Independent Designers Are Bullish on the Future of New York Fashion Week – Latest Fashion Trends & Style Tips February 19, 2026 at 06:30PM
📰 Independent Designers Are Bullish on the Future of New York Fashion Week
✨ Fashion Insights & Trends:
The relevance of New York Fashion Week is a recurring topic each time the industry event returns. The key points are largely the same: Fewer designers are showing on the calendar; showgoer participation is down; the industry doesn't provide enough resources for talent; and the city of New York seems less invested in the event.
Yet, season after season, the energy throughout the week says otherwise. For Fall 2026, there was plenty of excitement happening, from newly appointed creative directors (Proenza Schouler's Rachel Scott, Derek Lam's Robert Rodriguez and 7 For All Mankind's Nicola Brognano) to promising first-time participants (Caroline Zimbalist, Contessa Mills and Pipenco, to name a few) to more seasoned labels with new ideas. We saw novel show formats, innovative design concepts and impactful trends.
New York designers agree that the biannual event is alive and well, with so much potential for the years to come. At least, that's what they told us backstage at their shows over this past week.
"I feel incredibly bullish and optimistic about New York Fashion Week," said Joseph Altuzarra, who's been showing off and on since 2008. "I think even when I look at the runways in Europe, so much is being borrowed from American sportswear vernacular."
"I'm working hard to see it go nowhere but up," shared Sergio Hudson. "We have to begin to celebrate individuality and what we bring to the table as New York designers."
Ahead, Altuzarra, Hudson and 12 more designers share their hopes and predictions for the future of NYFW, from supporting homegrown talent to encouraging experimentation. Plus, a few ideas on how we can get there.
More Creativity, Risk-Taking
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
"I see the future of New York Fashion Week going in a really exciting and experimental place. For a long time it's been very consumer-focused and commercially focused. A lot of the young designers that are coming up right now are being really bold and experimental with finding their own voice, techniques, vibes and energy that live and breathe in their own universe. The secret is that we're all interconnected behind the scenes and you can feel it bubbling up to the surface." —Jane Wade
"There's a lot more going on with people being a little more creative and daring, and that's really fun to see. I'd like to see more of that. I do think that will evolve more as younger generations come in." —Meruert Tolegen
"My hope is that designers, particularly young designers, take more chances and don't try to please everybody, and have a really strong perspective. Americans are bred to think mass: Everyone wants to get rich, and in doing that, you end up never having a true identity. My hope is that young designers know that it's okay not to be mass. I hope to see people do stuff that they're actually excited to do and that they feel like they're taking a chance, because I do feel like people have been playing it safer and safer and safer." —Alexis Bittar
"There's always a pressure of being a commercial brand or being the fun brand, and I've always been considered a more whimsical, fun brand. This season, I found a way where I feel comfortable presenting my work, where there are some pieces you can see yourself wearing without losing the whimsicality of it. So I hope to see more designers be true to themselves." —Lorena Pipenco of Pipenco
Support for Young, Diverse Talent and Local Manufacturing
Photo: Gerardo Somoza/Courtesy of J. Press
"I hope to see more men's and to see a bigger emphasis on 'Made in the U.S.' and 'Made in New York,' which is a big thing that J. Press does; but in the meantime, we'll be representing." —Jack Carlson of J. Press
"I see so many more talented Latino designers taking over New York Fashion Week." —Patricio Campillo of Campillo
"The future of New York Fashion Week, I really think it's in young brands. The opportunity lies in having a lot of creativity and a lot of freshness. New York is a city where we're always exploring, we're always on the vanguard of what's new and I think that that has to be reflected in our fashion week." —Nina Khosla of Ossou
"America's a melting pot of so many cultures, so there's so much potential there. That creativity is going to flourish here as long as these people are supported; as long as they keep showing up, New York Fashion Week's going to be great." —Keith Herron of Advisry
A Wellspring for Innovation
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
"I think where brands in New York really shine is innovation. It is ease. It is pieces that feel really covetable and desirable. And what I've seen this week has been really beautiful." —Joseph Altuzarra of Altuzarra
"I sure hope it stays being creative, because there is an undercurrent of that. It's not yet supported properly by the system of New York, but I am seeing baby steps going in that direction. So hopefully, New York stays weird." —Lizzie Owens of 6397
"I think this [digital] format that I've done [Editor's note: The designer immersed guests in the collection imagery through AR and AI technology.] is a representation of the potential for the future of Fashion Week — bringing in these digital elements without losing the physical and beautiful craftsmanship." —Kate Barton
Holding its Own Against Europe
Photo: Udo Salters/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
"New York Fashion Week is still so important to our world and the U.S. and the U.S. brands doing such amazing things, especially the young designers. We need [NYFW] too, we really, really do. I think it deserves more credit than it gets. I know 10 New York Fashion Week designers that do red carpet and are at the Oscars, every single year, and I can name a lot of European brands that don't." —Christian Siriano
"Not to discount anything from Europe or anywhere else in the world, but New York is its own beast. We bring something to the table and I think that's forgotten when everybody runs to Europe for everything. There was a time when Ralph [Lauren] and Donna [Karan] and Calvin [Klein] competed with the best of them, and I think that time has faded, but we're trying to bring it back." —Sergio Hudson
"New York Fashion Week is the first on the calendar, and I think it is for a reason. This city has a lot of grit; it has the ability to reinvent itself, and I think it will always be a fashion center for the world. I'm happy to be a part of it. I don't think it's going anywhere; this is just a renaissance of sorts." —Aisling Camps
📌 Love fashion? Follow us for daily updates on our fashion blog! 🌟
🔹 #FashionTrends #StyleTips #OOTD #Independent Designers Are Bullish on the Future of New York Fashion Week
Comments
Post a Comment