guest list, adding to the glamour and excitement, as reported by USA Today.
NYFW 2024 Schedule NYFW 2024 will run from September 6 to September 11, with a full schedule of shows featuring both renowned fashion houses and rising stars. Key highlights include:
– Friday, September 6: Area, Brandon Maxwell, Badgley Mischka, Willy Chavarria – Saturday, September 7: Prabal Gurung, Sergio Hudson, Tommy Hilfiger, Kim Shui – Sunday, September 8: Ulla Johnson, Off-White, Jason Wu Collection, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Eckhaus Latta – Monday, September 9: Carolina Herrera, Naeem Khan, Coach, Theophilio, Tory Burch – Tuesday, September 10: COS, Michael Kors, Elena Velez, Cynthia Rowley – Wednesday, September 11: Jane Wade, Private Policy, Frederick Anderson, Melitta Baumeister
NYFW 2024 will kick off the global fashion month, followed by London, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks.
A New Venue with a View This year, NYFW moves from its previous location at Spring Studios to the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. The new venue, a professional and cultural hub, features an outdoor terrace overlooking the Hudson River, as well as a restaurant, food hall, and versatile event spaces. This change in location promises a fresh and vibrant atmosphere for both designers and attendees.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Where is NYFW 2024? NYFW 2024 has relocated to the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, offering a modern space with an outdoor terrace, restaurant, food hall, and event spaces.
– Is New York Fashion Week held twice a year? Yes, NYFW takes place twice annually, in February and September. The events showcase collections that are one season ahead, allowing the fashion industry to prepare for upcoming trends.
Summer is at its peak right now, which means it’s time to start thinking about the September shows. The spring 2025 New York Fashion Week schedule may be small, but it’s chock-full of surprises.
The week will officially kick off on Friday, September 6th at 1pm with Area, which is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary. It’ll be a big day for the city, with Collina Strada and Willy Chavarria also holding shows on opening day. They’ll be joined by Pieter Mulier, who opted out of Alaïa’s usual off-calendar slot adjacent to the Paris couture season in favor of an off-calendar show here in the Big Apple. The Belgian designer is no stranger to the city, having spent a few years here alongside Raf Simons during the Calvin Klein 205W39NYC era. Last month, he told Vogue:
“New York has a very special significance to me. It’s the city of resilience. And resilience is the feeding ground for creativity. My time in New York has not only shaped my artistic vision but has become an integral part of who I am. It’s where Alaïa’s story intersects with the heartbeat of the world. New York isn’t just a destination; it’s a homecoming, a celebration of the past, present, and future of Alaïa.”
Alaïa is not the only European brand jumping the Atlantic this season; Ib Kamara’s second outing as the official creative director for Off-White will take place on Sunday, September 8 at noon, while Ronald van der Kemp will be showing his fall 2024 couture collection on Wednesday, September 11 at 11am, and after a stop in Paris, Stockholm’s Elin Kling and Karl Lindman of Toteme will be holding their show on Tuesday, September 10 at 10am. Campillo, the Mexican brand helmed by Patricio Campillo, who was recently named an LVMH Prize finalist, will also be holding its first fashion show in the city on Saturday, September 7 at 9am. Who Decides War is back on the official schedule, showing on Saturday, September 7 at 1pm, as is Rio Sport, Rio Uribe’s newly-christened brand, which is showing on Wednesday, September 11 at 1pm.
The week will feature a large contingent of this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists—Kate Barton, Grace Ling, Jane Wade, and Wiederhoeft are back on the schedule, while 5000’s Taylor Thompson, Sebastien Ami, and Presley Oldham are making their debuts. Melitta Baumeister, the winner of last year’s CVFF, will be closing NYFW with her first-ever fashion show taking place on the 11th at 5pm.
A few big designers are missing from the schedule this season, including Altuzarra, Helmut Lang, Gabriela Hearst, Fforme, Proenza Schouler, and Ralph Lauren, but for the latter two it is simply because they are holding shows before the official week kicks off. Proenza Schouler will stage an intimate presentation on Wednesday, September 4, while Ralph Lauren will be taking guests to the Hamptons on Thursday, September 5.
We’ll be sure to keep you posted with any further changes taking place in the weeks ahead.
New York Fashion Week runs from Friday, September 6 to Wednesday, September 11.
Looking forward, Women’s Fashion Week A/W 2024 promises a month of creative director debuts, huge runway shows, and lots of new names to check out with visits in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. Suddenly, Women’s Fashion Week A/W 2024 appears on the horizon, promising a packed month-long schedule of catwalk shows, presentations, and events in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. Menswear Fashion Week and Haute Couture Week are also concluding for another season. This season is sure to be exciting, as numerous companies will be making their much-awaited debuts as creative directors.
Irish fashion designer Seán McGirr will debut his first runway collection at Alexander McQueen (the British company will remain based in Paris following Sarah Burton’s last presentation in the city in September).
Chemena Kamali will also be returning to her career-starting home at Chloé. She most recently served as the womenswear design director at Saint Laurent. Matteo Tamburini will take over at Tod’s in Milan, while Walter Chiapponi, his predecessor, will take up residence at Blumarine. Here is what to anticipate from Women’s Fashion Week A/W 2024, according to Wallpaper.
New York Fashion Week A/W 2024 (9 – 14 February 2024) What to expect from New York Fashion Week A/W 2024 (9–14 February 2024) and Women’s Fashion Week A/W 2024 Peter Do will kick off fashion month with his highly anticipated Helmut Lang sophomore collection. The designer started working for the company last year, and in his September runway show, he referenced American stereotypes and the house founder’s simple design principles. In addition, a partnership with American poet and writer Ocean Vuong was shown, with her writing appearing on clothing and the catwalk. As Do becomes used to the job during his second season, expect these codes to change.
3.1 Phillip Lim, Collina Strada, Tommy Hilfiger, and Willy Chavarria, one of New York’s most promising talents and a member of last year’s Wallpaper* USA 300, are among the other participants on day one (expect a high-octane occurrence at the final). Ludovic de Saint Sernin will be returning from Paris this season, while the remainder of the week will include designs from New York Fashion Week mainstays Proenza Schouler, Eckhaus Latta, Area, Tory Burch, Coach, Michael Kors, and Gabriela Hearst.
Thom Browne, who returns to New York Fashion Week on February 14, will wrap up the week. This is a fitting decision given that the American designer is now the head of the CFDA, the organization that oversees the event.
London Fashion Week (16 – 20 February 2024) The two most anticipated shows of London Fashion Week are still JW Anderson (18 February) and Burberry (19 February evening), with the latter including Daniel Lee’s third runway presentation for the brand. The legacy brand will make its presence in the city known with the announcement of a high-profile acquisition of London’s Harrods department store earlier this month.
In addition, Dunhill will be included in the calendar for the first time since 2020, marking the entrance of new creative director Simon Holloway with a small salon-style display (the event also falls on the house’s 130th anniversary, having been established in London in 1893).
Now in its 40th year, London Fashion Week is always brought to life by the city’s up-and-coming designers, who are back this season in full force. Anticipate a second runway show from Aaron Esh, which will take place on one of the upper floors of Tate Modern’s Blavatnik Building. Aaron Esh made a strong debut last season. Other highlights include new collections from Robyn Lynch, Conner Ives, KNWLS, Tolu Coker, and Conner Ives, as well as the Central Saint Martins MA fashion show, which will showcase a new wave of young talent.
The week’s highlights come from the city’s more well-known, yet equally fascinating, names, such as Molly Goddard, Simone Rocha, Roksanda, Erdem, and Ahluwalia.
Milan Fashion Week (20 – 26 February 2024) Expect fresh ideas for both Tod’s and Blumarine, even if there might not be the big-name debuts that characterized the previous season—namely, Sabato De Sarno at Gucci, who will present his second womenswear collection from the house this time around.
Former Bottega Veneta designer Matteo Tamburini will assume the helm at the former, while Walter Chiapponi, who succeeded Nicola Brognano last year, will showcase a fresh collection for the brand at the latter. As a result, anticipate a departure from the Y2K style that characterized Brognano’s administration. Feben, a London-based designer who is considered one of Wallpaper’s designers to watch in 2024, will make her Milan Fashion Week debut with Dolce & Gabbana’s help.
Highlights elsewhere will undoubtedly include Ferragamo (following Maximilian Davis’s sleek collection from last season, which continued his evolution of the brand), Tom Ford (Peter Hawkings’ sophomore outing), Emporio Armani, Giorgio Armani, Max Mara, Dolce & Gabbana, and Bottega Veneta. All eyes will be on OMA’s striking menswear set, which clashes the great outdoors with a corporate office. Marni wraps out the week with a return to Milan following exhibitions in New York, Tokyo, and Paris.
Paris Fashion Week (26 February – 5 March 2024) The month comes to an end with Paris Fashion Week, a nine-day event that features some of the most anticipated runway shows of the season. Dior, Saint Laurent, Loewe, Balenciaga, Hermès, Miu Miu, and Chanel are just a few of the designers who are expected to deliver visually stunning runway shows that will undoubtedly dominate social media. Seán McGirr, an Irish designer who succeeded Sarah Burton as Alexander McQueen’s creative director in September, will also showcase his latest vision for the brand.
On the evening of March 2, he will present his debut collection for the British House, making it undoubtedly one of the events of the week to speak about.
In the meantime, Louis Vuitton will take up the last place for the week on March 5 at 6.30 p.m. Anticipate a high-profile event. Nicolas Ghesquière started working at the renowned French house 10 years ago, and over the last several weeks, he has been sharing highlights from that time on Instagram. Will it be a greatest-hits event for him in A/W 2024?
Fall/Winter 2022 shows get underway at New York Fashion week with Proenza Schouler and Christian Cowan showing their lively collections.
Experimentation, play, and glitter: a coronavirus-impacted New York Fashion Week got underway on Friday with Fall/Winter 2022 shows by Proenza Schouler and Christian Cowan.
In its collection, presented in an art gallery in Manhattan’s trendy East Village, New York brand Proenza Schouler played with shape, contrasting fitted waists with loose or slightly rounded skirts.
Designer Lazaro Hernandez said the idea was to exaggerate and juxtapose different forms to respond to “this whole body obsession these days with social media and everyone showing the body.”
Model Bella Hadid wore an outfit featuring buttoned sleeves, accentuated shoulders, and a black velvet hooded top – giving off a Catwoman vibe.
“Experimentation and play are key, perhaps now more than ever,” Proenza said of its collection.
Christian Cowan Showcases ‘glamour’ At New York Fashion Week
Christian Cowan – who has dressed Lady Gaga and rappers Cardi B and Lil Nas X – presented his collection in the observatory atop the One World Trade Center skyscraper that replaced the Twin Towers felled on 9/11.
The show had the atmosphere of a nightclub, highlighting the British designer’s taste for glitter and glamour.
Ahead of the runway, the label teased fans with what might be in store by posting an image of the “Freedom Tower” all in pink on its Instagram page.
Tom Ford Cancels New York Fashion Week Show
Despite pandemic restrictions and the Omicron variant upsetting preparations, several other brands have opted for in-person shows, including Michael Kors, Altuzarra, Tory Burch, Brandon Maxwell, and Telfar.
A notable absence was Tom Ford, chair of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) that organizes the event.
He was due to close the week next Wednesday but canceled at the end of January due to a surge of COVID-19 cases among his team.
“We have tried everything possible to avoid canceling our New York show but ultimately are faced with the sad fact that we will simply not have a completed collection in time,” he said.
Opportunity For Emerging Talents To Showcase At New York Fashion Week
For several years now, New York has had to deal with big names deciding to skip the event in favor of displaying their latest collections elsewhere.
Some designers are also choosing to eschew the classic runway calendar, with growing criticism that the frantic pace of fashion is out of step with sustainability.
The absence of top creators like Christopher John Rogers – the CFDA’s women’s designer of the year 2021 – and Kerby Jean-Raymond’s Pyer Moss brand, also provided an opportunity for emerging talents to grab the headlines.
Or at least that is the hope of labels such as Melke and Dauphinette, which promote sustainable and ethical fashion.
“It is really rewarding realizing that people can see the work that I’ve been doing and they think that it deserves a place amongst a bunch of other very successful brands,” 26-year-old Emma Gage, who founded Melke during the pandemic, told AFP.
“It kind of really solidifies you as someone that people know is going to be around for a long time,” she said inside her small studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
In the last two years, Kerby Jean-Raymond, the founder of Pyer Moss, has become something of a New York Fashion Week star, famous for taking the African-American experience and putting it front and center on the runway, using such inspiration figures as the black cowboy and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. He has won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award, become artistic director of Reebok Studies and collaborated with Hennessy.
But in 2015, he almost went out of business after a show that opened with a 12-minute video about police brutality titled “This Is an Intervention.” It featured interviews with the relatives of many of the black men who had been killed by police: Eric Garner, Marlon Brown, Sean Bell. Praised and excoriated in almost equal measure, the show thrust the then largely unknown label into the spotlight, and was the first time a designer forced fashion to grapple with its own culpability regarding race.
This is its story and the first time the video has been shared since that time.
Kerby Jean-Raymond, founder and creative director of Pyer Moss
In July we had done a standing presentation in TriBeCa for men’s wear called “Ota Benga.” At the time, the case of Mike Brown was getting public attention, and Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner. Ota Benga was an African man who was kept in the Bronx zoo ’til 1906. We wanted to juxtapose this story with the modern-day prison system and police brutality, to show we shouldn’t be repeating these mistakes.
But at the event I realized it was going over everyone’s heads. People were having a good time. They were reacting, but they weren’t reacting the way I wanted them to. So that night at dinner we were like, “Let’s turn this into a runway and do a second show.” Two months later, we did a women’s collection for the first time.
Brittney Escovedo, show producer, Beyond 8 We spoke a lot about the fact this industry is in a lot of ways, and especially at that point, not penetrated by these stories. They’re not talking about it. The editors, the journalists, the influencers that come to these fashion shows aren’t thinking about these issues. So we have 20 minutes of people’s attention, and we can use it as an opportunity.
The designer Kerby Jean-Raymond, left, and the artist Gregory Siff backstage.Credit…Rob Kim/Getty Images for Pyer Moss
Kerby Jean-Raymond Before that, we were strictly a men’s wear brand. The company wasn’t doing well. I was in a partnership with a backer, and they were pretty much fed up. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t address these issues. I was prepared for it to be my last show.
Dario Calmese, show director, then casting director So much of one’s existence in the fashion space was trying not to ruffle too many feathers. For you to take a stand as a quote-unquote black person would kind of eliminate you.
Kerby Jean-Raymond I knew I wanted a video, knew I wanted an experiential element. A live art element. Wanted Brenmar to do the music live. There were a lot of moving parts. It was probably the most complicated thing I had done. We started shooting a guerilla-style documentary that featured Usher, people in the fashion industry and the family members of victims of police brutality. I think we shot the whole thing for $1,500.
Brittney Escovedo It wasn’t hard for me to reach out to the families because I felt like it was important, but it was hard for them to trust us and to understand what our motives were. I remember having multiple conversations sharing who I am, who Kerby is, what the brand stands for and that this wasn’t just about death and loss. It was about what this could be: education, love, so much more than just being shot.
Shikeith, artist and one of the “This Is an Intervention” editors Kerby and his team handled the principal photography for the project — they had shot the footage of the interviews. There was a decision to include YouTube clips of police brutality, to project light on what was happening all around this country. There were hours and hours of footage of various public figures. I remember sitting with all of that in front of me, at 24.
Dario Calmese We knew that we were all taking a risk, and it was very important that we all do it together the entire team. It was almost like a pact that we signed up for, because although Kerby wanted to make a statement, we were all part of that statement.
Clara Jeon, publicist Then we lost a venue.
Brittney Escovedo We had talked to the New Museum about potentially having it there, and once we shared what the show was about, they just declined and said we couldn’t have the event there.
Kerby Jean-Raymond We had to scramble and ended up with a venue that was too big and way out of our price range, the Altman Building on 18th Street. We ended up paying close to $20,000, which was definitely money we didn’t have.
Clara Jeon I remember thinking, “Wow, maybe this is a sign that we’re not supposed to do this.” I was really scared about what people would say. We already had some people we thought were partners backing out before anything had even gone public. What if fashion media who at the time weren’t even covering Pyer Moss widely what if this is the thing that makes them not take us seriously as a fashion brand? I don’t think people realize how close we came to not doing this show and canceling it altogether.
Kerby Jean-Raymond Then, right before we did the show, right outside my apartment in Southside Jamaica, Queens, I had a cast on my hand, was talking to my sister on the phone, was coming in from buying a beef patty, and I look up and I hear, “Put it down, put it down!” And these cops had their guns drawn on me.
Mr. Jean-Raymond invited families of victims of police brutality to sit in his front row. Credit…via Pyer Moss
Clara Jeon He told me the next day, when we were walking around SoHo. He said, “I could have gotten shot last night.” That was the time I’m not black when I felt what the black community must feel all the time, that fear of losing your friend or your son or your husband at any given moment over just living your life. That was when my mind was made up. I was like, we need to do this.
Kerby Jean-Raymond I wanted to invite the families of the victims. Editors and whomever was coming to the show — they would have another opportunity to be at a show, but these people deserved to be honored. So I was like: The front row is yours. Press and editors can sit second row.
Clara Jeon Seating is extremely stressful for publicists, because it is very political. It is the way a brand communicates to editors and publishers their relationship with them or priorities. I pre-emptively tried to explain that it would be the families of victims in the first row, so the second row is the best seating available. The majority of press understood. A couple would not come to the show.
Kerby Jean-Raymond It was crazy, because most of the I’m-not-comings came from black stylists.
Dario Calmese We really wanted a diverse cast. I don’t think we were at the point where we were making a statement with casting all-black models. But we definitely wanted to open with one and make sure they had a substantial presence on the runway. The casting job continued all the way up until the show because one model was stuck in fittings for, I believe, Alexander Wang, and I actually had to pull a blogger from the audience and put her in the show. I told her: “Give us your Venmo. We’ll send you some cash.” I didn’t know her name. She just came to enjoy the show.
Mr. Jean-Raymond, left, with his team backstage.Credit…Joshua Lott/Agence France-Presse Getty Images
Mr. Jean-Raymond, right, and the show director Dario Calmese at the show rehearsal.Credit…Rob Kim/Getty Images for Pyer Moss
Jon Reyman, hairstylist, Aveda Kerby and I had talked about what he wanted a few days before whether it should be big, or small, or sort of like a flat top but right before the show he called me and said he just wanted it as simple as possible, so it would almost disappear. So it wouldn’t call any attention to itself, or be part of the story.
Kerby Jean-Raymond What I initially wanted to do was not even have clothes and put everyone in tights. I wanted everyone to feel a sense of nakedness, to put black bodies on display.
Clara Jeon That had actually been a discussion in the days leading up to the show: Do we even show clothes? Is that still something we do? But it’s a fashion show. People come to see clothes. And we wanted to make it clear that we wanted to be at the forefront of a conversation in fashion, within the industry, where this was just not talked about ever.
Shikeith Outside of the show, there was a truck that had a projection of one of the designs that I made, a globe that said “Pyer Moss News.” As it pertains to the media, and how black life and blackness is portrayed, there’s a sort of a reductive lineage that is caught up in caricature and stereotype all racist, all symptoms of white supremacy. For the show, it was important to emphasize the control we had over the narrative through this signifier of “Pyer Moss News,” to represent taking control of the narrative and speaking to truth.
The show began with a 12-minute video about racism in America. Credit…via Pyer Moss
Gregory Siff, artist who spray-painted the collection live Everything is dark. The audience is out there. The film goes on, and it’s like a punch to your gut.
Clara Jeon We didn’t really tell people what to expect. We maybe should have, but I would say 99.9 percent of that room had no idea what they were sitting down to watch. After the video, there was 2 to 3 seconds of complete silence before people started to applaud.
Kerby Jean-Raymond After the movie, people were gasping, some people were crying, some people walked out, and I started to get cold feet about what we were doing. I told Dario not to send the models out. And he got so combative with me and was like: “I’m sending them out! I’m sending them out!” I was just standing behind the projector screen. I was like a little kid in trouble because of what we’d just shown everyone.
Gregory Siff Then Kerby whispers to me he was next to me “Now, go out there and shake the can.” It was all silent, in the dark, and then the lights come on, and I am shaking this can.
Brittney Escovedo The models all stood on a U-shaped runway, and they stayed there, straight-faced, and you could actually feel the life and souls of those we had lost in the models that were standing there.
Dario Calmese We’re always trying to marry runway and presentation. So the models were coming out in this really kind of militaristic style, but in rehearsal I didn’t have enough time to figure out how to cue them to move to the next spot. So I was like, “I’ll just stand in the middle of the runway, and scream ‘Go!’” And every time I did, the models would move.
Mr. Siff live-tagged the clothes with words like “breathe” as they appeared on the runway.Credit…via Pyer Moss
Work boots scrawled with the names of victims of police violence.Credit…via Pyer Moss
Gregory Siff I think there were three to five models I painted. For me, it all happened so quickly. I was reacting in the moment. I had painted all the boots beforehand: a lot of repetition of “I can’t breathe,” which was Eric Garner. “Call my Mama.” Some of the shoes had black overspray. But having written so many times on the shoes, “I can’t breathe,” I felt like I needed to write the opposite. So the last line I painted was “breathe, breathe, breathe” on the back of one of the jackets.
Dario Calmese The last model didn’t get the instruction right Gregory had spray-painted on the back of her jacket, but you couldn’t see it. So I walked onto the runway and grabbed her shoulders and threw her around. I think I might have made the last picture on Style.com.
Mr. Calmese went onto the runway to turn a model so that the words on her jacket would be visible to the audience.Credit…Alessandro Lucioni/Imaxtree
Kerby Jean-Raymond I was watching the crowd reaction from the side of the stage, and everyone was off their phones. There’s very little video footage from that show because people were off their phones. At the end, people wanted to clap, but we shut the lights off and you heard Oscar Grant’s mom she had sent us audio because she couldn’t come and that put everyone back in their seat.
Jon Reyman Charity events, galas are used to celebrate and bring awareness and raise money. But this was the first time I saw a designer really using his fashion as a platform to speak out against injustice, and so overtly. It was very much: I have you captured in the audience, you’ve shown up, and I am going to show you something you may not know about.
Clara Jeon While there was a lot of public positivity in the press that covered it, a lot of support in terms of sympathizing with the black victims and wanting to help address the issue, it also opened us up to direct attacks on social media: backlash from white supremacists, people who thought that our message was an attack on police and would send us #bluelivesmatter messages, who said we had no business showing something like this at a fashion show.
Kerby Jean-Raymond I started getting death threats. They had me on a watch list for stormfront.org, a white supremacy forum. I was getting emails like “I’m going to kill you nigger.” Lots of stores dropped their orders. It put me in a really dark place.
Brittney Escovedo Kerby didn’t know if his business would stay around or if he was going to make it. And once he did, and got through, that set the tone for him understanding the importance and significance of being a black man in America, a black designer, and solidified his voice and all of our purpose.
Dario Calmese A big question is: What was the impact? How are we moving forward? What lessons have been learned? Have there been any lessons learned?
The fashion industry provides the world with a full calendar of fashion show events from across the world. From runway shows to trade shows, the fashion world knows how to keep busy. But which events are not to be missed? As most things in the world, not all fashion events are created equal. Some events just top the hot list year after year.
Here is a list of the top ten annual fashion events to attend, or at least dream of attending don’t forget to add them your bucket list.
1. Paris Fashion Week
The greatest of all fashion shows, it is one of the most celebrated fashion weeks held in bi-annually in Paris one of the four fashion capitals of the world. The event is held to showcase Spring-Summer and Autumn-Winter collections at the respective times of each year. Many of the notables in the fashion industry, as well as the well-known connoisseurs of fashion attend the event to view the designs.
Some of the famous designers who place their latest creations on display include Dior, Paul Smith, Louis Vuitton, Nina Ricci, Lanvin, Julien David, Barbara Bui, Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Valentino, Miu Miu
2. New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week is a biannual event which occurs in February and September of each in New York, one of the primary fashion capitals around the globe. The New York Fashion Week event is considered to be among the four major fashion weeks in the world next to London, Milan, and Paris.
The event is attended by some of the biggest fashion names in the industry including Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Dianne von Furstenberg, Tommy Hilfiger, Herve Leger, Brooks Brothers, Alexander Wang, and many more. It was established in the early 1940s and was the first fashion event across the world. The purpose of the event is showcase American fashions which ordinarily play a secondary role to French designs.
3. Milan Fashion Week
Milan Fashion Week (Italian: Settimana della moda) is a clothing trade show held semi-annually in Milan, Italy. The autumn/winter event is held in February/March of each year, and thespring/summer event is held in September/October of each year. An event of glitz and glamour in Milan, Italy among the big Four Fashion Capitals around the world, the Milan Fashion Week occurs bi-annually like its counterparts every year.
It is scheduled in the months of February-March for the Spring Summer Collection and September- October for the Autumn Winter Collection. It begun in the year 1958 and since has been counted as one of the most illustrious shows the world over. Prestigious fashion houses are part of this event which includes Dolce & Gabanna, Roberto Cavalli, Gucci, and Prada among others.
4. London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week is one of the primary four fashion week events around the globe which takes place bi- annually during February and September. The event showcases the latest trends and designs in womenswear and is attended by top designers and fashion houses in the industry who flock to the event to exhibit their latest creations.
It was launched in the early 1980s and is organised by the British Fashion Council discussed earlier.
Some of the designer fashions on exhibit include Antonio Berardi, Alexander White, Burberry, Beth Gilmour, Christopher Kane, Claire Barrow, David Koma, Eudon Choi, Erdem, Finlay & Co., Giles, Holly Fulton, Jasper Conran, Kevin Geddes, Lucilla Gray, Margaret Howell, Noel Stewart, Osman, Simone Rocha, Vivienne Westwood, and many more.
5. Berlin Fashion Week
Berlin Fashion Week is a relatively new event which takes place at Brandbenburg Gate each year during the months of January and July. The event was initiated in 2007 with the purpose of showcasing up and coming designer’s creations. Berlin Fashion Week is a collaborative effort of the Berlin Senate and the Berlin Partner GmbH, the central contact agency for overseeing new operations and foreign trade to promote Berlin as a business hub. The event is sponsored by Mercedes-Benz which also sponsors a series of other fashion industry events.
Since the establishment of the Berlin Fashion Week event almost a decade ago, the event has gained international status for many new and upcoming designers. The designers are bringing their fashions to the Berlin capital in an effort to get started on their way in the highly competitive fashion industry. Attendees can view fashions from designers such as Dorothee Schumacher, Ewa Herzog, Fyodor Golan, Emre Ernemoglu, and more.
6. Australian Fashion Week
The Australian Fashion Week is an annual event held in the country which aims to feature the works of fashion houses and designers from the Australian and Asia Pacific regions. It was first held in the year 1995. This event brings the designers and the retail buyers under one roof and helps the latter to purchase the latest in fashion from them.
Some of the noted Fashion names associated with this event include Lisa Ho, Alex Perry, Zimmermann, Toni Maticevski, Leona Edmiston, J’Aton Couture, Ericaamerica and more.
7. Dubai Shopping Festival
Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) started on 16 February 1996 as a retail event intended to benefit retail trade in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It has since been promoted as a tourist attraction.It is an annual month-long event, usually scheduled during the first quarter of the year, and attracts about 3 million people to Dubai.
Over the 30 day period, visitors have access to the best fashion brands from around the world with special deals and promotions, in addition to attending a variety of arts and cultural events. The events take place in the Mall of the Emirates and include The International Festival of Fashion Photography from Cannes which is an extraordinary showcase of the latest beauty and fashion photography in large format by notable fashion photographers.
You can also experience events such as The Diamond Fashion Show by Dhamani which features notable jewellery designers who showcase their exquisite designs against a sparkling Burj Khalifa backdrop. The Dubai Shopping Festival website is a great place to discover more interesting fashion events during this annual extravaganza.
8. Tokyo Fashion Week
The Japanese are known for excelling in whatever they do. Fashion is not an area where they are lagging in any respect. The Tokyo Fashion Week is an event which has steadily climbed up the charts of popularity over the years.
The styles and trends showcased are bold and often very experimental. Some of the most unusual fashion trends have come out into the world through the Tokyo Fashion Week and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this event slowly becomes one of the best in the industry.
9. Africa Fashion Week London
Founded in 2011 by Ronke Ademiluyi, Africa Fashion Week London ( AFWL ) is Europe’s largest fashion event promoting and nurturing African and African-inspired design talent ,with a collaborative catwalk, exhibition and business development program, AFWL has led the way in highlighting Africa’s emerging designers and apparel industry and has been at the forefront of bringing awareness of Africa’s burgeoning fashion industry to the international market.
Since 2011, AFWL has hosted 8 catwalk events and contributed expertise to at least 10 more events produced by 3rd parties such as The Mayor of London’s Black History Month celebrations, they have also showcased over 800 emerging designers & exhibitors, from Africa, Europe and America, to almost 70,000 visitors including buyers, retailers, influential industry professionals, and the media and is now a highlight on the annual fashion calendar.
AFWL brings value to designers through, contacts, experience and knowledge within the fashion community, with a core team made up of experienced fashion industry experts and business professionals, AFWL is committed to creating a platform for African and African inspired designers that not only showcases them to an international market, but also supports them in building a sustainable business that is globally recognized and promotes social change in Africa.
10. Los Angeles Fashion week
Los Angeles Fashion Week takes place twice, annually in numerous locations throughout the Los Angeles area. Currently, three event producers hold multiple day runway shows concurrent with Market Week (also known as LA Fashion Market).
While there are several productions that take place throughout the county of Los Angeles, a number of city officials, including Mayor Eric Garcetti and District 14 council member Jose Huizar, have awarded event organizers LAFW the official event status
CFDA Fashion Awards
The CFDA Fashion Awards, also known as the Fashion industry Oscars, this annual event recognizes individuals in the American Fashion Industry with awards for design excellence and extraordinary accomplishments in journalism and creative vision, according to the CFDA.
There is also a lifetime achievement given each year. But the highlight of this award show is of course the red carpet. Stars and industry people dress to impress in the best of high fashion. It is not only an event; it is a star studded runway show.
Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasons,this is where the latest fashion trends are made.
Content courtesy of Nairobi fashion hub Digital Team
Leave it to Serena Williams to make a fashion show so much more than just a fashion show. The tennis pro showed her S by Serena collection at New York Fashion Week and managed to snag none other than noted tennis super-fan Anna Wintour for a quick Q&A after the presentation. The show, which Williams is calling a capsule collection, was an authentic way for the designer to show her love for fashion and her innate ability to make clothes that people actually want to wear just ask her pal Meghan Markle. Right now, S by Serena is see now, buy now and it’s working. Fans are buying up pieces and sharing their favorites on social media, much to Williams’s delight. But she’s not ruling out something in the luxury space.
Williams went to school for fashion design and although her line’s not in the same conversations as luxury brands, such as Rihanna’s new Fenty line, it could be. She’s not ruling out the possibility of releasing a special capsule within a capsule, which would be a way of giving some shoppers what they want without completely alienating some of her other fans.
“See now, buy now is great. I would love to do luxury, but I feel like I also want to be true and authentic to people that support the brand for years,” she explained. “And so, if we do a luxury capsule, it’ll be really small one day in the future. But I love the idea of see now, buy now, and really do it in a good way.”
Williams also spoke about sustainability and how S by Serena has embraced vegan leather and other unconventional materials. And even though vegan leather doesn’t sound glam, Williams managed to mix in animal prints to up the glitz and curate the collection so it was nothing but all of her favorite things.
“The collection dabbles a little bit in a lot of gold. We experimented with different animal prints; we focused on giraffe. And then we focused on the sustainability aspect of having vegan leather,” she said. “And so that’s kind of what we wanted to focus on and just build from there. So it’s a small capsule I call it a capsule. I’ve never showed in February. So I’m like, ‘Let’s do something but keep it small. And what are some things that really mean a lot to me?’ And those really stood out.”
For fans of the line, there’s a lot to love. Keep an eye out for a certain former royal to step out in Williams’s designs, just in case there’s any question that see now, buy now can’t look like something luxurious.
