New York Fashion Week is only days, and there is already plenty to look forward to.
The Spring/Summer 2027 schedule runs from September 10 to 15, bringing around 70 shows and presentations to the city. With established houses, returning names and a new generation of designers all on the calendar, this feels like one of those seasons where the interesting stuff could happen anywhere.
But before we jump into the craziness that is on the horizon, let’s talk about the history. New York Fashion Week began in 1943, when fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert organised what was then known as Press Week. At the time, the Second World War made it difficult for American editors to travel to Paris, so the event in New York gave US designers a platform of their own. It started as a practical solution, but then helped establish New York as a serious fashion capital, and the city has been building on that identity ever since.
The week has changed a lot since then, though. The Bryant Park tents became its defining image through the 1990s and 2000s, before shows spread across the city. This is still one of the things I like most about NYFW. There is no single place where everything happens; a collection can be shown in a gallery, a warehouse, a hotel, or somewhere completely unexpected.
Now, let’s get into the juicy stuff. This season has some obvious shows to watch. Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Khaite, Carolina Herrera, Anna Sui, LaQuan Smith and Proenza Schouler are all returning to the schedule. I think out of these names, Khaite and Tory Burch are particularly interesting. Why? Khaite has become influential in contemporary American fashion, while Tory Burch has continued to push beyond the commercial identity she established early in her career.
Thom Browne will close the official schedule on September 15, which feels right. His shows have always had a strong sense of theatre, but the clothes themselves remain incredibly precise. I am interested to see what he does for Spring/Summer 2027 and whether he takes another look at the codes that have made his work so recognisable.
Calvin Klein is another one I will be watching closely. Veronica Leoni is still relatively new to the house. But of course, Calvin Klein is still one of the biggest names in American fashion. It has an archive that comes with enormous expectations, so seeing how Leoni continues to interpret that history should be one of the week’s biggest talking points.
There are also some important returns on the way, too! Tommy Hilfiger is back on the official schedule, alongside Monse and threeASFOUR, while Rachel Comey is celebrating 25 years of her label. Ralph Lauren will also show its Spring 2027 collection on September 9.
But the designers I am most interested in are the ones with something to prove. Benjamin Seidler, Conner Ives, Grey’s by Emily Grey, High Sport by Alissa Zachary, Hikari no Yami by Jakarie Whitaker, Max Esmail, Patrick Taylor, Sabyasachi and Zaldy are among the names to watch. There are also several CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists on the calendar, including Bad Binch TongTong by Terrence Zhou, Jamie Haller and Milamore by George Inaki.
I guess these are the shows where anything can really happen, right? The biggest houses have enormous expectations attached to them, whereas younger designers can still completely change the conversation with one strong collection. Conner Ives is one name I am keen to see, while Zaldy’s background in costume and performance makes his show another potential highlight.
And of course, one of the most exciting things about New York Fashion Week is New York itself. You meet interesting people, the parties are crazy, presentations are cool, and the styling and unexpected collaborations all contribute to the atmosphere. New York has always been a melting pot of music, art, sport and nightlife, and those worlds tend to collide during fashion week.
That is also why I think NYFW remains important when almost every collection can now be watched online. You can see a runway from anywhere in the world, but you cannot recreate the feeling of an entire city being focused on fashion at the same time. New York has always been the best at creating those moments.
So, a week out, I am mostly looking forward to seeing what I didn’t expect. Of course, I want to see what Khaite, Calvin Klein, Thom Browne and the rest of the established names do. But I also want to find a new designer, a strange collection or an unexpected casting.
But regardless of anything that happens, one thing is clear: it’s going to be a very good time.
