If the Vogue office seemed a bit sleepy yesterday, can you blame us after a full week of runway shows? But you know who’s truly exhausted right now? New York designers! Before we move on to London Fashion Week tomorrow, we’ve gathered a few of our standout moments from the New York collections. The home team deserves its recognition, whether it was Michael Kors celebrating 45 years in business at the Metropolitan Opera House or Ashlynn Park of Ashlyn exploring new materials and treatments while staying true to the sculptural DNA that won her last year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award. Onwards!
Tory Burch, Fall 2026 Ready-to-Wear
Tory Burch felt like a true event. I loved seeing the show at the Breuer building and the beautiful warm wood panels they built for the set. The collection felt polished and wearable, but also a bit quirky and eccentric—just like the most stylish women, in my opinion. I adored the sardine accessories.
—Chloe Malle
Michael Kors, Fall 2026 Ready-to-Wear
Michael Kors reminds us all how lucky we are to be in fashion. His 45th-anniversary show at the Metropolitan Opera House was a love letter to New York. As we took in the glamorous surroundings, my colleague and native New Yorker Tonne Goodman said, “Being here just never gets old.” Neither does Michael’s effortless style. His after-party at PJ Clarke’s was easy, fun, and chic—just like Michael himself.
—Virginia Smith
Anna Sui, Backstage at Her Fall 2026 Show
From the intimate National Arts Club setting to the New Wave soundtrack of Psychedelic Furs and Siouxsie Sioux (my seatmate Laird Borrelli-Persson helpfully Shazamed every song), to the ultra-glam crowd—including Debbie Harry and Marc Jacobs—the Anna Sui show was the feel-good moment of my week. If anyone can make me want to wear a retro ’60s flower brocade pantsuit trimmed in faux fur, it’s her.
—Nicole Phelps
Diotima, Fall 2026 Ready-to-Wear
Just when New York Fashion Week fatigue began to set in, Diotima’s show felt like a jolt of fresh air. Rachel Scott wove art and identity into a collection that balanced sculptural tailoring with intricate knit and crochet work, resulting in garments that felt both intimate and quietly powerful. In my opinion, it was her strongest collection for the brand to date, reaffirming her as one of fashion’s most compelling storytellers.
—Naomi Elizee
Colleen Allen, Fall 2026 Ready-to-Wear
Colleen Allen is always a NYFW highlight, and her Louise Bourgeois-inspired collection was no exception. Alongside the lush, cocoon-like wraps and delicate, intentionally tattered lace dresses, Allen introduced her first-ever accessory: a bustle bag that can be held or tied around the waist. I’ll take one of everything, please.
—Hannah Jackson
Public School, Fall 2026 Menswear
A big personal highlight of the week was seeing Public School designers Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow make their buzzy return to NYFW. It was so nostalgic to see the duo take their bow once again, and their collection proved why they’ve been so missed. They showed a cool, modern assortment of menswear that delivered all the classics—great coats, even better suits—but with a twist. I’m still thinking of one look in particular: a satiny red bomber styled over a slouchy double-breasted suit. So good.
—Christian Allaire
Marina Moscone, Fall 2026 Ready-to-Wear
There were so many standout moments this season (like seeing Grace Coddington at Zane Li’s fantastic Lii show), but I’ve been asked to pick one, so my vote goes to Marina Moscone. The designer, who always draws inspiration from art, presented her fall collection at the Chelsea Hotel with her dog, Gia. The clothes were beautiful and marked a step forward from recent seasons—classic yet modern, spare but not austere. Adding a touch of…Florally feathery shoe clips from Ashlyn’s fall 2026 ready-to-wear collection were a total romance. —Laird Borrelli-Persson
My favorite moment this week was Ashlynn Park’s Ashlyn show. Nothing makes me happier than seeing how the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize helps a designer grow. Park, the 2025 winner, clearly used the funding to explore new shapes and fabrics while staying true to her sculptural style. These are clothes I can’t wait to wear. —Libby Page
This NYFW, I loved seeing Zankov create his own grunge-meets-prep aesthetic. The vampy colors and new fabric experiments felt like a natural evolution of his best work. The psychedelic ski knits are just what a moody East Coaster needs. —Alexandra Hildreth
I’ve always been a fan of pony hair and great pendant necklaces, so I was excited to see more of both this week at emerging labels Fforme and Campillo. The swinging fish and leather flasks at Tory Burch and TWP were cool too. I also love a good music moment and couldn’t help tapping my foot to “Losing My Edge” by LCD Soundsystem at Public School’s return, and to Hamilton Leithauser’s live performance at Khaite’s after-party at Bemelmans Bar. —Madeline Fass
Altuzarra is always a highlight for me. The Woolworth Building venue feels bright and calm, and I love unwrapping the book on my seat to see which novel inspired Joseph Altuzarra. But this season really stood out. The textures and styling were so good—layers of suede, leather, cashmere, and shearling that made me want to reach out and touch them. The buzz after the show felt different too. Could Joseph be up for a bigger role? Will Altuzarra break through as a major US brand? I hope so. Exciting things seem ahead! —Hilary Milnes
At Lii, Zane Li continues to raise the bar. It’s American sportswear like nothing else right now—minimalist yet playful. The shapes are always great, and this season’s pastel pinks and mint greens alongside the usual color-blocked reds and bright blues moved the brand forward. I’m excited to see where Li takes it from here. —Madeleine Schulz
This New York Fashion Week was all about the snacks for me. On the first day, the amazing Karla Otto team sent over baguettes from Balthazar to celebrate Ami Paris’s collaboration with the famous New York brasserie. Trekking uptown to the Tory Burch show, the bread was the perfect pre-dinner snack to keep from getting too hungry. And, of course, the chocolate chip cookies from TWP were delicious too. Thanks to all the gluten-free guests, I had enough cookies to last me until the Gabe Gordon show on Saturday night. —Irene Kim
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Our Top Moments from Fall 2026 New York Fashion Week
Q What exactly is Our Top Moments list
A Its a curated highlight reel of the most memorable talkedabout and influential events collections and trends from the Fall 2026 New York Fashion Week
Q Why should I care about fashion week highlights if Im not in the industry
A Fashion week sets the trends youll see in stores and online for the upcoming season Our list distills the key looks and ideas so you can get inspired and know whats coming next
Q What were the biggest overall trends for Fall 2026
A Based on our top moments key trends included a strong return to structured tailoring a focus on textural contrast and a surprising embrace of sunset hues like deep oranges and purples alongside the classic neutrals
Q Which designer show was the most buzzedabout
A The show created the biggest stir They completely transformed the runway into an immersive art installation and their collection featured groundbreaking sculptural outerwear that dominated social media
Q Were there any standout celebrity moments or frontrow looks
A Absolutely s frontrow appearance in a headtotoe look from s previous collection sparked immediate sellouts online The real showstopper however was when made a surprise walk on the runway
Q What was the most controversial or surprising moment
A The biggest surprise was s radical decision to show a fully AIcodesigned collection where algorithms helped generate the prints and silhouettes sparking major debate about creativity and technology in fashion
Q I keep hearing about quiet luxury vs dopamine dressing Which one won out