New York finds its footing in famous faces, global presence and political statements

New York Fashion Week has officially wrapped up its SS25 season, and before we head off to its British counterpart in London we are taking a look back at some of the highlights from a week in the Big Apple. And what a week it was. So much so that a question has continued to arise within the wider fashion community; has New York got its spark back? From a slew of celebrity appearances to the emergence of formerly Europe-dedicated giants to an onslaught of shows igniting a social media frenzy, the answer could be yes.

New York’s status has often long been considered to have waned in the shadow of Milan and Paris, two cities many of its born-and-raised designers have turned to in pursuit of brighter lights and more international acclaim. Yet, this year a shift was in the air. This could be, in part, due to the concurrent US Open, whose simultaneous timing allowed a string of trend-clad A-Listers to effortlessly move between the tennis courts and the runway. The emphasis on sports didn’t stop there. On the back of the 2024 Paris Olympics, athletes lined the front rows of many a show, and even took to the stage for runway debuts. Kim Shui appointed the help of gymnastics star Jordan Chiles, for example, while gold medal winner Noah Lyles became the face of Willy Chavarria’s show.

Sports stars take centre stage

Here, Lyles was dressed in a look designed to reflect Chavarria’s collection concept set out to champion the immigrants of ‘América’ – the title of the collection itself. Models streamed out ahead of an American flag in looks that aimed to “embody the essence of American ingenuity”. This included updates to pieces synonymous with the region, such as cowboy hats and American football gear. At the centre of the line was a collaboration with Adidas, a partnership that a press release said had been born from a “longtime mutual inspiration and affinity between the two brands”. Through 22-pieces, the duo explored and challenged the traditional norms of sportswear and fashion, twisting sports staples slightly beyond recognition – boxing shorts became a maxi skirt with a thigh-high slit, for example.

Famous faces extended well beyond the sportsworld, and many helped to elevate NYFW’s online presence as fans delighted in spotting their ‘favourites’ at various shows. It is a culture that has become prevalent in Paris and Milan, where typically star-studded guest lists draw out large onlooking crowds. Alaïa, a brand once solely dedicated to Paris, swept over New York with fervour, enticing even superstar Rihanna to accompany its already boastful line up of front rowers, including Naomi Campbell and Linda Eangelista.

Creative director Pieter Mulier gave himself the task of defining modern American fashion under the roof of the Guggenheim Museum, where he referenced local pioneers like Charles James and Halston, as noted in the collection's show notes. Mulier commented: “For me, American beauty means freedom, of body and of spirit. A simplity, a modernity and directness, a purity. And both for Alaïa and myself, America is a home away from home. I lived in New York for three years. It helped shape who I am today. And, in the 1980s, for Azzedine Alaïa, it was a city where his clothes and philosophy of design were embraced, where he opened his first store.”

A brand that has stayed true to its home turf is none other than Tommy Hilfiger, whose eponymous designer has continued to remain in favour of New York as a solid base. Prior to his show, Hilfiger told Elle UK: “There’s been some criticism about New York Fashion Week for a while, and we wanted to put that to rest. It felt important to show here. New York city is our birthplace: it’s where we started the brand almost 40 years ago, and it’s where I’m from originally, so we wanted to come back home.”

Returning to NYFW after a year-long hiatus, Hilfiger was back in full force with a spectacle he had dubbed to be all about “fashion-tainment”. Guests, including Damson Idris and Winnie Harlow, were herded onto a refurbished Staten Island Ferry to witness a collection that fittingly took references from nautical themes that were then merged with the preppy signatures of Hilfiger’s codes. The show’s finale was led by a surprise performance from Wu-Tang lan, who emerged from the audience, and thus, out of retirement.

New York’s emerging names retain importance

It would be unfair, however, to accredit New York’s seeming return to status as being solely down to the presence of celebrities and their appearance at the shows of more globally recognised brands. The city has worked hard to uplift its growing list of rising star talent, efforts of which were increased upon the appointment of US designer Thom Browne to chair of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Browne had set out on a mission to inject life back into the American fashion ecosystem, and elevate the presence of New York-based designers in particular. This year was no exception, as among the globally established names, New York still continued to champion its more local and emerging line up of designers, who enjoyed a boost in engagement.

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists were among those making marks this season. Sebastien Ami made its NYFW debut, for example, with the duo behind the brand, Marianne and Sebastien Amisial, drawing inspiration from vintage design to inform their collection. Grace Ling, meanwhile, also shook things up with her collection ‘Neanderthal’, which played on the relationship between humans and the spaces they occupy. Sculptural elements linked to the idea of surrealism, with the use of 3D printing technology taking precedence.

The encouragement to explore a new perspective to life could equally be seen at the runway of NYFW regular Collina Strada, who opted for the surprising location of East Village's Marble cemetery to dive into the idea of “Mother Earth”. The string of flowy, floral looks traversed the runway, many paired with grass-inspired details such as green-tipped hair or even a lawn mower – a reference to designer Hillary Taymour's push for people to “touch grass”. She elaborated on the theme in a press release, where she said: “In the intensity of this global election year, I found myself yearning to reconnect with essentials. It’s a reminder to escape the distractions sprouting from our phones and reconnect with what really matters.”

While Taymour aimed to provide a diversion from the chaos of this year, politics still held a firm place among the collections of NYFW, with the US election on the near horizon, sparking discussion within the creative community. Even before the fashion week began, US department store Macy’s, together with the CFDA and Vogue, already set the tone of the period through a rally organised in partnership with Fashion For Our Future, championing the right to vote and encouragement to engage with democracy. Bringing in around 1,000 people, some of which were sporting in looks designed by Zac Posen, the initiative was seen as an opportunity to “highlight our collective commitment to voting, positive change and societal issues”, Steven Kolb, CFDA CEO said.

Statements continued well into the fashion week, and were at the centre of New York brand Area’s own runway. To celebrate its 10 year anniversary, the label partnered with dating platform Tinder and US nonprofit Planned Parenthood to bring light to the issues surrounding restrictions on reproductive health in the country, a topic that has been at the height of discussion this election year. Alongside Area’s signature theatrical garbs, the brand also unveiled ‘Bans off our Bodies’ shirts, with printed red hands covering the silhouette and Tinder’s flame logo sitting towards the neckline.

Another subtle take on political sentiments was a part of Prabal Gurung’s ‘Holi Hope’ collection, which, among other things, was presented as part of the designer’s reevaluation of his relationship with America and his connection to the Hindu festival of Holi. Following a flow of ultra feminine silhouettes, many formed using plissé techniques that gave hints of Grecian flare, Gurung sent a group of models onto the runway in “suffragette” white looks, who then threw up bright pink pigment. In a note to the press, Gurung said he was partially inspired by the rise of feminine leadership which had brought a new sense of hope for the future. To further emphasise his stance, the designer appeared in his finale donning a t-shirt that said ‘vote’ on the front, and Harris/Waltz – the US democratic candidates – on the back.

While it is clear that New York is seemingly on some kind of path to recovery, for the designers that have continued to return year-after-year, it remains a supportive platform and a possible gateway to the wider fashion world. Now, however, with the added presence of global names, including the additions of Off-White, Ronald van der Kemp and Toteme, the tables could be turning and an aspirational revolution could be underway. Now the question is: can the CFDA and NYFW retain this ardour in the seasons to come?