When Rachel Scott was appointed creative director of Proenza Schouler last year, taking the reins from founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, she decided that her first task was to get to know who the New York brand’s ‘woman’ was.

So she sat down with them. ‘I spent a lot of time meeting with our customers, actually meeting with the Proenza Schouler woman, and trying to understand who she was,’ the Jamaica-born designer said after her debut runway show for the brand, which doubled as the opening act of New York Fashion Week yesterday afternoon (11 February 2026). ‘I wanted to know how I could bring her something new for her life.’

Rachel Scott makes her runway debut at Proenza Schouler

An amalgam of McCollough and Hernandez’s mothers’ maiden names, the label was founded after the partners in life and work graduated from Manhattan’s Parsons School of Design in 2002 (read our 2023 interview for more). Since, it has become a byword for contemporary New York style, encapsulating a ‘downtown cool’ and favoured by intellectual urbanites (Proenza Schouler has long been a favourite in art world circles). Notable fans include Dree Hemingway, Chloë Sevigny, Pamela Anderson and Arca.

Scott, who is the founder of Brooklyn-based label Diotima and a former CFDA Award winner, was appointed after McCollough and Hernandez made their move to Loewe, taking over from Jonathan Anderson. A soft-launch Proenza Schouler presentation last September saw Scott interpret already-existing pieces created by the in-house design team; yesterday’s show marked her first full collection. 'Codes remain, but the perspective shifts, and we get closer to a new Proenza Schouler woman,’ read the collection notes.

‘It was really important for me to respect the legacy of Proenza Schouler, and that’s this really strong love of the New York woman,’ Scott elaborated backstage. ‘But I wanted to find a way to get closer to her, to have more complexity and texture – she can be erotic, she can be angry. Sometimes she’s not quite so perfect.’

It led to a collection of purposeful contradictions: Scott said that the idea of ‘self-authorship’ was important to her vision, the idea that a woman can choose what version of herself she wants to be on a given day. ‘She can be as perfect or as imperfect as she wants to be. I was thinking about this woman who is definitely punctual, but you know, maybe today she's a little late.’

In the collection, this was envisioned in pieces that suggested dressing in haste. A silk shift dress was purposely rumpled, its creases in-built by clever construction; skirts appeared twisted around the body, as if in the process of being pulled on, while button plackets were skewed at an angle or placed haphazardly. ‘There are things where they shouldn't be, collars, like lapels that are just not right, something's a little bit off,’ said Scott. ‘And she actually embraces that’

Strongest, though, were the moments when Scott evoked the expressive colour and texture she has honed at Diotima, which she founded in 2021 after a career in the design teams for Costume National, Elizabeth and James and Rachel Comey. Her debut runway show for Diotima last season (previously she had presented her collections via lookbook or presentation), channelled the subversive and liberatory spirit of carnival, from Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and London’s Notting Hill to her native Caribbean (Scott will show her next collection for Diotima, which she continues to design and run alongside her role at Proenza Schouler, on Sunday 15 February).

At yesterday’s show, these vivid flourishes included dresses printed with orchids, which were taken from photographs before being hand-painted and printed (Scott liked the imperfections this process left), while other garments were studded with enormous metal eyelets or edged with twisted tassels (these also sprouted from clever footwear). Greens, blues and vibrant reds, meanwhile, played off the bright blue carpet which had been laid through the Lower East Side show space.

‘I really thought about the colour language that Jack and Lazaro had, what it did. And it was, you know, these colours that reverberate,’ she said. ‘They were very energetic. And so I took that and put my language into it.’

It was in these bolder moments that you got a glimpse of how Scott might evolve Proenza Schouler in the coming seasons. Because now that she seems to have figured out what the existing Proenza Schouler woman wants, Scott's next task is to bring a new group of women into the fold. One senses she’ll do that by embracing the intuitive, uninhibited design language she has developed over the past five years at Diotima – an instinctual approach which has seen her long touted as America’s next big thing.

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Marking the opening act of fashion month, which will make subsequent layovers in London, Milan and Paris over the coming days – we broke down all the standout moments to look out for here – New York Fashion Week took place in the American city this week. Editors braced the winter chill for a reshuffled schedule, which saw a handful of the city’s defining names – including Coach, Michael Kors, Tory Burch and Proenza Schouler – showing across the first two days.

The latter, which opened proceedings on Thursday, marked perhaps the week’s most anticipated moment: the debut of Diotima designer Rachel Scott as creative director of the New York-based label. She showed an astute collection which played off founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s signature style – an intellectual, art-inflected wardrobe for the polished urbanite – while embracing imperfection. ‘It was really important for me to respect the legacy of Proenza Schouler, and that’s this really strong love of the New York woman,’ she said. ‘But I wanted to find a way to get closer to her, to have more complexity and texture – she can be erotic, she can be angry. Sometimes she’s not quite so perfect.’

This front-loaded approach did not mean that there was not plenty elsewhere to draw attention: buzzy young labels LII and Ashyln both impressed, Nicholas Aburn presented his sophomore collection for Area, and shows from Calvin Klein, Eckhaus Latta and Khaite brought big-name buzz. Here, Wallpaper* picks the best shows and collections of the week, reported from New York by Wallpaper’s US Editor Anna Fixsen. Jack Moss

Diotima

New York Fashion week began with a Rachel Scott collection, and, fittingly, it ended with one too. Rather than work within the confines of existing signatures, as Scott did with her inaugural collection as creative director of Proenza Schouler, she was able to give way to something innate, or as she described it, ‘an ancestral pull,’ with her own label, Diotima on Sunday.

Scott, who was born in Jamaica, found a creative counterpart in the work of Cuban painter Wifredo Lam (1902-1982), whose surrealist work (now on view at MoMA) was inspired by Afro-Caribbean culture and mythology. Specifically, the designer looked to Lam’s depictions of the Femme Cheval, a formidable horse-woman central to Afro-Cuban spirituality. ‘A counter-image to colonial fantasy, she transforms the object of desire into a figure of spiritual and cultural power,’ Scott explained in her A/W 2026 show notes.

Scott worked directly with Lam’s estate to translate the artist’s motifs and visual language to garments. A painterly, A-line gown, for instance, was covered in delicate organza appliqué, colour-blocked in shades of brown, ochre and black to evoke Lam’s abstract shapes. Other looks took on a more equestrian theme, a nod to the Femme Cheval, as with riding-inspired jackets and dresses, and accessories that evoked whips. Shaggy coats with looped yarn fringe reminded of tousled manes.

For Scott, history and cultural memory are acts of resistance in and of themselves. But she used the collection as a platform in more ways than one: she worked with local organization Refugee Atelier, an organisation that empowers refugee women by teaching them artisanal textile skills. Also present in the front row was the First Lady of New York, Rama Duwaji, who made a rare Fashion Week appearance. ‘This collection takes shape in a political and cultural moment marked by exhaustion and division, where resilience, identity and memory become acts of resistance,’ Scott acknowledged. ‘It is about a woman who moves through it with radiance, force, and radical self- definition.’ Anna Fixsen

Khaite

Of all the US fashion brands that have sprung to life in the last decade, few have had allure, or commercial success, quite like Khaite. The venue for Khaite’s A/W 2026 collection seemed to mirror the label’s ambitions: the 55,000 sq ft drill hall inside the Park Avenue Armory. The audience, sitting in three rows on polished-brass benches, faced a towering LED screen that displayed a subliminal message: Why are you here? No matter how you interpreted these enigmatic words, creative director Catherine Holstein gave a show that proved why everyone dropped their Valentine’s Day plans to attend.

Silhouettes started severe, all broad-shouldered jackets and suiting paired with leather cigarette pants and high heels. That edge continued, via military-style frogging down the fronts of leather jackets, gowns and blouses. Softness was introduced as the show progressed – as with a series of luxurious wool draped dresses, luxe shearling coats and gossamer blouses, some embroidered with whimsical monkeys – and reached its apex at the show’s finale via a collection of lace-appliqué slip dresses, some of which featured delicate draped panniers at the hips.

Accessories, a category that’s helped propel Khaite to success, were another highlight. Gold brooches in the shape of monkeys – just like the embroidered blouses that appeared earlier – fastened blouses and clung to lapels, while delicate gold chains with crosses dangled like rosaries off of leather blazers and velvet jackets. There were quirkier accessories too, like surreal papillon-shaped bowties (one of several design moves that felt like a strong reference to Yves Saint Laurent), pink, flower-shaped boutonnieres; and high, detachable lace collars that tied in the back and trailed like a scarf. Anna Fixsen

LII

Zane Li, whose New York-based label LII is marrying minimalism with architectural construction and a vivid use of colour, proved today why he is one of the most exciting names to know in American fashion.

The designer’s A/W 2026 collection, presented in a classic cast-iron building Soho, ‘reveals as much as it conceals,’ according to show notes. The looks presented played with varying degrees of display and discretion via sportswear-inspired garments that hung just-so off the body. Brightly-hued funnelneck track jackets were paired with bubble hem skirts; elegant fur-trimmed shrugs revealed just a hint of skin; and a duo of swingy dresses featured v-neck backs in elegant origami-like folds.

Playful accessories brought everything together, as with primary-coloured ski gloves and custom Nike Air Force 1 sneakers, which had neoprene flaps attached to the back, creating a sense of dynamism as the models walked. ‘This year is about working into our identity and making the brand efficient,’ he told us in December. ‘Everything feels new.’ Anna Fixsen

Eckhaus Latta

Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta have been designing together for 15 years now, and – despite their veteran status – their clothing remains some of the coolest and most authentic around. In the days leading up to their Eckhaus Latta show, the duo teased a series of food images on Instagram – a citrus fruit being peeled, an egg about to be cracked, and, finally, a torch browning a baked Alaska, as if preparing for a grand dinner party. As such, the presentation, held within a series of rooms in a Tribeca loft Saturday afternoon, felt more like a gathering for friends, rather than your average fashion show.

The clothing on display embodied that familiar ease. Model Paloma Elsesser opened the show, donning a sleeveless striped turtleneck with a zip-up lambskin skirt. What followed were riffs on basics – oversize polo shirts, slip dresses and bomber jackets – with kinky twists. Unisex denim trousers featured chaps-style detailing, grommeted onto micro shorts beneath; menswear featured leather ‘cruising’ aprons; and gauzy dresses featured peekaboo slits at hip creases. Rather than citing specific inspirations in their show notes, Eckhaus Latta included Dada-esque snippets of phrases overheard throughout the week, proof that their continued success hinges on a simple exercise: tuning into what surrounds them. Anna Fixsen

Area

‘I long to be seen!’ an imagined woman exclaims in the show notes for Area’s A/W 2026 show. Indeed, the collection that creative director Nicholas Aburn presented Friday isn’t one for shrinking violets.

The presentation, held at a performance space just north of Hudson Yards, felt like an homage to the label’s namesake, the legendary 1980s nightclub, Area. Highlights included denim looks that featured sashes reminiscent of Japanese obi, exhibited on micro-minis and trousers; sequined skirt sets, featuring a Marilyn Minter-esque lip print; and slouchy-yet-chic interpretations of hoodies and rugby-striped shirts.

Glitz was another undercurrent, in keeping with Aburn’s past collections. Fringes of diamantés cascaded off of drop-waist dresses and skirts, and ruffles festooned ‘80s-inspired flounces, blouses and collars. While some of the looks felt unresolved, most will achieve what Aburn set out to do: to make you look. Anna Fixsen

Fforme

Like Veronica Leoni at Calvin Klein Collection, Frances Howie is rounding out just one year since debuting as the creative director of the New York-based luxury womenswear brand Fforme. Her predecessor, Paul Helbers, told Wallpaper* that the double f’s in Fforme could be understood as two adjectives: foundational and fundamental. In Howie’s hands, though, you could swap those terms in for two new ones: functional and feminine.

Her A/W 2026 collection was, above all, a celebration of feminine power. Confident tailoring, like oversized coats paired with fur trapper hats, was juxtaposed with cinched waists and figure-accentuating panniers, as seen on one crushed-velvet hourglass-shaped gown. Meanwhile, heavy natural materials like shearling (shown in blonde and black) and leather were contrasted with gauzy knits and heavy satin. Most captivating was Howie’s use of jewellery. Sculptural bronze botanical motifs appeared everywhere, from a low-hanging necklace that resembled dried flowers to a delicate palm frond, fastened at the hip. Fforme, it seems, is in very fine shape. Anna Fixsen

Calvin Klein Collection

It’s been exactly a year since Veronica Leoni took the helm of Calvin Klein Collection. Back then, the designer promised to bring a bit of ‘sexitude’ back to the label, which sat dormant for six years after Raf Simons’ tenure abruptly ended in 2018. Leoni’s first two collections brought back Calvin Klein Collection’s signature minimalism, with a rigour and ease honed while at The Row, Jil Sander and Phoebe Philo-era Céline. Thursday, however, some that sexitude began to come through via an exploration of what the designer termed in the show notes, ‘hedonistic elegance’.

Like the show’s setting, The Shed, whose skin is made up of pillowy ethylene tetrafluoroethylene cushions, Leoni played with varying degrees of coverage and exposure, opacity and translucency, heft and lightness. The backs of a few women’s suit jackets and dresses were left almost entirely bare, save for a microscopic strap and ties that came together at the lumbar. A pair of leather trenchcoats were so thin that they resembled coloured parchment, while huge triangle-shaped shearling collars lay heavily across swinging coats.

Some of the sexiness was more overt, as with one model who donned a set of cream-coloured Calvin Klein longjohns, over which was tossed a matching double-layered trenchcoat. Arms and legs were wrapped in thin leather via knee-high sock boots and matching opera gloves, while sleeveless men’s and women’s suiting exposed bulging biceps.

The collection also aimed to hark back to Calvin Klein’s roots in the 1970s and early 1980s. This was seen in looks ranging from a balloon-sleeve merlot-coloured jacket, paired with matching slim-fit trousers; a denim-on-denim ensemble, draped in a long wool coat; and hair swooped back from the forehead. The biggest ‘80s reference of all? Brooke Shields, Calvin Klein’s most infamous model, was seated in the front row. Anna Fixsen

READ: Veronica Leoni channels ‘hedonistic elegance’ at Calvin Klein – with a touch of kink

Michael Kors

For his 45th anniversary collection, Michael Kors threw quite possibly the most glamorous party of them all: a night at the Metropolitan Opera. The audience sat on the periphery of the grand, modernist lobby, completed by Wallace K Harrison in 1966, and watched as models drifted down the opera house’s sweeping cantilevered stairway.

The A/W 2026 Michael Kors collection, according to the designer, was a celebration of New York and all of its glamour and resilience. Here, he focused on different interpretations of eveningwear. ‘Everyone in New York has their own way of looking at how they dress at night. For some people, it's a gown. For some people, it's a suit, and for other people, it's a man's shirt and grey trousers,’ Kors explained at a pre-show press conference.

That range was very present on the runway and embodied by a rock opera soundtrack that blended strains of Puccini, Tchaikovsky and Rihanna. Highlights included relaxed trousers that featured dramatic overskirts that trailed on the red-carpeted stairs; puff-ball shearling jackets in white and crimson; and tailored gowns, worn with opera-length leather gloves. Ostrich feathers were ever-present, bobbing on skirts, sleeves, hats, bags and shoes. Notable was Kors’s moratorium on spiked heels: ‘There's not a stiletto in sight,’ he said. ‘I can't stand going to parties and seeing women have to take their shoes off. It's awful.’ Indeed, over the course of the show, heels started as chunky blocks and got progressively lower until models walked in minimalist square-toed flats.

Kors saved the biggest birthday surprise for last: closing out the show was model Christy Turlington, dressed in a glittering gown overlaid with a sweeping, floor-length cape. Anna Fixsen

Ashlyn

Though Seoul-born designer Ashlynn Park is a veteran of the fashion industry (her impressive resume includes stints with Yohji Yamamoto, Alexander Wang and Raf Simons), she’s become one of the buzziest ‘emerging’ names in the business since launching her eponymous womenswear label in 2020. But Park’s still open to evolution, as she’s told Wallpaper*, ‘every season I’m building another chapter’. This latest chapter began Thursday with a poem that the designer distributed at her A/W 2026 presentation, a meditation on the craft and collaboration that underpin Ashlyn’s unique ‘sartorial vernacular.’

Part and parcel to Ashlyn’s visual language is structure, a skill honed during her years spent under Yamamoto as a pattern maker and manifested in her architectural blouses, coats, knits and gowns (not to mention the rough-hewn benches that the audience perched on). The show’s first look was a layered ensemble, featuring a lime green peplum turtleneck layered with a cashmere jacket and loose black trousers that also featured a flowing peplum waist. From there, the looks continued to play with volume and scale, as with a loose lambskin jacket paired with oversized trousers, elegant, figure-hugging gowns made from ruched jersey or a breezy poplin blouse defined by meticulous pleated seams. Even the fabrics felt architectural, as with nubby white boucles and handsome tweeds featuring hits of bright yellow.

The collection was proof that Park is a master at striking that rare balance between rigour and ease, attributes that made each look feel like an instant and utterly wearable wardrobe staple. Anna Fixsen

Zankov

After a weeks-long cold snap, New York’s streetscape has been transformed into a landscape of icy snowbanks. Which is why, amid all frozen grey lumps, Zankov’s colourful A/W 2026 collection was a welcome dose of Vitamin D.

Designer Henry Zankov, the recipient of the 2024 CFDA Emerging Designer of the Year award, has told Wallpaper* he’s a knitwear geek, and plenty of free-spirited stretchy looks demonstrated his expertise with the fabric. There were fuzzy mohair skirts and tops, and modern takes on argyle, presented in unexpected hues like chartreuse and merlot. Some knit skirts and dresses were slashed into broad ribbons, revealing legs beneath. Shine was another through-line, and a concept Zankov has been playing with for a while, notably with glittering pailettes. A long asymmetrical tunic was covered in round, Paco Rabanne-esque silver sequins, while many models were accessorised with glittering scarves. If you looked closely, you would have also spotted jet-black beaded fringe dangling from the wrists of a diaphanous plum-hued dress.

It may come as a surprise that the presentation marked designer Zankov’s sophomore runway show after founding the label in the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic, but it had all the confidence of a creative who has been doing this for a much longer time. Anna Fixsen

Tory Burch

‘I don't want to live in a house which was in vogue 20 years ago,’ modernist architect Marcel Breuer once said. He would have found a kindred spirit in Tory Burch, who not only staged her A/W 2026 collection in Breuer’s famed Madison Avenue building (recently transformed into Sotheby’s global headquarters) but also returned to evergreen silhouettes for inspiration. ‘Classics shaped by history and utility, made personal through our own stories and experiences – [that’s] where true style originates,’ the designer said in her show notes.

Throughout, Burch investigated what makes classic garments stand the test of time – corduroy trousers, trench coats, sweaters – while giving them a fresh twist. Ensembles that would otherwise be relegated to prep, like a pencil skirt topped with a crewneck knit, got smart upgrades with materials like patent leather and a vibrant colour palette, which included tomato, chartreuse and saffron. Cardigans received a Midas touch with metallic embroidery, stitched by Indian artisans. A handful of easy yet elegant silk dresses had dropped waists and were apparently tossed in the wash for a perfectly worn-in finish.

Burch also proved that classics could be fun: as a set of models clad in breezy ‘80s-inflected dresses glided past, the driving rhythm of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 filled the room, causing A-List guests (including Pamela Anderson, Amanda Seyfried and Tessa Thompson) to bop along in their seats. Anna Fixsen

Coach

Attendees of Coach’s A/W 2026 show found a hint of what was to come in the setting: the Cunard Building in lower Manhattan, once the headquarters of the luxury British steamship company. Indeed, guests, clustered beneath the 65-foot frescoed ceiling, were in for something of a voyage – a journey through youth fashion history.

Set to LCD Soundsystem’s starry American Dream, models showcased looks that spanned decades and, in some cases, centuries. Some ensembles drew from vintage sportswear, as with unisex long-sleeve shirts inspired by 70s-era football jerseys. Womenswear reached further back, to the Victorian era, with flowy shift dresses and blouses with high pie-crust collars and pussy bows. And viewers of a certain age certainly took note of the voluminous denim shorts, skinny ties, messenger bags and low-slung belts – combinations that felt plucked from the crowd of Warped Tour circa 2002. Of course, Coach especially excelled in the accessories department, which included silver pins in the shape of moons and stars, as well as distressed suede sneakers that featured the brand’s signature brass clasps in lieu of laces.

In the show notes, creative director Stuart Vevers said he wanted to appeal to Coach’s next generation of customers. ‘We embrace the continuous reinvention of what it means to be young and forward-looking, resourceful and creative,’ said the British designer. Anna Fixsen

Proenza Schouler

The official start of New York Fashion Week kicked off Wednesday with, appropriately, a highly anticipated debut: Rachel Scott’s inaugural collection for Proenza Schouler. Scott took the helm last fall after the brand’s founders, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, decamped for Loewe, one of many switch-ups amid fashion’s great reset. While McCollough and Hernandez grew the brand from a humble Parsons thesis project into one of the most reliable names in American womenswear, Scott promised to introduce audiences to a ‘new Proenza Schouler woman.’ Her A/W 2026 show certainly provided a warm introduction.

From the upper floor of an office building at the base of the Williamsburg Bridge, models strode across a tonal blue carpet to a percussive soundtrack. Proenza Schouler signatures were close at hand – grommets, clever button closures, a certain uptown polish – but those hallmarks became looser, a bit more undone, in Scott’s handling. There were demure suit jackets with wide lapels and cropped, trumpet-shaped hems; fluid, legs-for-days trousers; and dark, drapey gowns covered in an abstract orchid pattern. There were also craft-centric details that will feel familiar to fans of Scott’s own award-winning line, Diotima, notably the fringe that sprouted from the edges of sleeves, hems, and heels.

It’s all, according to the designer, in service to a woman with people to meet and places to be (a feeling heightened by makeup that included an asymmetric red lip conceived by Thomas De Kluyver). ‘It was really important for me to respect the legacy of Proenza Schouler, and that’s this really strong love of the New York woman,’ Scott said. ‘But I wanted to find a way to get closer to her, to have more complexity and texture – she can be erotic, she can be angry. Sometimes she’s not quite so perfect.’ Anna Fixsen

It felt like there was an injection of energy to New York Fashion Week (NYFW) this season after some sleepy recent editions that have caused some commentators to advocate for a once-a-year approach, or a reduced schedule centred around a handful of venues. A large part of this momentum is down to the return of Calvin Klein to the schedule last season under new creative director Veronica Leoni – prior to the show, the brand hadn’t held a runway show since the departure of Raf Simons in 2018. If the collection wasn’t a comprehensive home run, Leoni’s debut was a confident opening gambit, one which mined the minimal sensibility of the brand’s 1990s heyday (indeed, Mr Klein himself gave his seal of approval from the front row). She showed her sophomore collection on Friday (12 September), exploring the ‘tension between a deep sense of intimacy and the taste for exposure’ – read our review below. Other big-hitters of the week were Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Coach, Off-White and COS, the latter returning to the city after showing in Brooklyn last September.

Elsewhere, excitement built around the city’s emerging talent: Zankov hosted its first show after the presentations of previous years (founder Henry Zankov is known for his inventive knitwear, gaining traction earlier this year after a collaboration with Troye Sivan’s lifestyle line Tsu Lange Yor), while Rachel Scott of Diotima held her own first show (the designer, who honed her craft at Costume National in Milan, has also recently been named the new creative director of Proenza Schouler). Other highlights included Eckhaus Latta, Luar and Area, where new creative director Nicholas Aburn came to the brand with a strong pedigree – his last role was at Balenciaga, working on the house’s lauded couture lines under Demna during the Georgian designer’s tenure.

Here, reported from New York, Wallpaper* picks NYFW’s standout shows – as they happened.

Tory Burch

Tory Burch said that her S/S 2026 collection was one of joy and optimism, a colour-saturated response to the ‘dark times we are all experiencing’. Continuing the free-wheeling approach to collection-making which has defined recent seasons – after stepping down as CEO in 2019 she has devoted all her time to the creative process – her latest outing began by thinking about the idea of a well-loved item of clothing, figured in purposely creased and crumpled fabrics, knitwear which was frayed at the edges, or references to vintage pieces that mean something to her personally (a piped-edge blazer was inspired by a jacket worn by her father).

Elsewhere, she continued to put a twist on American classics: button-up knits were folded at the collar and worn away at the cuff, pointed pumps adorned with barbed-wire metal hardware, while pleated skirts were dropped at the waistline and cinched with belts (a series of flapper-style dresses, appearing at the close of the show, had a similar silhouette). ‘With this dark time we are all experiencing I wanted to feel joy in optimism, but also with a realness to things,’ she said after the show. ‘I think with each season it’s more of a dialogue, we’re learning more about what women are craving and what they want. So hopefully these pieces have longevity, where people take them and make them their own. That’s the best thing about our collections – I love seeing people make it theirs.’

READ: ‘I want to feel optimism’: Tory Burch hopes her latest collection sparks joy

Diotima

Backstage after showing her first runway show for Diotima – previously, the New York-based label has shown via a series of intimate presentations – founder and creative director Rachel Scott said that the collection was about channelling her anger at the state of America in new ways. ‘I'm still extremely angry, but I think that the manifestation of this anger is different this time, it's coming through in a much more rebellious way,’ she elucidated, looking towards the subversive spirit of carnival – from Brazil to Notting Hill and her native Caribbean – for inspiration.

‘I was really thinking [about] how carnival [came from] resistance against oppression, but it’s also very subversive, sensual – it’s undefinable,’ she said, noting that carnival emerged as a response to ‘colonial domination… [it is] an anti-imperialist act, conjuring freedom where none was granted’. In the collection – a standout of the week so far – this spirit was channelled in a liberatory use of colour (‘lime’, ‘magenta’, ‘grenadine’, ‘guava’ were some of the shades she name-checked), while artist Peter Minshall’s ‘ghost-like’ sketches of his carnival costumes informed the season’s silhouettes. Texture was also eclectic: skirts were macramé or shredded, giving the illusion of ruffles, while crystal-adorned mesh knits were cut into body- and swimsuits.

It made for a buzzy runway debut, all the more so as the Jamaica-born, New York-based designer was earlier this month named creative director of Proenza Schouler after the departure of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Loewe (her first full collection will be shown in February at New York Fashion Week). After the show, she insisted Diotima would continue despite the new role: ‘It will absolutely continue – it’s something for life,’ she smiled.

Coach

Despite admitting backstage that he’s ‘not a morning person’, British designer Stuart Vevers – who was recently awarded an OBE – began his S/S 2026 collection for Coach thinking about dawn breaking across New York City. ‘I like the idea of something that was looking forward, like a new day,’ he said of the collection, which had a feeling of lightness in its colour palette – monochrome white looks featured throughout – and textures, which included a series of sheer tulle dresses decorated with balloons, clouds and stars. Indeed, these also suggested a mood of romance, one also captured in prints of vintage postcards of places Vevers had visited across America (among them Seattle, Las Vegas and Phoenix) and the soundtrack, a manipulated version of Elton John’s ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (‘I wanted to capture this feeling of emotion’, he said). The idea of wear also featured throughout the collection, in torn or scuffed garments, or those constructed from Coach deadstock, something he said he linked with the contrasting ‘grit and polish’ of New York, as well as the way he will often see someone walking around the city carrying a battered Coach bag from decades before. ‘I'm definitely of the opinion that things don't have to be new and perfect to be desirable,’ he said. ‘I see people walking around with Coach bags that just happen to be 50 or 60 years old, and I think they're beautiful.’

COS

After showing its S/S 2025 collection in an Athens marble quarry earlier this year, London-based label COS returned to New York this season, taking over the Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse in Brooklyn and transforming its industrial interior into a vast white box (‘a spectacle of modernist elegance,’ said the brand). Watched on by a starry guest list that included Naomi Watts, Jodie Turner-Smith and Lauryn Hill – a testament to the investment that COS has put into these twice-yearly runway shows – clothing channelled a mood of restrained glamour, with creative director Karin Gustafsson saying she looked towards Christian Dior’s New Look for inspiration (in the collection, this was referenced in the narrow sculpted waistline and wide neckline which ran throughout). Other silhouettes suggested a feeling of protection in their enveloping silhouettes – robe-like overcoats and shaggy faux fur jackets were a reminder this was an A/W 2025 collection, as opposed to the S/S 2026 collections being shown elsewhere in New York – while layers of diaphanous tulle provided a feeling of juxtaposition (‘a study in contrast, materiality and craftsmanship,’ the collection notes described). It made for a desirable, wear-off-the-runway collection – something (nearly) possible, with several pieces from the show available from COS’ website directly after the show.

Khaite

Cate Holstein said that this season she was thinking about the idea of naivety: the teenage impulse to tear and deconstruct, to destroy something to make it new. It lent the collection a feeling of rawness: ladylike dresses were sliced across the chest to reveal layers of tulle trapped beneath, while flourishes of handcraft – from chunky woven dresses and skirts to floral embroidery – embraced the idea of imperfection. ‘I used to cut things up all the time when I was a teenager and wear them a certain way, and I wanted to go back to that,’ she said after the show, saying that the collection was about embracing a feeling of risk. Indeed, an undercurrent of danger ran through the collection (Holstein said David Lynch continued to be an influence, while the dark ‘underbelly’ of American society was another inspiration point), encapsulated by the monolithic show set – a jet-black pool of water dotted with jagged glaciers that hissed and steamed as the show began (the set was a collaboration with Holstein’s husband, the architectural designer Griffin Frazen). Tough leather jackets, wide across the shoulder or with asymmetric slanted fastenings, captured a similarly cinematic mood, while an atmospheric soundtrack spanned Blur, Pulp, Roy Orbison, Alan Vega and Chopin’s Nocturnes.

Eckhaus Latta

Recent seasons have seen Eckhaus Latta discover new clarity, stripping back the extraneous towards cleverly edited collections which are made for the realities of city life. Designers Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta continued this line of thinking for Spring/Summer, albeit with a newfound feeling of elegance – particularly in the all-black opening looks, which presented their take on eveningwear. For men, this comprised languid tailoring and featherweight knits, accessorised with pouches on the waistband and worn with leather slides; for women, sinuous dresses in tulle or dotted with sequins (in typical Eckhaus Latta style, there was still a mood of dishevelment in raw-cut edges and trailing pieces of fabric). Moving on from black, the collection shifted towards eruptions of colour – a layered T-shirt and vest came in vivid-hued tangerine, floating tulle trousers in canary yellow, and a pair of carpenter jeans, cinched with a studded belt, in bright ‘poppy’ red – with elements of play coming in T-shirts with square-shaped cut-outs, revealing the male models’ bare chests beneath.
As ever, the Eckhaus Latta community remains tightly knit – friends of the label, like the artist Martine Syms and the writer Natasha Stagg, walked the show, with the usual coterie of well-wishers out front – but outside of the showspace, this was an astute, desirable collection which has wide appeal.

Calvin Klein Collection

Veronica Leoni staged her sophomore outing for Calvin Klein at the Brant Foundation in the East Village, its bare brick walls an apt backdrop for a collection which was – save for some playful flourishes, like pairs of giant bouncing pom poms – an exercise in reduction. Cue look one, a sharp pinafore dress, bare at the back and held up with minuscule spaghetti straps – a garment which appeared straight from Calvin Klein’s 1990s playbook (Leoni has continually talked about returning to the sensually charged minimalism of the namesake designer’s heyday). The Italian designer, formerly of The Row, said that this season she was thinking about the ‘tension between a deep sense of intimacy and the taste for exposure’ – a thematic thread which in the collection was explored through the idea of underwear. After all, what is more famous than than the exposed waistband of a pair of Calvin Klein boxer shorts? Here, that signature elastic waistband was woven into a prim, ladylike dress, while décolletage-bearing tailoring showed the tiniest a sliver of bra top beneath. As for intimacy, overcoats were cut like robes and wrapped around the body – like that worn by Mariacarla Boscono, which appeared like cotton but was actually constructed from trompe l’oeil leather. Other intriguing plays with fabrication added new layers to her vision – materials were purposely creased and crinkled, or constructed from sharply sliced streamers of leather – though occasionally these more experimental flourishes seemed to stray from the idea of street-level reality that Leoni seeks (in her parlance, a ‘magnified normality’). That said, you could picture the multitude of accessories worn by anyone in attendance – whether the supersoft slouchy loafers, thong flip-flops adorned with gobstopper jewels, or pouch-like handbags, playfully decorated with streamers of leather and sets of keys, a nod to on-the-go New York City life.

Area

There was a celebratory mood before you even walked through the door of Nicholas Aburn’s debut runway show for Area: the invite was a scratchcard complete with a coin to reveal your potential fortune (in his world, everyone’s a winner). Besides that, the American designer comes to the young New York label after the departure of co-founder Piotrek Panszczyk with plenty of goodwill: a graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins, he’s worked at numerous fashion houses as part of the design team, most recently at Balenciaga’s couture studio under Demna.

Mining the party-girl attitude the 2016-founded label was built on – and indeed named after, with Area a reference to the cult 1980s New York nightspot – Aburn presented a riotous collection that the designer said was about ‘having a good time’, figured through bombastic undulating forms constructed from blown-up twists of metallic streamers, Borrowers-sized sequins and plenty of crystals (a longtime Area signature). Even in their sense of play, these sculptural pieces demonstrated plenty of technical skill, while more ‘everyday’ garments were interspersed – from dresses constructed from pieced-together basketball jerseys (albeit adorned with more sequins) to pedal-pusher cargo shorts inspired by Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw (one of the season’s references after a recent rewatch). In its sense of irreverence and similarly twisted party-girl archetypes, there felt an affinity with August Barron (formerly All-In), a no-holds-barred label that is based in Paris. Its founders, Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbøhas, recently nominated for the LVMH Prize, have built a cult following on that formula – in New York, this energy has been much needed. With this spirited debut, Aburn looks the person to bring it.

Michael Kors

Last season, Michael Kors drew inspiration from the polished interiors of his Madison Avenue store; this season, in a new time slot at the start of the week, it was out of the city and towards the ’earthy elegance’ of his beach house (albeit a simulacrum constructed in Terminal Warehouse in New York’s Chelsea neighbourhood, complete with wind-weathered wood panelling, cacti and paper lanterns). Kors said the collection was in part inspired by legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland’s assertion that ‘the eye has to travel’ in order to find inspiration, as well as his own recent trips to Norway, Morocco and across the United States.

‘The simple truth is that escapism helps us tremendously,’ Kors asserted post-show, echoing a thematic thread which ran through the menswear collections earlier this year, from Prada to Emporio Armani. ‘So many of us live urban lives, and when you travel, you learn about yourself, you learn about other people, you learn about life. It’s nature that always knocks us out, but balanced with elegance and sophistication – that’s everything I want this collection to convey.’ He did so mostly through the collection’s hues, which spanned deep, earthy browns and warm ecru, to those evocative of sunrises and sunsets. Silhouettes, meanwhile, captured Kors’ brand of easy glamour, from breezy kaftan shirts and slouchy, safari-tinged tailoring to handkerchief dresses constructed from stitched-together silk scarves, as if collected over a summer of travel.

Ralph Lauren

After last September’s takeover of the Hamptons, Ralph Lauren opted for an altogether more intimate – though no less starry – affair for his spring 2026 runway show, staged in the American megabrand’s Madison Avenue headquarters on the eve of fashion week. Watched by his usual coterie of celebrity fans – the guest list included Oprah Winfrey, Laura Dern and Priyanka Chopra – the collection that followed was Ralph Lauren 101, presenting a glossy vision of American style that feels current (the preppy look has appeared everywhere from Dior to Celine in recent seasons; Mr Lauren has long been synonymous with the style). ‘Strength and sensuality,’ said the designer in his collection notes, a thematic focus that led to a crisp, at points even minimal, showing from the designer: graphic tailoring game in optic white and bold red, layered looks came in cohesive monochrome hues, while gowns had a simplicity of silhouette (whether flared and voluminous, with narrow spaghetti straps, or wrapped around the body, Grecian style). Meanwhile, ties, striped shirts and pleated shorts – straddling masculine and feminine – were a nod to Ralph Lauren signatures. With a recent CFDA nomination for womenswear designer of the year being announced – if he wins, it will be his tenth such award – it was an argument for doing what you do best: at the end of the financial year in March 2025, the brand posted a seven per cent rise in revenue, bucking the difficulties faced by American brands elsewhere. As he took his final bow – clad in a battered brown leather bomber and signature aviators alongside his wife, Ricky Lauren – he was every bit worthy of the jubilant applause.

Proenza Schouler

Shown via a presentation held the day prior to New York Fashion Week’s start, Proenza Schouler marked the first debut of the month – though it came with an asterisk. The S/S 2026 collection was made ‘in collaboration’ between the New York-based label’s studio team and Rachel Scott, the Brooklyn-based designer who was made creative director of the brand earlier this month after the departure of founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, who have headed to Loewe (she will show her ‘full creative debut’ next February). At her own New York-based label Diotima – which will host its debut runway show in Brooklyn later in the week – Scott is known for sinuous, body-clinging silhouettes combined with moments of beading, crochet and embellishment inspired by her home country of Jamaica; here, hints of her tenure came in chunky-knit dresses in intriguing bouclé yarns, bright solar prints, and colourful accessories, from bags adorned with fronds of raffia to shoes sprouting with flowers. Scott described the collection as a ‘soft undoing’ – a mood captured in edges left purposely raw, or knits unravelling – which embraced the satisfying eclectism that has long defined the label. It made for a strong opening act, leaving us intrigued to see her vision unfold.

Stay tuned for more from New York Fashion Week S/S 2026.

In news announced this morning, it has been confirmed that Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, founders of New York-based label Proenza Schouler, are the new creative directors of Loewe.

Their much-rumoured appointment comes in the wake of Jonathan Anderson’s departure from the Spanish house earlier this month, as well as their own exit from Proenza Schouler, the brand the pair founded in 2002.

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are the new creative directors of Loewe

Made up from a combination of their mothers’ maiden names, the pair – who are partners in both life and work – met at Manhattan’s Parsons School of Design in 1998, founding Proenza Schouler after graduation.

The following decades would cement their status as one of New York’s defining fashion names with collections that captured a so-called ‘downtown cool’ – namely, riffs on wardrobe staples with unexpected details, from geometric cut-outs and layers of transparency, to crisp, modernist plays on ruffles, eyelets and tassels.

With it, they would also establish a legion of high-profile fans, from actress and New York it-girl Chloë Sevigny to musician Arca and model Paloma Elsesser. They would win five CFDA awards for ‘Designer of the Year’ and ‘Accessories of the Year’, showing primarily in New York, their home city.

‘We are incredibly honoured to join Loewe, a house whose values and mission align closely with our own. We look forward to working alongside its extraordinary teams and artisans, whose talent – under the exceptional creative direction of Jonathan Anderson – has shaped Loewe into the cultural force it is today,’ the pair said in a statement.

The appointment will be in effect from 7 April 2025, with McCollough and Hernandez overseeing womenswear, menswear, leather goods and accessories. Though not confirmed, their first show will likely take place this September in Paris.

loewe.com

The arrival of New York Fashion Week S/S 2025 heralds the beginning of a month-long stint of runway shows, which will continue through September with stops in London and Milan, before culminating in Paris with a nine-day schedule ending on 1 October 2024. By then, designers will have offered a vision for the season ahead, including a roster of creative directors making their anticipated debuts – most notably ex-Gucci designer Alessandro Michele, who will make his mark on Roman house Valentino with a show in Paris at the end of September.

Before all that, though, New York Fashion Week – which concluded yesterday (10 September 2024) – made for a buzzy opening act. Beginning proceedings was Pieter Mulier’s Alaïa, transplanting from Paris to New York for a show on the evening of 6 September at New York’s Guggenheim Museum, seeing the designer play ode to the ease and fluidity of American sportswear, referencing figures like Claire McCardell, Halston and Charles James. Also shifting cities was COS – the London-based label returned to New York after a show last season at Rome’s Corsie Sistine – and Off-White, which showed at Brooklyn Bridge Park, moving from its usual slot on the Paris schedule.

Elsewhere, Tory Burch continued her Torynaissance – we explored Burch’s creative renaissance and reach for a younger wave of consumers in the August 2024 ‘Creative America’ issue of Wallpaper* – and Willy Chavarria presented a collection titled ‘América’ which celebrated immigrant workers against the backdrop of the upcoming presidential election. Rounding out the schedule were shows from Coach, Michael Kors and Tommy Hilfiger, alongside rising names Zankov and Diotima.

Here, reporting from New York, Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss picks the best of New York Fashion Week S/S 2025.

The best of New York Fashion Week S/S 2025

COS

Last season, London-based label COS selected Rome’s Corsie Sistine, part of the 15th-century Santo Spirito, Europe’s oldest hospital, for its summer show. For A/W 2024, it was a return to New York and an altogether less ornate – though no less dramatic – industrial warehouse at Brooklyn’s Navy Yard, accessed by guests via a specially chartered ferry from Manhattan’s Southport Pier. The cavernous space had been transformed for the occasion by Bureau Betak with a series of monolithic black blocks, around which models wove in front of guests including Chloë Sevigny, Emily Ratajkowski and Colman Domingo (a show of strength from the brand, which VIP wise more than competed with the city’s big-name designers). Comprising 43 looks – including the latest COS Atelier collection, inspired by contemporary dance and ballet – this was a sleek and desirable outing from the label, honing time-honoured COS staples (enveloping wool overcoats, voluminous trousers, sinuous ribbed knits) alongside more unexpected design flourishes. These included a chunky shearling parka with brown-cow print, a tabard-style top with richly beaded collar, and the trio of draped eveningwear looks which closed the show. They felt like fresh territory for the label, which as it approaches nearly two decades in business feels like it is having something of a renaissance.

Michael Kors

At the beginning of New York Fashion Week, Pieter Mulier said that for his latest Alaïa collection – presented at the city’s Guggenheim Museum – he had drawn influence from the tenets of American fashion: ‘a dynamic simplicity… an American ideology of dress of the body in motion, liberated’. It set the stage for a season of collections which saw the city’s big-name designers like Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Coach, as well as rising star Willy Chavarria, each riff on American archetypes in their own distinct styles. Though on Tuesday afternoon at The Shed at Hudson Yards on New York’s west side, Michael Kors – a longtime stalwart of the American fashion scene – seemed to divert from the prevailing mood, choosing instead to look towards the distant shores of Europe. In particular, Italy and its artisans, which Kors said he has now been working with on the production of his collections for close to four decades.

‘For a designer, the greatest thing is to find partners who can bring your ideas to life, which is what Italy’s artisans have done for us for 35 years,’ Kors explained. ‘This collection really highlights that workmanship, tailoring and handwork, the qualities that make a piece special and unique, and turn it into something you want to wear every day and own forever.’ Translated to clothing, this was a Korsian take on La Dolce Vita: sweetheart 1950s silhouettes, nipped waist skirts worn with matching bra tops, and breezy open shirting all featured, while moments of Italian craft came in fronds of raffia fringing, flourishes of lace and floral appliqué. ‘The dichotomies in the collection feel very Mediterranean to me, laid-back but luxurious, rustic but opulent, the sophistication of the city with the mood and attitude of a resort,’ said Kors, who amid a frantic run up to the US election (the first presidential debate would take place later that evening), seemed to be dreaming of escape.

Coach

After a brief jaunt uptown last season, Coach’s Stuart Vevers returned to The High Line on New York’s west side, chosen by the British designer for its position in the heart of the city’s noise and bustle. ‘I wanted that urgency,’ Vevers said post-show of an energetic collection which centred on the ‘optimism of youth’, introducing a cast of rebellious young characters he imagined let loose in the city. ‘They are these characters who are taking American classics and reinventing them for today, and making them their own,’ he said, buoyed by a feeling he has gleaned from observing young people on the city’s streets. So there were graphic ‘I Heart NY’ T-shirts and sweaters daubed with drawings and doodles, crumpled satin debutante dresses and slouchy collegiate varsity jackets, alongside the requisite American denim and leather. ‘I’m really fascinated by how a new generation are discovering American classics for the first time,’ said Vevers. For handbags – still Coach’s best-known and high-selling category – Vevers here riffed on vintage clasp-closure handbags, some dainty and held with a small top handle, others blown-up in size and adorned with colourful stickers.

Tory Burch

Growing up with three competitive brothers instilled within Tory Burch a lifelong love of sport, a fixation that the American designer brought to her S/S 2025 collection, staged at Brooklyn’s Skylight at The Refinery yesterday evening (the penthouse spot afforded expansive views of Manhattan at sunset through its curving greenhouse-like windows). ‘I’ve been obsessed with sport my whole life,’ said Burch after the show. ‘It’s the precision, the power, the solace. That was where the collection started. Then it was: how do you take that and not be literal?’ She did so with a razor-sharp focus on fabric and form: sharply cut swimsuits were adorned with sequins, tailoring and outwear came with knotted fastenings in a reference to martial arts uniforms, while skirts hovered away from the waist for an unexpected silhouette. With buzzy casting – including an appearance on the runway from Alexa Chung – and a packed front row, it more than continued the so-called Torynaissance which has seen the designer adopt a freewheeling approach to creation and attract a new generation of trend-hungry consumers. They will no doubt be delighted by the sculptural split-toe pumps and the multitude of riffs on the classic Tory Burch ‘Reva’ ballet pump, including a new mule style the designer picked out as her favourite of the season.

Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger commandeered the John F. Kennedy, a former Staten Island ferry now owned by the comedians Pete Davidson and Colin Jost, for a good-mood S/S 2025 collection which continued his takeover of New York landmarks (last season, it was Grand Central’s Oyster Bar). Taking place as the sun set over the East River – and with views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges beyond – guests were greeted with boxes of popcorn and champagne, before settling on the decommissioned ship’s original seating for the show itself. Here, the designer said he was looking to ‘remix’ nautical and maritime codes, melding them with the all-American collegiate uniform for which he is perhaps best known. Like last season, there was a continuing shift towards timelessness – gone were the overt Tommy Hilfiger graphics of previous iterations of the brand, in were louche, elongated knits, breezy shirt dresses and polo shirts, and elegant, just-oversized tailoring, windbreakers and trench coats. A collegiate ‘TH’ motif, meanwhile, nodded towards the brand’s roots. Befitting the setting, it closed with a performance from native Staten Islanders Wu-Tang Clan seeing runway etiquette go out the window as guests ran from their seats to catch a glimpse of the group, who have been wearing Tommy Hilfiger since their founding in the 1980s.

Off-White

This season saw Off-White creative director Ib Kamara – who also works as editor-in-chief of Britain’s Dazed magazine – shift the Virgil Abloh-founded brand from Paris to New York. It speaks to the borderless approach Kamara, who was born in Sierra Leone and grew up in London, brings to the label, titling this collection ‘Duty Free’. ‘This collection was triggered by a trip to Ghana, the place where Virgil came from and the roots he cherished and constantly referred to in his work,’ Kamara explained. ‘ I was born in Sierra Leone, but our experiences were similar. I have vivid memories of what America, and New York in particular, represented in the collective imagination of Africans: a dreamland of utopias made real, a place of opportunities.’ Taking place at the community basketball courts of Brooklyn Bridge Park, it made the gleaming New York skyline beyond a potent backdrop for a collection which melded sleek American sportswear with what Kamara called ‘African futurism’. The latter came largely through flourishes of traditional embellishment and craft, including a collaboration with Nana Danso, a Ghanaian artist who here reimagined the brand’s signature arrows motif. ‘It is grounded in reality, with a dash of magic,’ said Kamara, noting the cultural juxtapositions made it his most autobiographical collection yet. ‘Bringing traces of my life journey within the creative process charges my work with the energy I want the Off-White community to perceive – pieces of clothing are way more than just objects.’

Khaite

American label Khaite is largely known for its sleek, polished separates, which tend towards the dark and the moody (last season, the showspace at Pier 61 was pitch black, the colour of most of her bestselling pieces). This season, though, designer Cate Holstein noted a desire for lightness and softness, a move she credited in part to the recent birth of her son. As large metal panels rotated along the runway – the effect was something like the opening of an enormous Venetian blind – Holstein proposed a collection of enveloping but lightweight forms, from twisting knots of organza to wrapped shapes which recalled duvets or blankets, while a naive, almost childlike glamour was conjured in doily-like crochet, unravelling woven leather sets, or colourful patchwork handbags. Each was an exercise in experimentation from Holstein, who despite the wide appeal of her collections – and growing number of international devotees – is refusing to rest on her laurels.

Alaïa

Pieter Mulier chose the atrium of New York’s Guggenheim Museum to stage his Winter-Spring 2025 show, shifting from its usual position during Paris’ haute couture week. In a personal letter distributed by the designer, Mulier explained that the transatlantic move was driven by ‘opportunity and obsession… the opportunity to stage a show in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and an obsession with the idea of American beauty’. Here too was a link between Mulier and house founder Azzedine Alaïa, who also travelled from Paris to New York in 1982, showing amid works at the Guggenheim Museum's then-temporary space in SoHo – ‘an exchange of art and fashion that was unprecedented,’ the designer explained. ‘For both for Alaïa and myself, America is a home away from home.’

And so followed a collection which saw Mulier muse on the idea of American beauty in his sleek, contemporary manner. References to American couturier Charles James emerged in the curved line of a padded jacket – a nod to James’ white satin eiderdown evening jacket of 1937 – while other pieces recalled the easy, flared line of Claire McCardell, a pioneer of American sportswear (Mulier also mentioned Adrian and Halston as touch points). Meanwhile, sinuous dresses which coiled around models’ bodies – seeming to defy gravity in their construction – were an evolution of those shown as part of the designer's Summer-Fall 2024 collection presented earlier this year in Paris. ‘Stripping away to a dynamic simplicity… some pieces are suspended, held in position by imperceptible internal structures, like magic tricks,’ said Mulier.

As models wove their way around the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed spiralling ramps, it made for Mulier’s most cinematic runway show yet, and a dynamic move onwards from the intimacy of his presentations at the house so far. ‘It is a celebration of an American ideology of dress, and through that of a spirit that can unite New York and Paris – of the body in motion, liberated,’ he said. ‘As Alaïa always has been.’

Willy Chavarria

Willy Chavarria chose a disused bank on New York’s Wall Street, a potent symbol of American power and wealth, to present his latest collection, titled ‘América’. Under an enormous American flag and with a copy of the American Constitution on each sea, distributed by the ACLU, Chavarria said the collection was an attempt to celebrate the country’s immigrant communities, like those he grew up around as a child in Fresno, California with an Irish-American mother and Mexican-American father. ‘The community that I grew up in as a kid had a tremendous influence on not only my aesthetic and my work ethic, but also my view of what the country is that we live in, what it means to be American,’ Chavarria told Wallpaper’s Ann Binlot, noting that with this collection he wanted to instil their working uniforms – from hotel managers and farmer labourers to employees of electronics chain Circuit City – with a sense of ‘dignity’. As such, workwear was prescient, as was the idea of uniform, here riffed on in Chavarria’s distinct style – where silhouettes are often blown up in size – while a puffed Victorian sleeve was added to his play on the Carhartt jacket.

‘Given the time that we're in – around the corner from a major election – I wanted to shine light on the people who make this country work, and also celebrate immigration and those people who have built the country and are still the backbone of the country,’ he said, drafting Yahritza y Su Esencia, a sierreño trio, to open the liberatory show. It ended, though, with perhaps Chavarria’s most high-profile collaboration to date: an expansive Adidas Originals collection which closed with Olympics 100m gold medalist Noah Lyles walking the runway. It is the starting point of a democratisation of his label, which he hopes can span both $20-dollar vest tops and the pieces shown on the runway. ‘It's a different way of working and a different way of selling clothes that no one has ever really done under one label,’ he said. ‘But I absolutely believe that this is the time for it.’

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren travelled to The Hamptons in Long Island to eke out the last of the dwindling summer season at the beachside locale long synonymous with Lauren’s all-American sense of style (it is also a beloved escape for the designer, who calls it his ‘home away from home’). Transporting attendees out of the city on the eve of fashion week proper (the week starts today, 6 September 2024) to an equestrian complex in the hamlet of Bridgehampton, the collection – presented in a specially erected tent open at the end to show the white picket fences beyond – was a strong argument by Lauren for honing in on what you do best. So there were gleaming tennis whites, colourful Polo rugby shirts, preppy blazers and caps, alongside a slew of breezy, bohemian-tinged eveningwear, worn by a cast which included Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and Liya Kebede (alongside some bouncing Ralph Lauren-clad kids). ‘The Hamptons is more than a place... it has been my home, my refuge and always an inspiration,’ said Lauren, who, after the show, opened up a recreation of New York’s Polo Bar for the starry guest list, which included Dr Jill Biden, Jude Law and Kacey Musgraves. It made for a joyful fashion week opener, and, with a busy week ahead, it was difficult to coax guests away and back to the city.

Proenza Schouler

There was a shift at Proenza Schouler this season, and not simply because designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez had chosen to move the show from its usual weekend slot to earlier in the week (as such it fell before New York Fashion Week officially began). After a mood of reduction in recent seasons – where streamlined silhouettes and pared-back design sought to strip garments back to their essence – the New York-based duo wanted to set a more radical course, quoting Pablo Picasso’s maxim that ‘every act of creation is first an act of destruction’. Here, as models stepped into the sunlit Tribeca loft, McCollough and Hernandez added layers of surface interest and play, using diaphanous, handkerchief cuts as canvases for patchworks of fabric, some printed, some striped. Other knit pieces fell away into disintegrating tassels, while bouncing fronds emerged from skirts and dresses. Despite this, there remained a seductive clarity to the pair’s vision, with a section of draped, gently plissé evening gowns – recalling the work of French couturier Madame Grès – providing a through line to the cool minimalism of their recent seasons.

Stay tuned for more from New York Fashion Week S/S 2025, on wallpaper.com and our Instagram, @wallpapermag.

cfda.com

A mood of escape and discovery infused the S/S 2024 womenswear collections, with designers taking a round-the-world odyssey – both real and imagined – to create a series of striking, craft-rich looks which offer a dramatic and colourful riposte to the banality of the everyday.

Here, as seen in the March 2024 Style Issue of Wallpaper* (on newsstands worldwide now), photographer Nicolas Kern, Wallpaper* fashion and style director Jason Hughes and Dutch model Bente Oort take a trip to the otherwordly landscapes of the Canary Islands, capturing the season’s best looks amid the archipelago’s unique vistas and volcanic black-sand beaches. 

From Matthieu Blazy’s pom-pom-adorned dress for Bottega Veneta – which appears on the limited-edition cover of the March 2024 Style Issue – to the cocoon-like wrapped forms of Issey Miyake, or the intricate embellishments that adorn looks from Isabel Marant, Feben and Carven, it makes for a series of electrifying ensembles which capture the mood of offbeat elegance set to define the S/S 2024 season ahead. Enjoy the trip. 

S/S 2024 womenswear looks for escape and discovery

Model: Bente Oort at Platform Agency. Casting: Ikki Casting at The Art Board. Hair: Daniele Falzone at Blend Management using Davines. Make-up: Jimmy Owen Jones at Julian Watson Agency. Photography assistants: Francesco Colombo, David Gimenez. Fashion assistant: Kris Bergfeldt. Post-production: Ink. Local production: Studio Volca.

A version of this article appears in the March 2024 Style Issue of Wallpaper* available on international newsstands in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez founded New York-based label Proenza Schouler – a combination of their mothers’ maiden names – in 2002, having met at Manhattan’s Parsons School of Design in 1998.

In the two decades since, the label has become of the city’s defining creative forces, its sleek collections combining unexpected cuts and silhouettes with references to the world of art and culture. As such, they have found a dedicated (and high-profile) legion of followers – whether actress Chloë Sevigny, musician Arca, or model Paloma Elsesser– and been the soothsayers of so-called ‘downtown cool’.

As McCollough and Hernandez are named part of the Wallpaper* USA 300, the designers talk creative process, current inspirations, and escaping the city to their home in the Berkshires,

At home with Proenza Schouler

Wallpaper*: Where are you at the moment? What can you see?

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez: Sitting in our studio in Manhattan catching up on emails, which seems to be an impossibility. We don’t share a desk but each have our own, facing each other. It’s pretty full on the two of us together all the time. We’re listening to Colleen's’Captain of None’ right now. Perfect work music. Outside our window is SoHo, one of the busiest areas in New York. Lots of sirens and traffic at the moment since it’s late on a Friday afternoon.

W*: Where do you live? Describe your street, neighbourhood. 

JM and LH: We live together in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, across the street from the park. It’s heaven. Feels so good leaving Manhattan behind at the end of the day to the relative quiet of Brooklyn. We’ve been here for about ten years. On the weekend we [go to our] farm in the Berkshires in Massachusetts. It’s an old 1700s colonial house on a bunch of land with no one around. It’s a quiet retreat from it all and in a way, it has been the thing that has kept us sane over the years. We also built a little drawing studio out there and so we sometimes go out there to work on the collection.  

W*: What’s the last thing you bought? 

JM and LH: Last weekend we stayed in the city to buy summer clothes. Needed that. Strangely, because we are around clothes all day, it’s the last thing we want to be around during our days off, but we just really needed some new clothes, so we bit the bullet. C’H’C’M’ is a great little menswear store on Bond Street that we love

W*: What’s the last phone call you made? 

JM and LH: Somehow, we rarely talk on the phone anymore. When the phone rings it’s usually our moms who still refuse to text us. 

W*: Where and when do you find you are most productive? 

JM and LH: We are definitely the most productive in the country, where we are away from the studio and in our own space. We tend to find that our best thinking happens when alone in the country. It’s also where we come and draw our shows. We find the city is a great place to get stuff done, but the thinking through things part happens away from it. 

W*: What’s top of your to-do list?

JM and LH: ‘Get back to emails and interviews.’

W*: Favourite place, anywhere in the world? And why? 

JM and LH: Kauai. We keep going back there year after year. It’s our dream to one day end up there, build some kind of studio and basically leave everything behind. 

W*: If Wallpaper came for dinner, what would you cook us?

JM and LH: Jack would probably be the chef. We have a pretty great vegetable garden and so it would probably be a dish that uses whatever is in season. 

W* What’s the one thing (in your creative field or otherwise) you wish you had designed or invented?

JM and LH: Not an original answer but… the blue jean. The perfect American garment. 

W* Any regrets?

JM and LH: Many, but life is about learning from them and moving on. 

W*: Favourite indulgence and why? When did you last indulge in this?

JM and LH: Going out with friends and leaving everything work-related behind. Last night. 

W*: What’s inspiring you right now? 

JM and LH: The Dia Beacon and everything inside that building is something we go back to season after season. The sensibility, the materiality, the history and permanence of it are all things that resonate with us greatly. The artists included in there continue to lead the way for us. 

W*: How do you switch off? Do you switch off? 

JM and LH: Late-night movies or shows, usually in bed, which is terrible but seals the deal in terms of putting us to sleep. Pretty basic but it works.  

W*: What one piece of advice would you give to the next generation? 

JM and LH: We’re not ones for grand advice of this kind but we can tell you what works for us: love what you do, never be satisfied with what you’ve done and continue to push forward. Stay curious and work hard. Believe in your original ideas and don't be afraid to take risks. You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take. 

W*: Who is your dream collaborator? 

JM and LH: Donald Judd. 

W*: If you weren’t fashion designers, what might you have been?

LH: Probably something related to the art world, although not an artist. 

JM: I would have probably gone to culinary school and opened up a restaurant or two. 

proenzaschouler.com

For more on creative America, see August 2023 Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

After several seasons of treading carefully and cautiously, New York Fashion Week S/S 2023 arrived with fresh vigour. An influx of international imports may have helped – Fendi made its way to Manhattan to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its Baguette bag, while Marni staged its first US show in Brooklyn, right in view of the Brooklyn Bridge. But really, it was the hometown pride for New York talent that was palpable across the board, from Collina Strada’s gathering of their close-knit community at an under-the-radar nature reserve to an intoxicating collection from Eckhaus Latta that poignantly featured prints from the late artist Matthew Underwood, who was a friend of the brand.

Here, reported by Wallpaper* US editor Pei-Ru Keh and contributing editor Tilly Macalister-Smith, is the best of New York Fashion Week S/S 2023.

New York Fashion Week S/S 2023

Wednesday 14 September

Michael Kors

Polished concrete, mirrored walls, ferns and fig trees provided the backdrop for Michael Kors ‘Urban Resort’ collection, shown in the Meatpacking District on Wednesday morning. 

Vacation bodies (glistening thighs, polished shoulders) of all proportions were shown off with cut-outs, racer-front vests, one-shoulder tops and plunging halter necklines that reached navels. Linen palazzo pants, jersey bandeaus and crepe de chine sarongs – when styled with barely-there high heels, double gold cuffs and low-slung belts with gold hardware – were transformed into legitimate city options. 

It’s a particularly strong season for tailoring: a cross-front halter waistcoat was immaculately cut, while a buttonless white gilet was belted with a strap of gold. Fine gauzy linen – a notoriously tricky fabric for suiting – was fresh, not a crumple in sight. Shirting and jackets with silk fringing cascading from arm holes in place of sleeves were well executed. As for the palette, a vibrant chilli red added depth, notably in a satin kaftan that will translate easily to eveningwear. TMS

Deveaux

After a three-year hiatus, Deveaux celebrated a refresh this season with a complete relaunch of the brand. For Andrea Tsao, the label's co-founder, ‘Deveaux’s aesthetic and identity really stands for utilitarianism, wardrobing, and the kind of thoughtfully considered, interesting pieces that our customers depend on,’ she says. ‘This season feels like the start of a new chapter – we are refocusing on our original founding principles and paying close attention to things we're passionate about, like menswear details and functionality. But at the same time, injecting a sophisticated and elegant joyousness to the brand.’

For the occasion, Tsao drew from the brand's hometown, New York City, for inspiration. Inspired by the life cycle of New Yorkers through the seasons – dramatic thunderstorms, relentless sun showers and blistering summer heat, all of which showgoers endured within this single week – the collection teamed relaxed silhouettes and classic mainstays with clever, utilitarian details. 

‘To me, American sportswear is about finding beauty in function. What we are creating is a modernised version of that – for instance, some of the more relaxed tailoring pieces that can be styled back to a nylon utility pant,’ she says. ‘Our community and audience are full of people who have such unique and interesting demands, and are looking for creative, one-of-a-kind pieces that aren't trendy but feel emotional in a different way.’ PRK

Tom Ford

Smouldering. Sex. Appeal. Tom Ford’s woman is entirely her own. Stalking the mirrored runway under flashing disco balls, the models exuded prowess and power: the audience was putty in their hands. Sex, of course, is a Ford hallmark, but recast against the backdrop of the overturning of Roe v Wade, the collection felt like an empowered statement. 

As Robert Palmer sang ‘you might as well face it, you’re addicted to love’, models walked in shorts and jackets appliquéd with sequined love hearts and stars. Then came A-ha’s Take On Me, remixed with a throbbing club beat, as Western fringing and intricate cowboy detailing rendered in more sequins took a turn. String vests encrusted with crystal, lamé tailoring and louche satin tuxedo sweatpants embodied the driving new wave synth pop of Dead or Alive’s You Spin Me Round. 

The final passage was slower, more sombre. Freddie Mercury’s distinctly sorrowful voice sang out Time Waits For No One. Ford just gave us a reason to relish every minute. TMS

Willy Chavarria

It’s unlikely that the Marble Collegiate Church, bordering Koreatown and Madison Square Park, has hosted such a crowd in the nearly 400 years it’s been standing. Jostling several rows deep at the front steps and queuing around the block, Chavarria’s community – which reaches all boroughs of New York and beyond – turned out en masse to support the designer. Known for his tendency to treat lowly workwear with reverence, this season he turned his attention to papal matters. Opening the show, a handful of male models wearing oversized while T-shirts down to their knees (as roomy as priests’ robes) carried roses, red and black, to the altar. For Chavarria, bagginess is next to godliness. 

The collection explored the similarities – and juxtapositions – between church and streetwear. A pair of long shorts could have referenced basketball shorts, or ecclesiastical robes. A traditional nun's black habit with white collar was reworked into a bell-sleeve shirt. Black then red silk taffeta gowns, replete with corsages the size of dinner plates, decorated neat tailored jackets. Shiny patent black choir-boy loafers were worn with oversized T-shirts emblazoned with city names in reversed varsity type (Fresco, Sacramento). Many of the models were friends of Chavarria, and brought with them a true representation of New York. The show was a highlight of the week. TMS

Batsheva

As far as local designers go, Batsheva Hay is as New York as they come. Case in point: an invitation to editors, buyers and friends to savour her new collection in a classic Jewish deli, Ben’s Delicatessen, alongside latkes, knishes, orange juice and coffee. Against the deli's retro features, vinyl seating and well-worn carpeting under foot, Batsheva turned out 1980s-era favourites, including a white patent leather skirt suit, acid pink party dresses covered in black polka dots and sparkly tunic dresses. The throwback carried over into the label's use of its trademark florals, this time cut into blazers, pyjama sets, bralette tops and bloomers. Relaxed, even frivolous and open to interpretation, Batsheva’s subversive take on saccharine sweetness is alive and well. PRK

Tuesday 13 September

Gabriela Hearst

There was a distinct, elemental quality to Gabriela Hearst’s new collection. Inspired by a chance introduction to the work of Ancient Greek female poet Sappho, Hearst expressed a more contemplative mood with uncomplicated silhouettes in a neutral, monochromatic palette. Despite its apparent minimalism, Hearst’s flair for creating unexpected beauty with intricate craftsmanship was at full strength. An abstract collage featuring black and gold shapes proved to be the grounding force of the collection, particularly in a series of garments featuring contoured gold leather that was soaked in water and then draped on the body to create each individual piece. Knitted dresses featured intricate pebble stitches and swirling designs knitted into the garment itself. Hearst’s elegant tailoring was adorned with custom-made rose-gold bars, bestowing a hint of shine as models moved. 

As always, Hearst’s passion for sustainability, eco-transparency and ethical production continues to make her an industry leader. In addition to using eco-certified materials and implementing carbon offsetting measures for the production of her show, Hearst published a list of the materials used in the collection, ranging from deadstock linens and silks to upcycled denim. The show itself was set to a rousing live performance by the Resistance Revival Chorus, a collective of women and nonbinary performers, and culminated in Hearst skipping out joyfully to take her bow. The Chorus is actively raising funds for Act Blue, a New York abortion access fund that supports anyone living in or travelling to New York, who may need help paying for an abortion. PRK

Peter Do

Memory. When we close our eyes, what bubbles up? And what causes us to be sucked back to a place we might not have visited for days or years? A scent or a song can trigger instant recall, but do clothes wield that power? Peter Do enlisted Korean American author Mary HK Choi to pen a letter for his show notes; in it, she talks of her father dying, memories, the feeling of time slowing down. 

The last would prove a theme of the collection, which was titled ‘Time’. In his own work, Do manages to embody this feeling of time slowing, while always looking towards the future. Blush, chocolate, sand and mushroom-coloured tailoring in patent leather, satin, and dry tropical wool had a feeling of sensuality and softness. Open-backed leather jackets and shirting appeared as powerful silhouettes from the front, before revealing an unexpected vulnerability as the models walked past. Cityscape prints were blurred like a flashback, appearing on silk scarves fashioned into capes, and then blown up on black and white degradé prints (Do revealed they were images he took himsef of moments that he ‘wanted to memorialise’). 

Despite the label still being relatively young, Do’s hallmarks are becoming easily recognisable: tailor’s white top-stitching left in place on the exterior of garments (also this season, black tape used to the same effect); billowing white shirting in various fabrics; double-breasted suiting, left open or pulled taught across the waist; steel toe-capped, chunky-soled footwear and intimidatingly high spiked heels; razor-sharp pleating, this season in sheer chiffon. It lends the feeling that Do is not just creating clothes but also a world; as such, he asked K-pop star and NCT band member Jeno to open the show wearing one of his inaugural menswear looks. Male and female models both walked, but one gets the feeling that the girls and boys will be borrowing from each other. TMS

Tory Burch

For her latest collection, Burch looked back to a moment of personal transition, the 1990s, when she first moved to New York. By association, the silhouette became longer, leaner and cleaner – in her words, experimenting freely while paring everything back. Fabrics had a sporty stretch, aiding a feeling of movement in shin-skimming pencil skirts and cropped stretchy leggings (the latter worn with flat slingbacks and slippery satin maxi skirts). Richness, and a feeling of travel, came in a lustrous gold leather coat and woven fabrics with historical patterns. Unexpected moments appeared throughout – an apple green satin mac, a sheer turquoise turtleneck, giant shimmering paillettes – while sporty open-collared tops, nylon macs, and sleeveless gilets grounded the collection in the everyday. TMS

Jonathan Simkhai

Amber was the starting point for Jonathan Simkhai’s S/S 2023 collection. Re-examining the fossilised resin, he emphasised that the material is not a semi-precious gemstone, as is often believed, but something more humble (albeit beautiful). He was particularly drawn to its healing qualities, and thus looked to fabrics that would soothe the wearer.

Simkhai was also taken with amber’s inherent ability to capture and preserve moments in time. The designer was feeling nostalgic for the minimalism of the 1990s, as well as much older craft techniques used over generations. Tightly knotted crochet was treated with precision, with panels inserted into silk dresses (it felt less bohemian and more cocktail party appropriate). Waists were cinched with folded buttery leather belts. Shoulders were subtly built up on suiting to emphasise form. Sporty mesh pencil skirts and dresses, reimagined from white cotton shirting, will feel as at home in the city as packed for vacation. TMS

Monday 12 September

Carolina Herrera

For S/S 2023, designer Wes Gordon conjured up the magic of storybook romance for a feminine, flower-laden collection that threw back to American glamour from another time. Inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, The Secret Garden, one of Gordon's childhood favourites, the silhouettes on offer ranged from strapless bustiers teamed with oversized balloon sleeves, and figure-hugging mini dresses with whimsical taffeta ball skirts, to floaty chiffon dresses covered in handpainted tea roses and peony blossoms. Set under the chandeliers and opulent interiors of The Plaza hotel ballroom, the maximalist collection was offset by a dash of precise tailoring, such as a double-breasted suit, a black wool jacket and, of course, crisp white shirting, in a nod to the label's namesake, who sat approvingly in the front row. PRK

Coach

It's unlikely many mornings after the night before roll in as buoyantly optimistic as Coach’s show today. The dreamy tableau that opened proceedings was titled ‘The Morning After’, showcasing a street scene bathed in tangerine-pink dawn light – a young couple in love strolling hand-in-hand; party-goers (with ballet moves) still revelling; a pedigree dog; and a spherical red balloon, bobbing along and passed between characters. 

Coach is certainly steering headfirst into a new dawn for the brand. Looking to overhaul its ‘accessible luxury’ positioning and transform into a true luxury player, it's been quietly tightening distribution and upping its prices, reintroducing updated versions of bags rather than phasing styles out after a couple of seasons. All of this dovetails with a creative shifting of gears. Stuart Vevers played subversively with American codes: baby-doll prairie dresses with white socks and patent Mary Janes, varsity sweaters styled with buckled leather shorts, Fair Isle sweaters naively over-knitted with colourful yarns. Outerwear was also given serious attention – oversized leather coats had a pre-loved softness – while jelly sandals and rubber pouches in boiled-sweet tones will likely be social media catnip. 

The show was closed by Lil Nas X, who was revealed as Coach’s new global ambassador, while the brand also noted its support for the youth education programme at Park Avenue Armory (where the show took place) with a donation from the Coach Foundation, made to empower a new generation in the New York and beyond. TMS

Area

Area’s move towards a more couture-based approach appeared fully realised in its newest collection, ‘Tetrahedron’, which saw designers Piotrek Panszczyk and Beckett Fogg dissect ancient architectural tropes to explore ideas around fetish and worship. Opening with a cage-like bondage dress, covered in jumbo, jewel-encrusted spikes, the collection exuded an otherworldly spirit that straddled both punk and primitive. The spikes – actually 3D-printed cones handset with Swarovski jewels – also appeared on dramatic evening coats, belts and stilettos, giving garments a powerful, otherworldly aura. 

Panszczyk and Fogg have experimented with provocation ever since founding Area in 2014. This season, that came in the form of bondage motifs that oscillated between the classic feminity of ribbons and bows, and the bold strength of BDSM wraps and corsetry. One dress, crafted entirely out of metal ribbons adorned in rhinestones, appeared to swirl around the body as if caught by an invisible breeze.

Construction and shape were key elements in this collection. Distortion of form appeared everywhere from couture pannier jeans to shrugged bodysuits developed around folded pyramids in vibrant silk duchesse. The same motif also took shape in spherical column gowns and skirts. As fantastical as these pieces were, the offering was rounded out with comparably more wearable items, such as a jewel-encrusted tunic tee and ribbon-shaped bustiers and cocktail dresses. PRK

Sunday 11 September

Sandy Liang

Sandy Liang took showgoers back to simpler times with an ultra-feminine collection evoking the unbridled romance and naivety of youth. Filled with bralette tops, gauzy slip dresses, low-slung trousers that sat way below the navel, ruffled nightgowns and a bounty of silk hair ties and ballet bows for the finish, Liang’s S/S 2023 collection tapped into girlhood at its truest. The teenage fantasy hit its high points in the creations Liang unveiled earlier in the week – a silk Mary Jane pointe shoe, complete with a blocky square toe, which has been in development for over two years, and a bridal capsule collection, featuring four dresses and three veils. Playful, unexpected and just the right amount of off-kilter, Liang’s version of femininity exudes an effortless energy. PRK

Khaite

When you take a show apart – strip away the venue, the music, clever styling, models – what are you left with? Clothes, pure and simple, seen in just the same light as a customer will find them on the hanger. How clothes hold up once the support acts are eliminated can say a lot about the calibre and health of a business – ultimately, how clothes feel, and how they are cut to hang on the body, is what will keep shoppers coming back. 

Cate Holstein has perfected the recipe of making really great clothes that women want to wear now. Without oversimplifying: clothes that make you feel relevant, seductive, and strong. Clothes that are uncomplicated to wear but cut so precisely as to deliver maximum effect. Today, Holstein deftly cherry-picked the sexiest elements of the 1980s (an oyster satin trench coat; ten-denier black tights worn with satin heels; pussy-bow blouses; python prints), spinning them together with 1990s David Lynch references and entirely of the moment silhouettes that she is making her own. 

Often, clothes seen in a runway show are made for effect and later ‘cancelled’ from the production run, deemed too expensive or complex to make on a larger scale. Not for Khaite: what you see in the show is what you can buy, and creating a collection with a compelling spirit that still passes muster once it's dismantled to its individual items deserves acknowledgement. TMS

Puppets and Puppets

Carly Mark has a way of bringing together incongruous references to deliver something cohesive yet out of the ordinary. For her S/S 2023 collection, Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, the dramatic illustrations of Danté’s Inferno by Gustave Doré, and parties in New York City provided the inspiration. ‘By weaving together these three themes, I’m able to tell a story about New York that is universal and also uniquely my own.’

Known and loved for her amusingly kitsch accessories (handbags featuring cookies, a wedge of swiss cheese as a hat), new, simpler pieces this season gave breathing room to the more expressive ideas: a burnt red wrap skirt that revealed a flash of thigh; a suit jacket with pencil-narrow lapels; conservative court shoes, worn subversively. Butterflies hovered on areas that don’t usually see the light of day: across a model’s exposed chest, and on another model’s coccyx, revealed by a dress with a particularly low back. There were perhaps fleeting whispers of the late, great Alexander McQueen, who similarly sought inspiration from Dante (his A/W 1996 collection was named ‘Inferno’) and of course gave the world his famously low-slung ‘bumster’ silhouette. Although here, Mark’s off-kilter treatment of an intarsia varsity jacket and silver cocktail dress crafted from a series of bows felt, as the designer said, distinctly her own, and a love letter to her home city of New York. TMS

Zankov

Henry Zankov is fast becoming known for his specialism in knitwear, drawing admirers with his bold, optimistic designs – or ‘taking up space with colour’, as the designer puts it. Zankov has been thinking about his Jewish-Ukrainian roots and artists that share this heritage, including Louise Nevelson and Kazimir Malevich. Fascinated by the idea of collecting – another reference point was the art collectors Aimé and Marguerite Maeght, founders of La Fondation Maeght – he also looked towards the works of contemporary French painter Philippine de Richemont, whom he met just prior to the pandemic. Through lockdown, they messaged constantly, sharing references and interests (‘We naturally found we wanted to collaborate together,’ he says); in the collection, de Richemont’s figurative, gestural motifs run throughout on oversized sweaters, floor-length maxi-dresses and culotte shorts. Exploring the idea of knitwear for all seasons, other standout pieces included lightweight crepe intarsias and sheer ‘tissue-weight’ ribbed tanks – easily packed for summer – and a sporty, perforated boucle terry knit in vivid raspberry pink. TMS

Tommy Hilfiger ‘Tommy Factory’

The rain may have gotten the better of Tommy Hilfiger’s recreation of Andy Warhol's Factory, but the New York veteran nonetheless staged a larger-than-life, mega-wattage return to the runway. Held just beside the Brooklyn waterfront, Hilfiger presented what he does best – heritage Americana and preppy sportswear, with a renewed, inclusive message. Worn by an exceptionally diverse cast of models, the collection ranged from rugby-striped tunics and nautical knits to logoed denim bodysuits and plaid tailoring. Most notable was the unveiling of a special capsule designed by the British designer Richard Quinn. Featuring a rework of Quinn’s signature daisy emblem in a palette of bold colours, the collection sees the vibrant motif emblazoned on oversized puffers, peacoats, backpacks and holdalls. ‘I've always been inspired by working with creatives who push boundaries and Richard is no exception,’ said Hilfiger. ‘We've brought together our two distinct aesthetics to create a rebellious take on prep. It’s unexpected and optimistic and reflects the playful spirit at the heart of both our brands.’ PRK

Luar

As a prelude to his S/S 2023 runway show, Luar’s Raul Lopez shared a childhood memory in the show notes: him sitting at a reunion in his family’s Brooklyn living room, waiting for other family members to arrive. As each relative unzips their practical outerwear to reveal their glamorous and romantic finery for the special occasion, ‘you can’t help but gasp and sit up a little higher’, writes Lopez. ‘They float towards you with stars in their eyes, planting a kiss on your cheek as you think to yourself, oh we eatin’ good tonight, devouring legacy in the form of looks.’ 

Such was the mood for Luar’s latest collection, a supercharged tribute to the 1980s, informed by the immigrant experience, stemming from Lopez’s family roots in the Dominican Republic. Titled ‘La Alta Gama’ (‘The High End’ in Spanish), the collection reflects Lopez’s portrayal of the high and low, elegance and utility, tailoring and leisure, which have all come to define the Luar brand. ‘The women in Lopez’s family protected at all costs the American luxuries they worked hard to acquire. The jackets were their armour but the minute that these layers were shed signalled not just arrival but an inherent transformation,’ the notes continue. 

Exaggerated shoulders, textured leather blazers, pinstripe tailoring, nylon parkas and patchwork motifs were some of the references that mixed together. Paired with silk skirts, billowing trousers and jewel-encrusted gowns, the dynamic mash-up is reflective of Luar’s exciting appeal. Completed by its inclusive spirit and a cult handbag to boot – S/S 2023 sees a new briefcase shape join the ranks – Luar’s star continues to rise. PRK

Saturday 10 September

Eckhaus Latta

Beneath a cool canopy of trees at El Jardin Del Paraiso – a community garden in the Lower East Side – Eckhaus Latta paid homage to a friend of designer Zoe Latta who passed away in 2019, Matthew Grinnell Underwood (1983-2019), a multidisciplinary artist from Providence. With the permission of his estate, Latta and co-designer Mike Eckhaus deftly wove his artworks into the collection – notably, printing his images onto silver foiled T-shirts and knotted dresses, as well as slinky knitwear. Harpist Mary Lattimore opened with a delicate melodic riff, before sampling, scratching, and building on her own notes to create a soundtrack of depth and complexity. The press notes included a poem, which described the act of zoning out as inherently romantic. Romantic was the mood; serenely melancholic in the sunshine. 

The overall effect was ethereal and dreamlike (sheer netting ruched into dresses, tops as light as candy floss) punctuated with moments of urgency (a hazard orange workwear jacket). And then came the section of items with giant pieces missing – not suggestive cut-aways, but rather gaping holes revealing a stomach or side, or an absent trouser leg, as though something crucial had been unexpectedly lopped off, gone missing. A commentary on grief and loss, perhaps, so adept is Eckhaus Latta at reflecting back to the world the very spirit of life in a given moment. TMS

Dion Lee

Dion Lee’s selection of a raw, vacant space on the 22nd floor of a midtown Manhattan office block meant his androgynous collection was set against the sun-drenched New York City skyline. With views of the city’s changing architecture and its sea of glass facades just beyond, Lee’s consideration of the silhouette – articulated through body-hugging mesh tanks, cut-out elements, motocross-inspired leather and denim jackets as well as zippered parachute pants – could not feel more of the moment. Known for his gender-fluid approach to dressing, Lee’s ability to blur the boundaries between tailoring and utility, structure and ease was equally apparent. This season, he was drawn to similar crossovers in nature. His transformation of the recognisable Monstera plant motif into leather mini dresses and boots was paralleled by sheer cut-out tops and T-shirts that mimic the rib cage and other aspects of human anatomy. A delicate halterneck top crafted from metal beads and worn with wide-legged tailored pants was a particular highlight, as was a pair of lemon yellow dresses, interspersed with revealing, loosely strung panels, once again accentuating the body. PRK

Private Policy

Feelings of peace and love flowed through Private Policy’s after-dark sidewalk show where fans of the brand queued three deep outside the downtown venue for a chance to glimpse models walking under the floodlights which lined the pavement. The brand has been consistently working to shed light on a political global issue each season; over the years they have addressed topics as diverse as American ‘big pharma’, the potential of fungi, enslaved fishermen and contemporary capitalism. Their S/S 2023 show was titled ‘Noah’s Ark’, and the brand’s creative directors, Haoran Li and Siying Qu, were concerned with animal migration, deforestation and the impact of humans on animal welfare. In places, the translation was literal –heart-shaped peace signs and doves mid-flight adorned T-shirts. Elsewhere, graphic hoodies and board shorts, utility denim and cargo pants, and streetwear-infused tailoring meant plenty of desirable pieces for Private Policy’s many devotees. TMS

Marni

Creative director Francesco Risso’s contract with Marni was extended in 2020, after a four-year winning streak, in part for his ability to attract and convert a younger, more diverse customer. Tonight, in a dramatically lit tunnel in Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), a milieu of curators, artists, fellow fashion designers, musicians, and more hugged hello and jostled for their seats, all pledging allegiance to the house’s vibrant, colourful prints. Risso studied part of his fashion education at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology and appeared as comfortable as ever to be back in the city. The concept of the circle seemed to be circulating in Risso’s mind. The String Orchestra of Brooklyn (along with Dev Hynes), all bedecked in tangerine-red, delivered a driving, pulsating soundtrack that looped and looped; sleeves of dresses flowed into hemlines, creating a hooped silhouette that appeared to conjoin arms and legs. Circular crochet panels appeared on the front of crop tops, while slinky silk jersey separates also showcased a circular motif. The final looks leaned more into handcraft, appearing to have come unravelled on the loom before being top-stitched back together with a knitting needle. Sporty accessories took the form of sunglasses masquerading as slick swimming goggles, boxing boots and knitted sock boots stamped with soccer boot markings, while the finale dress was painted with dish plate-sized dots. A very welcome import. TMS

Friday 9 September

Proenza Schouler

Fashion’s discombobulated scheduling (viewing summer clothes in autumn, winter coats in spring) continues to disorientate, although remarkably everything at Proenza Schouler appeared just right for now. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez delivered their vision for next summer on a sweltering fall day as people were still mentally and literally unpacking from their own summer escapes. Energy was high among the guests and in the clothes; Hernadez looked to his Cuban roots to inspire expressive flamenco ruffles and polka dots, while McCollough built on their nearly 20-year heritage of American sportswear. It made for a tantalising flirtation between city and vacation states of minds: the new perennial mindset? On the runway, models with slicked wet hair and glistening skin appeared as though they had just stepped out of the ocean, arriving at a glamourous beach bar for sundowners in gold crochet pants and dresses trimmed with kinetic beading. 
 
Everything moved with finesse – scuba circle skirts swished; hemlines of pants swirled about ankles as though models were walking through waves; exaggerated waterfall sleeves draped almost to the floor. By contrast, tailored outerwear and pristinely cut lace shirting in chartreuse and bubblegum pink presented a youthful option for those dusting the sand off their toes. A colossal waterfall, ‘a symbol of life’, was projected onto the interior walls of Hall des Lumières in downtown Manhattan opposite City Hall. Next week the full 28,000 sq ft space will open to the public as an immersive digital exhibition programmed by Culturespaces, the creator of Atelier des Lumières in Paris in partnership with IMG. TMS

Collina Strada

Collina Strada’s provocative, eco-minded ethos found an ideal soulmate in its show setting this season. Staged at the Naval Cemetery Landscape, a former cemetery now transformed into a nature preserve, with local plant species, nectar-rich annuals and milkweed varieties to attract pollinators, like monarch caterpillars and butterflies, back to New York City, the wild and unexpected sanctuary formed an idyllic backdrop for the label’s ethereal new collection. Inspired by the butterfly’s symbolic life cycle, designer Hillary Taymour emulated stages of life, death and rebirth in garment form, while showcasing the advancements in Collina Strada’s regenerative philosophy. Diaphanous orange fibre organza gowns in psychedelic florals and rose-derived ‘sylk’ pieces were teamed with embellished deadstock denim, knitwear made from upcycled cotton-acrylic scraps (a collaboration with the Italian label Vitelli), and handpainted, made-to-order jeans, created together with Unspun, to prove just how responsibly clothes can be made. Finished with cane sugar sandals and boots by Melissa and Viron boots made from apple leather and upcycled leather, the future of sustainable fashion is certainly blooming and bright. PRK 

Fendi

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Fendi’s Baguette bag, it seemed only apt that the brand returned to the Big Apple to fete the sartorial icon, the place where it was canonised in pop cultural history thanks to Sex and the City. Joining forces with other icons such as Marc Jacobs, Tiffany & Co and SATC actress Sarah Jessica Parker, Fendi’s artistic directors Silvia Venturini Fendi and Kim Jones took over Manhattan’s Hammerstein Ballroom to stage a star-studded anniversary collection to be remembered. Inspired by the bag and the era of freedom and excess that it was born in, the collection was an ode to the piece's multiplicity. From its multi-pocketed form, which riddled its way overcoats, skirts and gloves, to reinterpretations of the Fendi logo and the bag’s signature buckle, the collection embodied the bag’s idiosyncratic glamour, with a hefty dose of shiny satin, shimmering sequins and candy-coloured fur all muddling together in triumphant harmony. PRK

A literary mood pervaded the A/W 2022 runways – whether American author Ottessa Moshfegh writing a short story to accompany Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s latest Proenza Schouler collection, or at Valentino, a 40-page pink-hued invite created in collaboration with cult Generation X author Douglas Coupland, there was a distinct sense that reading was the activity du jour this season.

Released today on World Poetry Day, the latter house’s new series ‘Narratives II’ continues this literary project, inviting some of the world’s most celebrated authors to submit an original piece of writing which is then laid out into colourful text-only campaign images, evoking – as Valentino describes – ‘a polyphonic conversation, a common quest of building a multi-vocal community’. The 17 participants range across genres and countries, and include Amia Srinivasan, André Aciman, David Sedaris, Leïla Slimani, Michael Cunningham, Murathan Mungan and Mieko Kawakami, among others. Coupland also returns with an extract titled ‘Unopened Mail’.

The loose theme of the project is love ‘in all its forms and meanings’, with each short extract spanning various mediums – some are brief aphorisms, like Slimani’s ‘we all die unknown, but if we have loved, if we have devoted our hearts to another, even for a moment, our lives have counted’, others miniature short stories or fragments of poems, others simply surreal gatherings of words. Valentino said it hoped each writer would ‘experiment in freedom of genre’.

Alongside the campaign, the house will also continue to support independent bookstores in association with Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss’ book club Belletrist, from McNally Jackson Books to Brooklyn’s Café Con Libros – a project first started in the original Narratives campaign, which launched in April of last year (Valentino cites ‘a proactive approach to “giving back” to the community, and the places where literature dwells’). The campaign itself will appear papered across the streets of Soho, New York, as well as in other cities around the world.

The Narratives series continues an ongoing and ever-expanding link between Valentino and the literary world, which first began in 2018. In the years since, projects have included Valentino On Love, featuring contributions from Mustafa The Poet, Greta Bellamacina and Yrsa Daley-Ward, a scholarship for new writers in collaboration with novelist Tomi Adeyemi, and a 2020 campaign by photographer Liz Johnson Artur, accompanied by original words from Bernardine Evaristo, the Booker Prize-winning author of Girl, Woman, Other. 

INFORMATION
valentino.com

Almost one year since the coronavirus began ravaging through New York City and upending life as we thought we knew it, it is eerily apt that the A/W 2021 season of New York Fashion Week marked an equally transitional time in fashion and beyond as the world as a whole teeters between hanging onto old ways and embracing the new.

Spread over five days, but lacking the return of some of the city’s heavyweights, including Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors, who instead will celebrate his 40th anniversary with a presentation in April, the subdued impact of this season’s official calendar epitomised some of the issues that New York Fashion Week has been suffering from for years. New York’s brighter talents tend to have a habit of jumping across the pond to show in Europe, while those who do stay rebel against the established systems and traditional venues to show on their own terms at their own time. In the latter respect, this mostly virtual season was no different.

With designers hedging their bets for the most attention by showing both before (The Row presented its collection in January) and after the traditional season (Tom Ford closed the season from LA over a week later), this season New York Fashion Week felt especially disparate. Two of the city’s most exciting forces, Telfar and Pyer Moss, did not show at all.

Amongst those who did reveal new collections at New York Fashion Week, tapping into the trends of 2021, there was a strong message of simplifying and reducing silhouettes to the essential, while at the same time elevating the pieces that one would wear and depend on in an effort to bring a sense of hope to everyday life. Proenza Schouler, for example, favoured long, lean silhouettes and languid, midi-dresses, ranging from sumptuous jerseys to tactile knits, that offer a soft, in-built geometry, compared to the overt attitude and angularity the label usually puts forward. Showcased in a film that saw models stride past and pose against the Herzog and de Mueron-designed Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, the collection elegantly addressed the inherent duality of life in these times – suited for cocooning oneself in while staying, yet perfectly poised for ultimately venturing out when the time does come.

Khaite, another favourite, similarly put forward an abundance of easy-wearing silhouettes, including draped jersey dresses in cream and olive tones, oversized puffer coats in quilted patent leather and chunky, hand knit jumpers brandishing an exaggerated texture (all in cashmere of course) – all designed to both comfort and flatter. To inaugurate the collection, creative director Cate Holstein teamed up with director Sean Baker on a short film in ode to the crazy, frenetic nature of New York City. Screened at a drive-in theatre, complete with views of the Manhattan skyline, the cinematic venture celebrates the enduring nature of New York, especially at such a pivotal time.

‘New York feels raw and exposed now, up for grabs in a way I’ve never seen before. It can be frustrating and even feel hopeless, but it’s also exciting, and to live here is to cycle through these emotions, rapidly,’ says Holstein, who with Baker, drew from New York in the late 70s and early 80s for inspiration. ‘In talking with Sean, we both traced the intensity of this time to what first drew us each to New York — the intrigue, the edge, even the peril. No one moves to New York to play it safe.’

New York was also front of mind for Tory Burch, who had her latest collection photographed at The Odeon restaurant, a true New York institution. Inspired by ‘New York City, both the dream and reality of possibilities [and its] opportunities, creativity, diversity,’ she notes, Autumn/Winter 2021 is grounded in the way women want to dress: seasonless layers that are comfortable yet put together, and can be reimagined in their own way.

Embrace of the digital medium hit a particularly exuberant note at Collina Strada, who’s experimental Gif lookbook showed a diverse cast of models morphing into hybrid animal species. To realise the images, Collina Strada’s Hillary Taymour worked with illustrator David Mattingly, multimedia artist Feeka Tet and the original artist behind the cult sci-fi video game and book series, Animorphs, to creatively address the intertwined relationship of human civilization and the environment. As always, sustainability is at the collection’s core. Taymour has not only continued using deadstock fabrics from Ghana’s Kantamanto Market, but also partnered with luxury resale site, The Real Real to upcycle and transform used items into new garments – the first partnership of its kind, and a big stride forward. 

Left to right, pet bag, by Prada, H95 headphones by B&O, chain necklace by Louis Vuitton, room spray by Byredo

‘Every season, I always look for color and prints when sourcing for materials, anything that looks fun. It feels selfish to create new garments, but we must keep creating during this time,’ Taymour says. ‘Upcycling is the perfect way to continue the Collina Strada platform, so I was excited to have access to the TheRealReal archives and give new life to pieces that have emotional and sentimental value.’

Sustainability was also top of mind for Gabriela Hearst, who continues to be a carbon neutrality partner with Eco Act. This season, Hearst contributed to the Chan Nuoi Biogas Project, which enables families across Vietnam to use human and animal waste to generate clean and sustainable energy. Her Autumn/Winter 2021 collection draws inspiration from Saint Hildegard of Bingen, a composer, philosopher, mystic and botanist, who was born in 1098 and believed in the interconnectedness between science and art, and of the individual and the world – sentiments not only embodied in the collection’s aesthetic, but in the company’s pioneering commitment to the environment as well.
 
This demonstration of brands using their voices as a platform beyond the realm of fashion was equally evident in the show of solidarity for the Asian-American community, especially since the start of the season coincided with the spike of hate crimes against Asians across the country as well as the start of Lunar New Year celebrations this year. Designers including Phillip Lim, Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu, lead much of the discussion in the fashion world, which counts many Asian Americans from New York, in its midst.
 
With the coming year still standing as a gaping unknown, the fierce optimism that grounded Tom Ford’s new collection is something we should all be working towards. Ford, who ‘began designing a few months ago, thinking that by Autumn, I would be in the mood for very extravagant materials and finishes’ after a year of cozy dressing, ‘ultimately ended up taking the upper halves of handmade, almost couture-like pieces, and cutting them into jackets and tops, and putting them together with cut off jeans,’ he says in his collection’s statement. Decadent with a hint of practicality (or as close to it as Ford comes,) the top-focused offerings are well suited to both Zoom meetings and the world beyond.

British photographer and Wallpaper* contributor Jason Lloyd Evans has been shooting behind-the-scenes backstage snapshots from the runway shows of the world’s most creative brands, since the early 2000s. Here we reveal his favourite sublime snapshots, spanning the last eight years.

Armani Privé S/S 2012

‘Giorgio Armani hosted a “One Night Only” event in Beijing and seemed to be one of the first to really tap into the market and bring his show direct to his there. It was a great experience to go and cover the trip for them.'

Proenza Schouler S/S 2012

‘Proenza Schouler has always been one of my favourite brands to cover in New York. The brand's shows always have such a special casting, concept and collection.'

Burberry A/W 2013

‘Karlie Kloss and Jourdan Dunn showing their love for Christopher Bailey's Burberry. His shows always had a super positive energy.'

Givenchy S/S 2014

‘Being backstage at Riccardo Tisci's shows for Burberry was always an en experience, you never knew what you'd be allowed to shoot. The make up which Pat McGrath created for his shows was very special too.'

Chanel A/W 2015

‘Chanel doesn’t generally allowed backstage access and therefore it is always a bonus to be covering it for a special feature. This A/W 2015 shot from Karl's reign ran as part of a 12 page feature in 10 Magazine. Big, bold and beautiful.'

Gucci S/S 2017

‘Gucci really hit its stride under creative director Alessandro Michele – his eclectic collections are such a departure from what came before and add a real buzz to the Milan schedule.'

Tommy Hilfger S/S 2017

‘This LA show tapped into many emerging patterns in fashion. It was a collaborative collection with Gigi Hadid, it used the See Now Buy Now retail model and had real focus on consumer activation.'

Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda S/S 2018

‘I have been really lucky to cover Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Moda events. The summer show is always hosted in a stunning Italian location such as Sicily or Capri. The clothing is always exceptional.'

Alexander Wang S/S 2018

‘All the cool girls want to be in Wang's gang and that's the energy his brand's shows really tapped into. Case in point, here you find Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber and Kendal Jenner.'

Valentino Haute Couture S/S 2019

‘This was one occasion where I was happy to be shooting the catwalk rather than backstage. The show, the venue, the music and the collection was incredibly moving, and many editors were weeping! At the end of the show, I whizzed to the front of the runway and caught these really intimate shots.’

Versace S/S 2020

‘This is part of a backstage series of portraits of Jennifer Lopez and Donatella Versace, after Lopez had walked the catwalk in a revisited version of the brand’s iconic Jungle Dress.’

Fendi A/W 2020

‘For Fendi, I captured days of clothing fittings, hair and makeup tests, the show’s set build and DJ meetings. How fashion shows are presented may change, but for me the creative and collaborative process that comes from them will always be at the heart of fashion.’

Quotes: Jason Lloyd-Evans. Additional writing: Laura Hawkins

INFORMATION

lloyd-evans.com

Mood board: Staged in the ground floor lobby of Frank Gehry's ICA building, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez created a collection poised to tackle an unpredictable new decade for A/W 2020. Filled with enveloping, blanket-like shapes yet bolstered by pieces that twisted and wrapped round the body, the collection exuded an undulating tension of softness and angularity, control and release, for a utterly beguiling effect.

Sound bite: Commenting on what prompted the direction for the collection, Hernandez said backstage, ‘We're not political designers in any way, but you can't help but be influenced by the world around you. We came back into the studio right after the holidays and what you see is this narrative of unraveling, this idea of things falling apart, but also the feeling of wanting to be protected. It's those two opposing forces.'

Best in show: Dresses have always been a Proenza Schouler forte and building upon seasons past, this collection's specimens continued to exude sophistication. Despite hemlines being longer, the garments still retained their sex appeal, thanks to graphic cut-outs that elegantly revealed the midriff and waist, and drapery that followed the lines of the body, either effortlessly slipping off the shoulder or winding around a chunky metal necklace in an all-encompassing gesture. The look was power dressing at its best. 

Mood board: Power dressing doesn't come quite close enough to summing up the bold and bolshy collection Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez put together  for Spring/Summer 2020. Boxy suits in light pastel shades, worn with beautifully draped cropped tops and slinky cowl neck tanks, jostled for attention with diaphonously sculpted cut-out dresses that boasted sharp v-necklines for added impact. The elongated and ever so slightly exaggerated silhouettes may not have been overtly sexy, but easily seduced viewers with their confidence and unrelenting sense of control. Definitely one for the woman in charge.

Finishing touches: Proenza Schouler's accessory offering, which included white leather booties and snaking leather sandals in shades of white, grey and marigold, was equally self-assured to match. Handbags ranged from no-nonsense oversized totes, loosely slung over the shoulder, to architectural pochettes with mismatched wrist straps - an enticing talking point in their own right. Finished with large gold hoop earrings and chunky sunglasses in black or tortoise shell, there was no doubting here who is boss.

Best in show: While suiting may have kicked off the show, the range of eveningwear on display was particularly breathtaking, especially with the incorporation of several, eye-catching fabrics, like a metallic foil paint splatter print, this season. Building upon past dress successes, which did reappear ocassionally in new iterations here, the duo also experimented with new silhouettes, including a slinky, glittering scoop-necked dress and a draped jersey gown, which alluring wrapped around a leather choker, while revealing carefully placed cut-outs for an added geometric effect. Even an evening duster coat, with an open square neckline, was quickly elevated with contrasting black foldover panels over the shoulder and lapels. Cool and collected, this was a definite highlight of the season.  

Scene setting: Perennially ahead of the curve, Proenza Schouler treated showgoers to a bird's eye view of Hudson Yards, which officially completes next month. The runway show was set on the 22nd floor of 55 Hudson Yards, an office tower designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo & Associates still in the finishing stages. Although the building boasted unfinished concrete interiors, it's curved steel windows and panoramic views more than made up for things with their dramatic impact.

Mood board: Designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez continued to forge their vision of womenswear with an unapologetic collection brimming over with self-assuredness and powerful vibes. Broad-shouldered, tailored silhouettes were offset by knitted cut-out dresses, skinny leather trousers and pleated lurex skirts. Outerwear possessed a deconstructed quality - a nod to Sol LeWitt's incomplete cubes which prompt the kind to fill in the missing blanks. Filled with demonstrations of individuality and complexity, this forward-thinking collection was exciting to say the least.

Finishing touches: Proenza Schouler accessories have always been wildly coveted for their adventurous spirit and this season's offerings were no different. Angular, square-toed boots in white and black amplified the looks with an edgy undertone, while handbags, which ranged from large utilitarian totes embellished with metal rings to cool compact purses with long chain straps, both proved to be versatile enough to handle any occasion.

Mood board: After multiple seasons of presenting its collections in Paris, Proenza Schouler chose to go back to the tenants of American culture for its first showing back on homegrown soil. Brimming over with tie-dye, acid wash denim and Western motifs such as pointed collars, studs and leather waistcoats, the label’s dynamic collection was cool, creative and deserving of the much-welcomed homecoming it received.

Scene setting: Staged on the second floor of an under-construction building on a Wall Street, Proenza Schouler crafted a snaking runway amidst crumbling plaster and exposed concrete walls. As guests entered, they were welcomed by a specially designed installation created by the artist Isa Genzken, who has used media, architecture, consumer goods, design and other everyday cultural material to create complex imagery and works. Genzken’s pieces for the label feature five mannequins decked out in Proenza Schouler pieces, masking tape, printed paper, plastic foil, spray cans and a ladder. The work, like Genzken’s others, are rife with political commentary and social ideologies.

Best in show: With its supreme sense for proportion, Proenza Schouler delivered a collection that was a feast for the eyes. From tiered and drop-waisted acid wash dresses, to architectural, wide-legged trousers and broad, tall leather boots, cinched together with thick cord at the ankles, the duo’s ability to transform comfortable wardrobe mainstays into smouldering statements was aided by the impeccable construction and tailoring behind each.

Left, Lemaire

A jolt of colour contributed to Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran’s ode to German aesthetics of the 1970s and 1980s.

Shirt, £270; trousers, £395; shoes, £340, all by Lemaire


Right, Christopher Kane

The designer’s saccharine yet sensual domestic goddess favoured frothy ruffled details and scarlet shades.

Coat, £3,995, by Christopher Kane. Earrings, £225, by Fay Andrada

As originally featured in the February 2018 issue of Wallpaper* (W*227)

Far left, Céline

Powerful proportions informed Phoebe Philo’s collection, like this draped dress with an accentuating leather waistline.

Dress, €4,500, by Céline. Earrings, €635, by Proenza Schouler. Tights, £35, by Wolford


Left, Lanvin

In a collection inspired by our fragmented digital age, different looks were spliced together, such as this utility-focused boiler suit and jacket.

Coat, £2,250; jumpsuit, £2,650; collar, £280, all by Lanvin


Right, Jil Sander

As part of their debut for the German house, Luke and Lucie Meier offset monastic shapes against skin-baring chequered fabrics.

Dress, £2,220; culottes, £560, both by Jil Sander. Earrings, £240, by Ambush. ‘Stromboli’ table, €5,800, by India Mahdavi

Left, Dior Homme

Sharp tailoring was offset by a soft nostalgia, evoked by ribbon scarves bearing the Rue de Marignan address of the Dior men’s studio in Paris.

Jacket, £1,600; trousers, £590; scarf, £230, all by Dior Homme. Shoes, £387, by Pierre Hardy


Right, Dior

Maria Grazia Chiuri paid homage to Niki de Saint Phalle, this trench coat nodding to the French-American sculptor’s bold use of colour.

Coat, £4,700; boots, £1,150, both by Dior

Left, Raf Simons

There were Japanese elements to the Belgian designer’s offering, which featured oversized blazers buttoned across the chest in homage to the cut of a kimono.

Blazer, €1,239, by Raf Simons


Right, Hermès

Workwear stitching and movement-friendly shapes did the heavy lifting in Véronique Nichanian’s relaxed offering.

Shirt, £590; trousers, £540, both by Hermès. Scarf, vintage, from Kiliwatch Paris. ‘CH23’ dining chair, £569, by Hans J Wegner, for Carl Hansen & Søn

Left, Saint Laurent

Anthony Vaccarello continued his love affair with the 1980s with voluminous puffball silhouettes inspired by vintage haute couture.

Dress, £12,855, by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. Earrings, €635, by Proenza Schouler


Right, Louis Vuitton

For his Hawaii-inspired collection, menswear director Kim Jones juxtaposed monogrammed surfer tops with oversized Wall Street suiting.

Jacket, £1,950; shirt, £600; top, £440; trousers, £650, all by Louis Vuitton. ‘D.156.3’ armchair, €4,524, by Gio Ponti, for Molteni & C


Far right, Louis Vuitton

Meanwhile, head of womenswear Nicolas Ghesquière used leather to add a modern edge to the high necks and wide collars of regimental frock coats.

Coat, £7,500, by Louis Vuitton. Earrings, £225, by Fay Andrada

Left, Gucci

Part of a catwalk collection that blended gender, genre and decade, Alessandro Michele’s gently flaring suit has real retro flair.

Jacket, £1,310; shirt, £355; trousers, £435; shoes, £2,070, all by Gucci


Right, Loewe

The Madrid-based house celebrates contemporary craft in this reinterpretation of the trench coat, shredded into curling streams of fabric.

Coat, £4,890; boots, £725, both by Loewe. Earrings, €635, by Proenza Schouler. ‘Henri’ bench, €4,860, by India Mahdavi

Far left, Prada

The women’s collection sported polka dots, plastics and fake folds, emphasising Miuccia Prada’s fascination with punk, 1950s fashion and trompe-l’oeil. 

Coat, £1,810, by Prada. Earrings, €635, by Proenza Schouler


Left, Prada

For menswear, her triple-layered silhouettes looked to comic strips, retro spacesuits and colour-blocked bowling shirts.

Coat, £3,005; shirt (tan), £435; boiler suit (red), £1,030, all by Prada


Right, Ermenegildo Zegna

Alessandro Sartori matched sports-luxe silhouettes with organic shades, as seen in this combo of caramel overcoat and trousers with jogging bottom detail.

Coat, £2,860; trousers, £800, both by Ermenegildo Zegna Couture. Shoes, £340, by Lemaire. Scarf, vintage, from Kiliwatch Paris. ‘Henri’ table, €11,880, by India Mahdavi

Left, Proenza Schouler

With this corset-detail overcoat, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez gave outerwear silhouettes an eveningwear vibe.

Coat, €3,170, by Proenza Schouler. ‘D.156.3’ armchair, as before


Right, Chanel

Karl Lagerfeld took on the elements with plastic fantastic double-breasted coats, rain hats and gloves.

Coat, £11,740, by Chanel. Earrings, €635, by Proenza Schouler. Tights, £35, by Wolford. ‘Henri’ bench, as before

Mood board: The fashion show for Proenza Schouler’s A/W 2017 collection doubled as a farewell party for one of New York’s preeminent fashion labels before it moves to Paris to join the couture schedule. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the duo behind the brand, presented their first runway show in 2003, and the Proenza Schouler sporty logo zip-pulls that featured on the outerwear in their A/W 2017 collection, acted as a marker of the brand’s America-based history.
 
Best in show: An asymmetric sequinned dress in layered fuchsia, gold and black with cut-out details, exuded everything about the New York state of mind that Proenza Schouler has embodied over the years. It was cool, sexy and confident. Another look, an ankle-length white pleated-skirt with black detailing, paired with a one-shoulder abstract print t-shirt was elegant and edgy all at once.
 
Finishing touches: The streamer-like zipper pulls on both jackets and handbags which experimented with a spliced version of the Proenza Schouler logo. Tube like shapes also coiled around the arms and wrists, serving as unusual bracelets.

When Christian Dior presented his first collection to the press nearly seven decades ago, it was his New Look designs that had the fashion world buzzing for their radical (if not scandalous) forms. From his flower-strewn salon on 30 Montaigne Avenue – a ‘decorated but not decorative’, classically elegant space – the 42-year-old designer made fashion history.

These days, in a world where social media rules, fashion brands are devoting the same painstaking craftsmanship into increasingly ambitious show sets as they do their collections – with budgets to match. Shows have become an essential extension of brands, with dazzling installations, bespoke soundtracks, and multi-sensory experiences deemed the new standard. From orchestras to neon basketball courts, fashion houses are embroiled in a game of one-upmanship designed to cater to a global tech-centric audience.

A new book, The Fashion Set: The Art of the Fashion Show, celebrates the supercharged evolution of the modern runway, featuring over 100 images from the world’s foremost fashion houses including Louis Vuitton, Prada, Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Chanel and Fendi. Edited by prolific fashion commentator Federico Poletti, and with essays by Diane Pernet and Colin McDowell, the book offers a compelling overview of recent fashion shows.

Sets are now defined by how photogenic – or rather, Instagrammable – they are, with brands plotting bigger and bolder ways to bank those likes. Karl Lagerfeld has conjured spectacular mise-en-scènes including a supermarket and even an airport terminal for Chanel. Dries Van Noten presented a fairy-tale spectacle, laying his models down on a moss-like carpet by Argentinean artist Alexandra Kehayoglou in lieu of a runway.

Other fashion houses have commandeered architectural icons where the spectacle is the location itself. Raf Simons recently opted for a sojourn in sunny Cannes where Pierre Cardin’s inimitable Bubble House formed the otherworldly backdrop to the Dior’s 2016 Cruise collection. Elsewhere that same season, Louis Vuitton’s then-creative director Nicolas Ghesquière whisked us away to Palm Springs, moving into the John Lautner-designed Bob and Dolores Hope Estate.

In the fleeting world of fashion, the long-time creative coupling of Prada and Rem Koolhaas’ research and design studio AMO has been a reassuring constant each season. In one especially memorable menswear outing, Miuccia Prada turned to golf for inspiration (even though it was, by her own admission, a sport she hated). Cue AMO’s coolly calculated interpretation of an indoor golf course, setting the stage with green Astroturf while guests perched on rows of sky-blue cubes.

Likewise, intriguing sets are often born from designers taking a conceptual turn. Creative duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez eschewed the conventional fashion show for Proenza Schouler’s pre-spring showing in Florence, collaborating with three artists to create a video, an installation and a live performance. Donatella Versace said of the space age setting for her autumn/winter 2016 menswear show: ‘I’m thinking of the future. This is the ultimate expression of the future: space.’

Fashion, though, is a fickle creature by its very nature, restlessly searching for new ways to reinvent itself. Designers may very well soon eschew thrilling theatrics for more austere performances (Vionnet’s entrancingly austere S/S15 ballet-inspired set comes to mind). And with the growing popularity of augmented reality and technological innovations such as Oculus Rift, runways now have the potential to evolve beyond the physical realm.

We have already witnessed holograms at Alexander McQueen and the first 4D fashion show care of Ralph Lauren Polo. Most recently, Tommy Hilfiger populated his front row with social media stars for his first see-now, buy-now show, as consumers look for instant gratification both on and off the catwalk. Facebook, meanwhile, has been forging a new path with its recently launched 360 photo and video technology, a thought-stirring taster of things to come as it applies this innovation to fashion shows. The once far-fetched prospect of a fashion house connecting its audience through a flawlessly crafted virtual reality now seems plausible, even imminent. One thing is for certain: the future of fashion set design is limitless.

INFORMATION

The Fashion Set: The Art of the Fashion Show is published by ROADS Publishing, £40. For more information, visit the website

Mood board: If one word could define Proenza Schouler’s S/S 2017 show it would be colour. The bold use of colour was prevalent throughout, in vivid prints, abstract colour blocking and in the images used on oversized t-shirts and long-sleeved shirts.

Finishing touches: Is ear make-up a thing? Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez decided to complete the show’s beauty look by colouring some of the model’s ears, which also sported large dangling earrings. Several looks had strategic cutouts, while others were finished with a dose of fringe.

Best in show: The show’s opening look, a matching black and white pleated crepe top and skirt, was almost sculptural in form, and perfectly composed. Bold colour-blocked stripes, especially on a knit dress felt like wearable abstract art.

INFORMATION

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

Mood board: As an exploration of the notions of control and release, Proenza Schouler's latest collection looked to American art from the 1960s and 1970s for inspiration. Soft, knitted pieces expressed ideas of reconstruction by means of oversized laces, different iterations of tying and wrapping to give shape and form.

Scene setting: Using work by artists such as Richard Serra, Frank Stella, Robert Ryman and Robert Smithson as touchstones, it was only apt that the label commandeered the 5th floor gallery space of the Renzo Piano-designed Whitney Museum. Square, silver foil poufs, used as seating, were scattered in coil-like formations in the expansive space, much like a work of art themselves.

Best in show: Designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough’s ability to create new forms out of familiar fabrics made for a truly memorable collection. Whether it was exploiting negative space in the form of subtle cut-outs in knitted garments, which revealed hints of an arm, a shoulder or the waist, and then were laced back together with thick black canvas, or the final series of embroidered dresses that seems to be constructed from curling strips of ribbon, many of the looks took our breath away. What's more, a limited selection of the new pieces will be available exclusively at the label's downtown store from 18-21 of February.

Mood board: It was scissor time at Proenza Schouler’s spring outing, as Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez lopped off fabrics with a dramatic, flirty and feminine swoosh. Ruffled halter top dresses were cut away at the shoulders, feathers were latticed together like chain-mail, and hems were slashed with an uneven, speedy edge. That said, the mood was very grown-up this season; you'd just better possess a great set of shoulders.

Best in show: Though the dresses were dramatic, it was actually the new-style suiting that charmed the most in this collection. White viscose crepe pants were cropped and flared and worn with matching long white cotton jacquard sleeveless coats. The addition of black bows tied at the neck presented the new cleaned up urban uniform.

Finishing touches: The shoes were the big news under cropped, flared trousers this season, with Proenza cutting very sleek black leather footwear with low metal heels, silver ring detailing on the side and strappy black ribbons that tied around the ankle. Also noteworthy: the high-end fruity earrings that dangled like flashes of lighting at the earlobes.

INFORMATION

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

Rick Owens: Everyone at fashion week has seen a fringe or two in their time, whether it's sported by a catwalk model, famous face or even a handbag. But an invitation? That's novel, even to us. Rick Owens is to thank for this one, sending a suede-covered, embossed board coated in deep tan and mouse grey suede, fringed by - you guessed it - a trim of luscious locks. Bonkers and brilliant in equal measure

Anya Hindmarch: The doyenne of tongue-in-cheek, Hindmarch sent a miniature textured leather road sign attached to a spot-varnished card, warning us of the dressed-up diversions that lay ahead. It seems she may have tempted fate; the show indeed held London's fashion crowd up, though the eventual M25-inspired runway-meets-motorway (and Little Chef breakfast) more than made up for it

Givenchy: We returned to last season's high school hall for Riccardo Tisci's A/W jumble show. A miscellaneous match of items including arcade games, helmets and out-of-date TV screens decorated the multi-coloured court lines of the Parisian sports hall. The assembled audience watched from a range of velvet armchairs or foldaway garden chairs

Louis Vuitton: For the French brand's second run at its impressive Louis Vuitton Fondation location, all the action was transported outside to an installation of transparent, Buckminster Fuller-esque domes

Louis Vuitton: Designed by Es Devlin, the geodesic structure's seating was splashed with a mix of futuristic tangerine, brown and stark white as natural sunlight flooded the catwalk

Thakoon: Thai-American designer Panichgul Thakoon joined forces with Jonathan Beck on behalf of Dizon Inc to play with high impact colour for Thakoon's A/W set. Tinted film room dividers created a somewhat psychedelic effect as light bounced off them in all directions

Chanel: The luxury brand once again fulfilled expectations (and appetites) with its transformation of the Grand Palais into the 'Brasserie Gabrielle'. Three operational pop-up bars were equipped with Parisian waiters, coffee and newspapers, while the space was set with red leather banquets, wood boiserie panelling and bistro tiled flooring.

Prada: Pastel hues and metallic panelling turned Via Fogazzaro into a futuristic realm for Miuccia Prada's A/W offering

Prada: The show's 'Softer Pop' clothes floated through Mrs Prada's pastel space odyssey made up of diamond shaped silver flooring and ceilings

1205: Palm trees and tumbling foliage were the striking accoutrements to 1205's greenhouse show. The Barbican Centre's central conservatory provided a jungle escape for Paula Gerbase's utility inspired collection. The contrast of brutalism and green leafage set a serene scene for the elegantly tailored collection.

Dsquared2: In comparison to the past season where set designer Stefano Grossi re-created an actual apartment interior for the Caten twin's show, for A/W he went with a more graphic approach. A heavenly white staircase cascaded from a dimly lit, tiled marble entrance from which the models stormed the venue

Edun: New York's Skylight event space was left unembellished for this season's Edun show, leaving the venue's Stefan Beckman block installation to take centre stage. The set designer's studio created twin geometric structures that provided a narrow entrance for Edun's multi-cultural collection

Moncler Grenoble: On Valentine's Day evening we were welcomed into Moncler's 'love factory' inside the Duggal Greenhouse warehouse space within the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Set against a crimson draped backdrop, the action took place about a vibrant red, heart-shaped box. This later opened to reveal an array of his 'n' her Moncler outfits, each primed for a winter sport, before the male and female models took part in a kissing finale

Opening Ceremony: Humberto Leon and Carol Lim once again partnered up with Spike Jonze for their latest unorthodox showcase. This season, the white washed walls of New York's Cheim & Read gallery were plastered with a collage of photography by the American creative, which included profile images of both actresses and musicians

Tommy Hilfiger: There was a rush of all-American spirit surrounding the Tommy Hilfiger show in New York. For the brand's 30th anniversary Randall Peacock's design studio transformed the Park Avenue Armory into a Gridiron football field. Kitted out with 'Hilfiger' scoreboards, floodlights and even a Jumbotron, the stadium waited for the 'players' to storm down the green and compete in sportswear's finest

Dior: Upon returning to the Musée du Louvre, Raf Simons conjured a feminine glass box for Dior's A/W presentation. Producers Bureau Betak juxtaposed the soft pink flooring with thick black pillars and clean white benches, while huge windows offered striking vistas of the sandstone Cour Carrée

Wunderkind: Within the walls of the modern art emporium that is the Palais de Tokyo, autumn's Wunderkind collection was presented under a graphic mirrored enclosure. The concept, by Edwin Lemberg and Christian Weinecke, manipulated the spatial area through huge slanted mirrors that reflected faceted views of the collection around the clinical venue.

Emilio Pucci: Milan's Palazzo Serbelloni offered a palatial farewell to outgoing designer Peter Dundas. The Napoleonic room posed as a grand backdrop for Dundas' astrologically inspired collection, with its gold plating and crystal chandeliers shedding a glistening glow on all below.

Philipp Plein: In true Plein style, the showman's audience was given another thrilling performance to remember. A live music set by Azealia Banks kicked off proceedings, while a giant rollercoaster raced around the darkened theatre hall - save for the banner #pleinwarriors that shone in bright lights

Moncler Gamme Rouge: The outerwear giant took to the great outdoors for its Gamme Rouge showing at the Grand Palais. Equestrian models rode over an autumnal runway that was strewn with a patchwork of crispy brown leaves and green foliage

Kenzo: As creative sets go, Kenzo definitely rose to the occasion for A/W with its moving Paris installation. A 20-foot tall backdrop glided effortlessly across the enormous show space before splitting into six different blocks. The structures then rotated on the spot, revealing foiled metallic sides, which shone rainbow reflections onto Humberto Leon and Carol Lim's collection

Erdem: Back at London's Old Selfridges Hotel, Erdem Moralioglu enlisted the help of set designer Robin Brown to resurrect his A/W muse's fictional 1960s Parisian pied-à-terre

Erdem: Under the moody, shadowed lighting, the stained yellow wallpaper and tousled furniture brought a personal narrative to the artful presentation

Erdem: The retrofied apartment took some seven days to construct and fit-out

Versace: Dontella Versace's models arrived through a commanding red and black backdrop derived from the outer edges of the house's Medusa logo. Although the collection itself was more modest this season, the mood remained seductive thanks to the venue's dim boudoir glow and scarlet Perspex runway

Lacoste: In comparison to last season's themed set, for A/W Bureau Betak gave the spotlight to the brand's sportswear. The Lincoln Centre theatre offered a raw setting with white marking lines leading models around giant concrete pillars

Mary Katrantzou: One of the Royal Horticultural Halls was turned into a girl-power paradise for the Mary Katrantzou's presentation.

Mary Katrantzou: Bureau Betak created a spongy Barbie pink studded runway for the designer's cocktail attire to bounce over.

Proenza Schouler: The New York-based brand ran its sharply tailored collection down a stone tiled catwalk for A/W. Under low-hung lights, a backlit installation loomed over the venue's warm atmosphere.

Antonio Marras: The Milanese designer's gilt embellished set posed the perfect setting to compliment a show dedicated to Italian style icon Benedetta Barzini. Ornately printed walls offered an elaborate backdrop, while 18th century rugs marked the runway

Tod's: The Italian brand took over the Baroque setting of Milan's Palazzo Litta for its A/W runway presentation

Tod's: Deep red walls and gold seating dominated the opulent setting. The Italian brand's models entered from ceiling-high doorways as elaborate mirrors reflected the brand's A/W looks

Fendi: Swiss artist Sophie Taeuber-Arp's geometric abstractions boldy coloured both the Roman house's A/W show space and collection. Taeuber-Arp's distinctive style resonated in the graphic prints that ran along each side of the Via Solari venue

Hunter Original: Within the industrial surrounds of London's Albert Embankment Warehouse, Hunter creative director Alasdhair Willis continued his water world theme. This season, a trio of tumbling waterfalls flowed through the darkened venue

Maison Margiela: Although Paris' Grand Palais if often a rather, well, grand affair, Maison Margiela's high gloss white tunnel provided a sterile, blank canvas for John Galliano's first ready-to-wear collection

Marni: Consuelo Castiglioni 's Amazonian A/W 2015 collection was presented in an industrial-style den. The raw set space featured worn down plastered walls, rough grey pillars and a waxy red runway that drew the eye to the main event

Mood board: This season Proenza Schouler delivered a sharp, strong collection based on creative cutting that produced thick bands of fabric wrapped around models' shoulders or flapped around the legs on skirts or frock coats that swung like fringe at a car wash.

Finishing touches: Fishnet stockings blown up into massive, oversized hole-punched hosiery, were a major accessory statement. Meanwhile, leather bands were used to wrap around the models' heads, or were tied around the ankles on chunk-heeled shoes.

Best in show: Sheer tunics came punched with multi-coloured rivets and trimmed in spiky fur for a tribal line up of smashing finale gowns.

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

Fashion week, nowadays, is about much more than just the collections. Showmanship is the name of the game, and in the meticulously executed sartorial extravaganzas, the sound space is an element that no producer or designer can afford to overlook. Music royalty - past, present and future - is enlisted to ensure a full assault on the senses. Here, we bring you New York Fashion Week's catwalk mega-mix from the S/S 2015 womenswear collections.

SATURDAY 06/09

Lacoste
'All Under One Roof Raving' by Jamie XX; 'Goodies (Remix)' by Kingdom; 'Ooops! (Oh My) (Tweet Oops re-edit)' by Hudson Mohawke; 'Sexual Eruption (Instrumental)' by Snoop Dogg; 'Stay (Marius Horsturz Edit)' by Rihanna
Music production: Michel Gaubert

Alexander Wang
'Eject Fast Forward' by Click Click; 'God Created The Beat' by Matrixxman; 'Boneless' by Starsweeper; 'Biggie Bounce' by Diplo; 'Like This' by Linkoban; 'Bend Ova' by Lil Jon
Music production: Frédéric Sanchez

Altuzarra
'Rosemary's Baby Main Theme' by Krzysztof Komeda; 'Suspiria' by Goblin; 'Suspiria (Rvng Prsnts Mx5 Featuring Justine D'; '14 Water Drums' by Curd Duca

SUNDAY 07/09

Victoria Beckham
'New Dorp. New York' by SBTRKT; 'Lights' by Sohn
Music production: Frédéric Sanchez

MONDAY 08/09

3.1 Phillip Lim
'Ambush' by Last Japan; 'All I Ever Need' by Caribou; 'Where I Belong' by Gui Boratto; 'Can't Do Without You' by Caribou
Music production: Sebastien Perrin

Donna Karan
'Suvelo (Cuban Mix)' by Tribal Target; 'Sin Plomo' by Nature Groove; 'She' by Alice Smith
Music production: Kevin Edwards & Kris Bones

Rag & Bone
Original soundtrack by Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich

TUESDAY 09/09

Marc by Marc Jacobs
'The Blue Danube' by Johanne Strauss II; 'My House' by Chuck Roberts; 'Hackney Parrot (Special Request VIP)' by Tessela; 'Danube Love' by Franz Lehar; 'GT Turbo' by Mella Dee; '3am Eternal (Blue Danube Orbital Mix)' by KLF; 'Radio Babylon' by Meat Beat Manifesto

Diesel Black Gold
'Metal on Metal (Stereo Difference) from Trans Europe Express' by Kraftwerk; 'Voices' by Neon; 'Dub In My Eyes' by Depeche Mode; 'We Are The Axis (Daniel Avery Remix)' by The Asphodells; 'Shake "Nickel Ride"' by Cowboy Rhythmbox
Music production: Michel Gaubert

WEDNESDAY 10/09

Michael Kors
'Be My Baby' by Linda Ronstadt; 'Be My Baby' by The Ronettes; 'Be My Baby (Orchestral)' by Thomas Roussel; 'Then He Kissed Me (Orchestral)' by Thomas Roussel 
Music production: Michel Gaubert

Boss
'How Did The Affair End?' by In Flagranti; 'Romeo & Juliet' by Abel Korzeniowski; 'Factory Floor' by How You Say; 'Sun Position' by The Persuader; 'The Four Seasons' by Vivaldi
Music production: John Gosling & Steve Mackey

Reed Krakoff
Original soundtrack by Sebring Revolution

Proenza Schouler
'Amarant 8' by Scanner; 'Procrastination' by Demdike Stare; 'Amarant 2' by Scanner
Music production: Michel Gaubert

THURSDAY 11/09

Ralph Lauren
'Lioness In Love' by The Afrika Connection; 'The Here And After' by Jun Miyake; 'Soleil Chaleur (Soleil + Chaleur + Toi + Moi)' by Ariane Moffatt; 'Did We Live Too Fast' by Got A Girl; 'Mama' by Khadja Nin

Calvin Klein Collection
'Camouflage' by Scanner; 'Kendo For Yukio Mishima' by Matmos; 'Moss Garden' by David Bowie; 'Some Are' by David Bowie; 'Dune' by Chloe
Music production: Frédéric Sanchez

Marc Jacobs
'Etude 1' by Nadia Sirota; 'Etude 1A' by Nadia Sirota; 'Computer Voice Narration' 
Music production: Steve Mackey

A fashion show by Proenza Schouler is almost always good and, at times, truly great. Designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez can't be expected to hit it out of the park every season, but for spring they did just that with a collection that centred on their signature surface interest and sizzled with the frisson of the new. Working with paper-thin leathers that draped with the ease of organza or woven strips of silk that spilled into piles of unfinished fringe, the designers graduated from a proficiency in craft to a mastery of craftsmanship. The expertise required for intricately braided intarsia slithering their way through leather, or python patched up with Prince of Wales check and wool, or leather crochets falling like open-weave netting, is not insubstantial. These complex, sophisticated techniques - plus many more - were blanketed across nearly every look in the collection, without ever getting tricksy or heavy handed. Rumours are swirling that luxury behemoth LVMH has its eye on this New York based brand; if that's the case this collection was another gold star on their already shiny resume.

If the feature-erasing, pre-show red light was any indication, we were not about to see anything resembling a detail at Proenza Schouler's Winter fashion show. But just as the eerie red glow dimmed and the audience slowly adjusted themselves to real life with real wrinkles, every eyeball in the room got jolted yet again. This time, though, the shock was in the form of splattered patterns that began in micro speckled formations on highly structured, deeply engineered clothing and slowly grew in scale into more ambitious abstractions. As is the case in almost all of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez's brilliant work, it was hard to discern at first glance what exactly created all the commotion on the clothes. Were these patterns printed on or woven into? Were we looking at jacquards or knits? Could that jacket with the nipped waist and ballooning sleeves stand up by itself in the corner? The guessing is all part of the Proenza game and in this case, it turned out there was a healthy dose of intrigue. Much of the surface detail on the clothes - which at times looked liked abstracted animal prints (think scratchy tiger stripes or broken down giraffe tiles) - was the result of flocking, a printing technique that makes the surface of the garment raise up like a sponge. This looked especially sharp in shots of brilliant colour - like hot tomato or cool turquoise mixed with black - and when cut into sharp A-line skirts or nipped waist jackets. Alternatively, the designers used jacquards to create fancy pixelated effects on round-shouldered wool coats, or collaged square pieces of leather, knits and wools into fabrics that resembled aerial landscape shots. What they didn't do was anything home-spun or crafty looking. This was a speedy, urban collection that played with proportion as much as it did wildly unruly pattern, all to fascinating effect.

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

At the ripe age of 32, Proenza Schouler designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough may not still hold the trophy of New York's youngest designers, but they're definitely its most sizzling. Since starting their business 10 years ago, they've cornered the market on cool, complex fabric development that may be logistically torturous, but also ensures that no one else's runway looks anything like theirs.  

They have gone to corners of the earth - underwater in Bora Bora, in the backseat of a car in Texas, and a recent road trip through New Zealand - all in the name of refreshing their eyeballs and jumpstarting an original collection inspiration.

Back home in New York, they've channelled their ideas into a signature coterie of custom-brewed materials, pushing their fabric and embroidery suppliers into new territories.

Here we've handpicked some of the most mind-bending and headache-inducing fabric techniques from Proenza Schouler's past collections.