3 Take Aways from New York Fashion Week, Fall/Winter 2025

Although New York Fashion Week usually heralds the start of a consecutive month-long stint of runway shows that take over the big four, this Fall/Winter 2025 season saw the city stand alone, so to speak. While the other three fashion capitals - London, Milan, and Paris - agreed to shift back their dates a week to reflect the later menswear and haute couture shows last June, New York decided to maintain its original schedule to avoid conflicting with President's Day, a national public holiday, thereby creating a nine-day gap between NYFW and LFW this February.

Some view the gap as a welcome break, and while the consecutive fashion week stint can be tiring for designers, press, and buyers alike, others have other views. With more time between fashion weeks, New York attendees may be more inclined to visit London, while London-based guests might welcome the break before Milan and Paris. Meanwhile, European visitors may have skipped this NYFW altogether, but those committed to NYFW were likely to stay through its final day rather than leaving early for London, as usual.

Some industry peers also believe that the date change leads to a more reduced New York Fashion Week schedule this season. With 54 shows this season, less than before, there were several notable absences from the official calendar, including CFDA Award-winning American designer Willy Chavarria, who chose to show during Paris Fashion Week Men's FW 2025 instead. Proenza Schouler was also absent following the departure of its founding designers, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, next to Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, who are both taking a season away from the runway. Despite a less-than-packed schedule, this NYFW season was still a notable one. Here, we share three of our main takeaways.

Director Debuts Seize the Spotlight

This season saw many showing designers and brands prioritizing a sense of comfort and familiarity in response to challenging times, resulting in a slightly more subdued season with a few bright spots. Two of those were undoubtedly the debut of creative directors Veronica Leoni and Frances Howie for Calvin Klein Collection and Fforme, respectively.

Marking Calvin Klein's return to the runway at NYFW after nearly seven years, the Calvin Klein Collection relaunch was a much-anticipated show on February 8. Under the creative direction of the Italian designer, Leoni's relaunch aims to revive the brand's minimalist heritage of the 1990s while adapting to modern fashion trends.

Her debut collection balanced American sportswear influences with contemporary updates, with outerwear and tailoring emerging as standout strengths, underlining the commercial potential for Calvin Klein's broader diffusion lines. Gaining approval from Calvin Klein himself, who sat in the front row, Leoni Leoni's first collection lays a strong foundation, signaling a promising future for the brand's high-fashion revival.

Further solidifying Fforme's status as an emerging force within the New York fashion scene, Howie, who took over creative direction at the brand from Paul Helbers last summer, drew on her previous design experience at Lanvin and Stella McCartney to deliver a collection of refined, artisanal and luxurious pieces. Her debut collection masterfully balances structure and fluidity with tailored mohair suits featuring delicate hand-frayed details and a wool trench transformed into a dress. A fan of unfinished elegance, seen in raw edges and intricate fabric manipulations, such as hand-frayed ribbons and bias-cut silks, Howie seems committed to furthering innovative textile development.

Triumphant Returns after a Hiatus

While NYFW welcomed the return of several major designers, including Prabal Gurung, Carolina Herrera, and Christian Siriano, it was the comeback of certain names, like Altuzarra, Thom Browne, and Christopher John Rogers, after a hiatus that truly captured the industry's attention. Joseph Altuzarra returned to NYFW after a season off for paternity leave, using his show on February 8 to reaffirm his brand's relevance in the forever competitive fashion market. Altuzarra took on the dual role of CEO and creative director of his namesake brand at the end of 2024 to drive its global expansion.

The brand's F/W 2025 show, staged at its Woolworth Building headquarters, featured designs that balanced commercial appeal with an elevated touch while staying true to his signature wearability. Rooted in American sportswear, the F/W 2025 collection introduced a touch of glamour, featuring vintage-inspired cocktail dresses, embellished skirts, and crystallized headpieces—often styled with casual staples like cape coats and pea jackets.

Christopher John Rogers made a truly triumphant return to NYFW after a five-year hiatus with his F/W 2025 runway show on February 6 at Brooklyn Navy Yard. Entitled Collection 015: Exhale, the collection was a vibrant celebration of resilience, joy, and self-expression. Said to be his most personal collection yet, New York's king of color drew inspiration from artists Angela de la Cruz and Hélio Oiticica.

At the same time, Rogers infused his dramatic occasionwear with a newfound sense of ease, as his signature ballgowns and evening dresses took on bold new dimensions, with ruffled layers and peplum-like flares in vivid color blocks and striking stripes—green, particularly a 'slime' shade, stood out. The collection also included daywear, featuring rainbow-knit sweaters and relaxed suits adorned with playful streamer-like embellishments.

Thom Browne closed NYFW on February 11 with a theatrical F/W 2025 show inspired by birdwatching, transforming the runway into a whimsical migration of sharply tailored designs. Taking place at The Shed in Hudson Yards under a sky of 2,000 paper origami birds, the hypnotic and dream-provoking show saw Browne showcase his signature gray tailoring across an array of English fabrics, from herringbone to glen plaid.

Proportions played a central role, with oversized shoulders, elongated blazers, pleated skirts, and dramatic silhouettes mimicking avian forms. Intricate coats featured intarsia birds and patchwork plaids, while exquisite pleated silk dresses and trompe-l'œil designs added a sense of fantasy. The show culminated in a breathtaking gold bullion-embroidered jacket and a sweeping 40-meter tweed ball skirt, reinforcing Browne's commitment to craftsmanship and creative vision amidst the noise of the modern world.

Expect the (un)Expected

This season at New York Fashion Week was a lesson when it comes to designers delivering both the expected and the utterly unexpected. For example, Carolina Herrera embraced its trademark florals, making a strong case for them beyond spring. The collection was very much in line with the fashion house's sensibility, showcasing chintzy jacquard shift dresses and intricate resin rose embroideries that felt just as fitting for autumn.

At Coach, creative director Stuart Vever continued his captivating and effortlessly wearable reinterpretation of New York's youth-inspired historical uniforms, inspired by the 1995 movie 'Kids' directed by Larry Clark, while Michael Kors embraced a more after-dark sense of glamour, presenting an F/W collection with deep-V sequined dresses, opera gloves, and shimmering gowns exuding an undeniable vampish allure. Continuing their narratives, one brand that chose to break away from the pack at NYFW and stage its return to the event in an entirely different location was Bode.

Emily Adams Bode Aujla, creative director at the New York-based brand, made her runway return following a two-year hiatus with the presentation of Spring 2025 Bode Rec. at the inaugural GQ Bowl in New Orleans on Super Bowl Sunday. The decision not only highlighted Bode Aujla's penchant for storytelling through fashion but also reinforced the growing trend of brands seeking alternative spaces and formats to break through the noise of a crowded schedule.

Meanwhile, New York's runways became a stage for activism and spectacle alike. PETA made headlines by storming the catwalk at the Coach show, an unexpected yet familiar disruption highlighting the ongoing discussion between fashion use and ethical concerns regarding animal-derived materials. In another moment that defied convention, Elon Musk's mother, the 76-year-old Maye Musk, closed the Juzui show in a striking silver look. Familiar with the runway, Maye, who was recognizable by her signature white coif, has previously walked for Juzui and concluded the show with a hug, posing alongside her friend and the brand's chief designer, Taoray Wang.