February’s New York Fashion Week circuit marks the beginning of the Fall/Winter ready-to-wear cycle, and presentations of the latest from beloved American designers and otherwise came and went, as they do every season, with a quickness. With Marc Jacobs among the latest mega houses to commit to off-calendar showings, and budding designers such as Theophilio sitting this round out for one reason or another, a more bare bones line up this time around didn’t necessarily mean the week was destined to be an uneventful one. In the end, Parisian commodity Ludovic de Saint Sernin cast a fresh POV over the week with its first New York-destination show, Puppets & Puppets executed an emotionally stirring farewell (the brand showed its last ready-to-wear collection this season and said goodbye to New York and fashion shows, pivoting henceforth to accessories with London as its new base), and at Luar’s Bushwick show, a surprise Beyonce appearance.
While trends of past seasons leaned heavily into monochromatic palettes, color blocking and ‘90s minimalism, recent collections see a palpable shift toward a palatable maximalism, ushering in mixed patterns, vibrant tones and bold textures reminiscent of ‘60s. Runway gimmicks were in shorter supply this year (Beyonce aside), leaving room to take in the collections themselves, and there were efforts at diverse casting after a few seasons of backtracking, with models baring maternity bodies and brands enlisting a wide age range.
Ahead, as shows ensue in London, and up next, Milan and Paris, here’s the rundown on New York’s best.
Helmut Lang
Peter Do made quite a stir during his debut at SS24 in New York last year, and as he navigates constructing his sartorial narrative through the iconic label – the designer continues to carve out his own path as a Vietnamese-born designer for an American label. The collection retained a much darker tone than spring/summer, ditching bright colors and bold cutouts for more sharp and structured tailoring, mixed plaids and interesting silhouettes. Accessories from the collection included inflated handbag handles, flat crossbody sling bags, large rectangular leather purses and steel detailed boots.
Collina Strada
Coming off the heat of her AI-assisted SS24 show, the Collina Strada FW collection was playful as ever, baring models with pregnancy bellies, tops resembling inflated muscles and even a baby on the runway. As typical for a Collina Strada show – diversity was a must on the runway featuring models of diverse sizing and races. The collection was an explosion of color, whimsical patterns and over-the-top layering – ruching was a key component of the collection which added to the inflated bicep silhouettes resembling muscles which matched the eccentric dumbbells fashioned with squashes instead of weights.
Eckhaus Latta
Held in an empty industrial office space in Tribeca, the Eckhaus Latta fall/winter collection was a delightful presentation made up of earthy neutral and berry tones. The 30 look collection showcased faux fur detailing, ribbed knits, and sheer garments which embodied the restrained yet sexy aesthetic synonymous to the independent label. The unisex collection also featured playful accessories like an oversized fur scarf and knitted headpieces. Latta has mastered the art of cutouts, this collection including an asymmetrical cutout midi skirt and tops with strategic slicing in the fabrics which bared the models skin, adding intriguing detail to the laid back collection.
Anna Sui
In attendance by icons like Sofia Coppola and Marc Jacobs – the Anna Sui runway show was held in Strand’s Rare Book Room, a 37 look collection of explosive patterns and accessories that made no attempts to stay within muted or neutral tones and rather leaned into a palette that stood out among other runway shows. The collection began with orange and brown tones that utilized plaids and tartans, moving into blue paisleys and floral patterns before moving on to some darker looks which included some silver and foil tones, closing the show with an all sequined look. The styling of the collection was intentionally over the top, knee high socks, assorted headpieces, gloves and scarves were piled onto strategically layered looks adding complexity to the show. Overall, the runway presentation made for a delightful throwback to 60s aesthetics and vintage silhouettes while still including modern inclusions like cargo pants layered under plaid skirts.
Tommy Hilfiger
After a year hiatus from NYFW, Tommy Hilfiger has come home to New York City with a 59 look collection which reminds us what American design is built on. The iconic NYC label built on preppy staples like Khakis, Polos and cable knit sweaters quintessential to the all-American uniform – affordable, timeless and versatile. The large collection made use of classic patterns like stripes and plaids in standout pieces, paired with tailored blazers and more casual garments like varsity jackets and oversized sweaters to make for effortless and cool looks which were accessorized with large scarves and baseball caps. Tailoring varied from structured skirt suits to relaxed button-ups layered under chunky sweater vests, which demonstrated variety in the collection and Hilfigers knack for creating a recognizable uniform for a modern preppy aesthetic.
Elena Velez
The Milwaukee-born Elena Velez presented a small collection of 7 intricately crafted designs which notably made use of quality rather than quantity. Velez described the event as a salon rather than a classic runway presentation which further dove into the world that the designer is building with each season of work. The humble collection was a far-cry away from the designers previous runway season’s mud-fight stunt but no less synonymous to Velez’s vision of expanding the notions of femininity in fashion. Attendees were adorned with custom Elena Velez designs, and the intimate gathering of curated guests gathered on Fifth Avenue to bear witness to the brilliant artistry of Velez’s more current work. The collection leaned into Victorian Era details like voluminous tiered skirts and off-shoulder necklines in specific brand fabrications and textiles like leather and cotton-linen blends.
Sandy Liang
2023 was the year of the bow, chinese-born designer Sandy Liang being a principal influence in this trend which is still going strong. Liang has kept momentum following the success of the launch of her pointe shoe inspired ballet flats and multiple collaborations with notable footwear brands like Soloman and SUBU over the past year. Moving into Fall/Winter her latest collection has evolved her signature bow motif and featured Liang staples like the pleated skirts, square necklines and the adored ballet flat with the inclusion of new textures and silhouettes like rosette applique outerwear, fuzzy textured skirts and jackets as well as sweet floral prints. The overall pastel palette of the collection was punctuated by bright looks like an all-red look and bright pink bow dress which stood out among the collection. An expert at blending sporty aesthetics with more formal workwear and suiting, Liang has established a codified equation for the Sandy Liang it-girl which remains ever evolving.
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