New York Fashion Week kicked off with energy, turning the city into a playground for style, creativity, and celebrity sightings. From COS’ minimalist Brooklyn warehouse to Ralph Lauren’s polished showcase, Michael Kors’ sun-soaked desert-inspired show, designers offered everything from sharp tailoring and flowing dresses to playful textures, bold colours, and eye-catching details. Stars and influencers filled the front rows, seeing firsthand how fashion continues to celebrate strength, femininity, and personality. Across the week, the city’s runways mixed sophistication with fun, showing that New York remains the ultimate stage for both classic elegance and fresh, wearable creativity.
١. COS AW/25
After debuting its S/S 2025 collection in an Athens marble quarry, London-based label COS returned to New York, taking over Brooklyn’s Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse and transforming its raw industrial space into a pristine, modernist canvas (‘a spectacle of modernist elegance,’ the brand said). With a starry guest list including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Naomi Watts, Jodie Turner-Smith and Lauryn Hill, the runway unfolded in a mood of quiet sophistication. Creative director Karin Gustafsson referenced Christian Dior’s New Look, from sculpted waists to wide necklines, while protective overcoats and shaggy faux fur jackets anchored the A/W 2025 collection. Layers of delicate tulle provided contrast and softness, resulting in a collection that was both visually compelling and (almost) ready to wear, with select pieces immediately available online.
٢. Coach SS/26
Coach brought its Spring 2026 collection to life at Pier 36 in New York, turning the industrial space into a stage for the city’s energy and style. Creative Director Stuart Vevers explored the tension between polish and grit, reflecting the resilience and daily rhythm of New York City, where sunlit steel and glass meet the patina of time. The collection combined oversized trousers made from repurposed denim and workwear fabrics with tailored pants and skirts, while moto jackets, cropped blousons, and waxy leathers added structure and edge. Soft pastels, whites, honeyed browns and faded blacks were punctuated with metallic pops, lending the collection a fresh, contemporary palette, while tulle and organza shift dresses layered over T-shirt dresses brought romantic, playful touches with stars, balloons and hearts. Bags and accessories carried the house’s signature Kisslock hardware, from cylindrical Barrel Bags to the newly imagined Tabby clutch, while footwear ranged from reworked Soho Sneakers with straps to thick-soled work boots and soft flats. Finishing touches included whimsical jewellery inspired by Victorian love tokens, featuring tiny envelopes, books, lockets and coins adorned with handwritten messages. Guests were immersed in New York’s streets through sepia-toned scrims depicting grand facades and open vistas, casting the models as part of the city’s constant movement and framing the collection as a living reflection of urban sophistication.
٣. Ralph Lauren SS/26
Ralph Lauren returned to New York this season for his Spring 2026 runway show, trading last September’s Hamptons spectacle for a more intimate setting at the brand’s Madison Avenue headquarters on the eve of fashion week. The front row sparkled with familiar faces, from Oprah Winfrey to Laura Dern and Priyanka Chopra, as the collection unfolded with a modern interpretation of American style. Guided by the themes of ‘strength and sensuality,’ the show featured graphic tailoring in crisp whites and bold reds, layered monochrome ensembles, and gowns that ranged from softly flared spaghetti-strap styles to Grecian-inspired drapes. Signature Ralph Lauren elements – ties, striped shirts and pleated shorts – continued to play with gender boundaries, seamlessly blending masculine and feminine cues. The show arrived at a moment of recognition for the designer, following a CFDA nomination for wear designer of the year, potentially marking his tenth such honour. As he took his final bow beside his wife, Ricky Lauren, clad in a weathered brown leather bomber and classic aviators, the applause was rapturous, a fitting tribute to a master of his craft.
٤. Michael Kors SS/26
Last season, Michael Kors drew inspiration from the sleek interiors of his Madison Avenue store; this season, he transported guests to a simulated beachside retreat at New York’s Terminal Warehouse, evoking the earthy elegance of his own coastal escapes. The collection, influenced by Kors’ travels to Morocco, Norway and across the United States, as well as Diana Vreeland’s belief that “the eye has to travel” for inspiration, celebrated a modern form of escapism, balancing natural beauty with polished sophistication. Hues ranged from deep, earthy browns and warm ecru to sunrise and sunset shades, while silhouettes embodied the designer’s signature easy glamour: breezy kaftan shirts, slouchy safari-inspired tailoring, and handkerchief dresses pieced together from silk scarves collected on summer journeys. The resulting collection offered a vision of relaxed luxury, where city sensibilities meet sun-drenched landscapes, and elegance is never compromised in pursuit of effortless, wanderlust-infused style.
٥. Tory Burch SS/26
Fort Greene, Brooklyn, became the stage for Tory Burch’s Spring 2026 collection, as models glided beneath the soaring arches and marble floors of the former bank at 1 Hanson Place, a venue more cathedral than financial institution. The front row shimmered with celebrities, including Ciara, Jessica Alba, Emma Roberts, Tessa Thompson, Naomi Watts, and Lily Collins, all sporting Burch’s tailored ensembles, flowing dresses, and playful accessories. The collection reimagined American sportswear with hand-stitched seed beading, exaggerated collars, and convertible jackets with hidden zippers, while chiffon dresses with drop waists, polka dots, and wrinkled lamé evoked nostalgia through a contemporary lens. Browns and moody blues were punctuated with turquoise, fire-engine red, and bright yellow, creating a palette that felt both retro and modern. Statement jewellery, versatile handbags, and layered silhouettes reinforced the collection’s cinematic quality, marrying elegance with practicality. Burch explained that the collection explored “the complexity of women—femininity and strength, precision and imperfection,” a philosophy reflected in the show’s meticulous craftsmanship and the confident poise of her models, making the evening a celebration of empowerment, sophistication, and style.
