After a seven-year hiatus, Calvin Klein’s return to New York Fashion Week was the most anticipated show on the official schedule. Backdropped by a star-studded front row that included South Korean actor Rowoon and Thai sweetheart Tontawan Tantivejakul, all eyes were on Veronica Leoni’s debut with the same question crossing everybody’s mind: How will she put her unique spin on Klein’s hallmark minimalism?

Unlike other creative directors who have built upon archival inspirations, Leoni approached the season with self-proclaimed “instinct”. What resulted was a series of impeccably cut tailored ensembles with sculptural touches. Along with coats in cocoon-shapes and in sweeping blanket iterations, skirt-suits with broad power shoulders were another highlight. While long-time Klein fans rejoiced at the resurrection of his slingback ballerina flats, ensembles marked by straight trousers styled with form-fitting blouses and knitwear felt like a homage to Raf Simons’ prior tenure at the brand. 

Some may be quick to pinpoint a resemblance to The Row, Jil Sander and Phoebe Philo’s Celine (all hotbeds for reductionism where Leoni cut her teeth), but let’s give credit where credit is due: the collection was an undeniable display of effortless sophistication. That emblematic sexy Calvin Klein woman? To Leoni, she is someone who exudes confidence from within first. 

Catherine Holstein’s Khaite continues to be one of the most exciting shows at New York Fashion Week. The two-time winner of the CFDA American Womenswear Designer of the Year Award has a knack for creating desirability by reinventing what it means to be a “cool girl” in today’s day in age. Her moody low-light show sets are just the icing on the cake. 

This season, the designer paid homage to the acclaimed the late American filmmaker David Lynch. Beyond the runway, an ode to the yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz (a favourite of the cinematic trailblazer), the designer did not strive to make direct calls to her muse. Rather, she aimed to draw from his drive to go against the grain. This saw Holstein add a post-modernist feel to her universe of ultra-cool power shoulders, sculptural knitwear and tailored outerwear with subversive silhouettes. For example, she incorporated 20th century British classics like newsboy caps and Argyle sweaters as well as classic equestrian-style high riding boots. We also noticed leopard print and faux fur inject a sense of 1960s’ glamour into the season. Rather than feeling outdated, these added elements felt particularly striking through Holstein’s lens. Khaite does it again. 

For the past few seasons, Christian Cowan has managed to snag the spotlight during New York Fashion week for his quirky designs infused with theatrics. Exhibit A: Sam Smith’s live performance interrupted by a model dressed as a giant fur ball. Exhibit B: the London-born designer collaborated with Adobe’s Project Primrose to create a dress capable of changing patterns and colours on the fly. For this women’s fall-winter 2025 season, it was a colourful gum dress, made from hundreds of moulds that Cowan individually bit and then filled with silicon, that took social media by storm. 

According to Cowan, the season’s child-like sensibility was a tribute to his late friend and investor Abbie McLaughlin’s larger-than-life personality and fashion sense. Along with his play on chewed up bubble gum, the collection was filled with other surreal moments: pointed-toe heels re-imagined mini skirts and bralettes whereas collages of lingerie and clothing labels created kitschy mini dresses. Polka dots also emerged as a key motif. Along with classic versions in bright pop colours, Cowan went extra playful by incorporating scribble-like takes of the pattern on tailored sets and midi dresses with voluminous sleeves. 

Our key takeaway? Don’t be afraid to let your inner child run wild.

Closing out New York Fashion Week was Thom Browne. Last season, he took a brief absence from the official schedule to jet set off to Paris to show his fall-winter 2024 couture collection. Echoing his last showcase in the Big Apple, birds emerged as a prevailing theme. The showspace itself was filled with 2000 white origami cranes, reflecting on Browne’s key inspiration: a 60 Minutes documentary on birding. To him, the animal is a symbol of freedom. 

The collection infused Browne’s knack of impeccable tailoring with bird elements. First, the designer experimented on silhouette: cocoon-shaped outerwear emulated the shape of birds about to take flight whereas long rectangular splices of tweeds and printed silk satins on skirts and dresses remind of plumage. This then morphed into more obvious odes to the animal with bird embroidery on blazers and long coats. Models also had wispy feathered lashes, adding to the theatrics that fans of the brand have grown to know and love. 

While many show spectators wanted to immediately give Browne his flowers, the designer had another idea in mind. Taking his final bow, the romantic carried a white bouquet as a gift to his husband and number one supporter Andrew Bolton who sat at the front row. 

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