New York Fashion Week has kicked off, marking the start of a month-long celebration of fashion. Proenza Schouler and Ralph Lauren opened the event with standout collections in Soho and the Hamptons.

This season, we’re seeing exciting trends, from festive fringe to equestrian chic, and anticipating bold statements from iconic brands like Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch, Tommy Hilfiger, and Michael Kors.

Emerging designers LaQuan Smith, Luar, and Willy Chavarria are also on our radar, along with European debuts from brands like Nanushka and Off-White.

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren’s latest collection was filled with preppy, cowboy-chic pieces like crystal-embellished denim button-downs paired with fringed boot cut jeans, cable-knit turtlenecks with American flag motifs worn with cheeky lace mini shorts, and breezy prairie dresses that would have yuppies and Yellowstone-stans alike in awe.

Proenza Schouler

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s spring collection for Proenza Schouler made us want to set sail for far-off escapes. The design duo took a new approach to nautical dressing with Breton stripes, sleek lines, origami-like folds, and fringe that swayed like palm trees. The collection had many of the key elements of the trend but didn’t feel too on the nose.

Area

To celebrate its 10-year anniversary, NYC-based brand Area sent models marching down the runway in avant-garde creations. These included looks meticulously crafted from beaded hands, tightly compacted nylon hands that evoked the look and movement of feathers, and punk-inspired spikes. All of these explored the tension between conformity and rebellion, challenging traditional fashion norms. After a decade in the industry, the brand proved it can still push boundaries with its designs with their spring collection.

Collina Strada

Collina Strada’s Hillary Taymour knows how to make a statement, and this season, it was all about urging show-goers to touch some grass, as the kids say today. With a lineup of ultra-soft dresses and bubble skirts, Taymour explored a nostalgic return to basics via visible bloomers, playful prints, embellished flowers, and tiered ruffles. There was also one of the most diverse castings so far with models like the designer Mara Hoffman, the disabled and trans model Aaron Rose Phillip, and Elizabeth Sweetheart, the octogenarian known as the “Green Lady of Brooklyn.”

Willy Chavarria

True to form, Willy Chavarria’s show was filled with references to his Chicano heritage via oversized silhouettes, exaggerated collars, and guayabera shirts (which originated in Cuba but are a staple across Latin America and the Caribbean). This time, the designer wanted to pay tribute to the people who make his America and made sure to urge show-goers to engage in the election, placing “Willy Says Vote!” stickers and a copy of the United States Constitution of the seats.

Simkhai

Guests traveled up 100 floors to the top of the Edge, where they were treated to Jonathan Simkhai’s stylish vision for spring. Inspired by his mother’s wedding dress and his family-owned lace mill in Iran, Simkhai sent models down the runway in looks that balanced starkness and fabulous flourishes from blooming floral appliqués that looked like walking garland, fresh and crisp whites evoked new beginnings and elaborate laser-cut leather for a bit of edge.

Prabal Gurung

Entitled “Holi Hope,” Prabal Gurung’s latest collection showcased the joy and color of the Holi celebrations he experienced during his travels in Nepal. Plissé textures and flowing chiffons made models appear goddess-like as their looked flowed endlessly in the wind. The vibrant, optimistic collection was a bright spot amongst the severity the fashion industry is often clouded by.

Palomo Spain

Palomo Spain took his guests to church—literally. Held at the Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York, a Universalist church, the show looked to the divine as inspiration. But in a Palomo Spain universe, that will surely contain nods to his native Spain: fringe tops simulation flamenco mantones and oversized suits that looked eerily similar to the ones worn by men to Catholic mass. And then, there was the subversion he’s known for via bikini bottoms, bare-chested sequined leotards, and a wedding white tuxedo with lace train—all accessorized in the second edition of his collaboration with Spanish label, Bimba y Lola.

Campillo

Campillo’s debut show at New York Fashion Week was marked by the juxtaposition of hard and soft—the edge of distressed tailoring, the delicate flair of swooshing chiffon. A palette of earthy tones—read: rusty reds, dark yellows, chocolate browns—sprinkled throughout the collection, which redefined classic codes from the designer’s Mexican heritage.

Sergio Hudson

A flashback to the 1960s, Sergio Hudson’s lineup for spring/summer 2025 was filled with classic silhouettes from the era, as well as his signature tailoring. A first for Hudson, though, was menswear, showing models in monochrome relaxed shirt-and-pants combos with a pastel palette. Evening wear was also a central focus of the collection, like a strapless black gown with light pink strain and navy halter dress embellished in crunchy paillettes.

Grace Ling

Singaporean designer Grace Ling wanted her models to appear as if they were scorched, torn, burnt, windswept in couture-like creations that balanced between looking delicate and dangerous. Take, for instance, sheer gowns with ombré hems that looked as if they were set ablaze, shattered metal and spiky vines that shielded the body, and flowing trains that billowed as the models walked by. Having debuted at the height of the pandemic, this latest outing from Ling showed that we can expect fascinating things from her for seasons to come.

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