September issues are out, Labor Day is behind us, and school is back in session. That can only mean one thing: New York Fashion Week is here! Here’s a rundown of what to expect this season, from fresh faces and comebacks to major debuts and more.
McQueen Returns to New York! (Sort Of)
Previews are underway for House of McQueen, an off-Broadway play opening September 9 at The Mansion on Hudson Yards. It tells the story of designer Lee Alexander McQueen, with Bridgerton’s Luke Newton in the lead role. Catherine LaFrere plays Isabella Blow (who’s also getting her own biopic soon), and Emily Skinner portrays McQueen’s mother, Joyce. Written by Darrah Cloud and directed by Sam Helfrich, the play isn’t affiliated with the McQueen brand or its parent company, Kering. Instead, it has a family connection—McQueen’s nephew, Gary James McQueen, is the creative director and driving force behind the production. Alongside the play, 30 archival McQueen pieces from 1995 to 2010 will be on display. The fashion elite are set to attend previews on September 4, so keep an eye out for reviews.
Get Ready for New Talent
This season features 15 designer debuts—16 if you count Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez separately at Loewe. While most debuts are in Milan and Paris, New York has two of its own. On September 10, Rachel Scott unveils her vision for Proenza Schouler. She describes the Proenza woman as “polished but approachable,” contrasting with her work at Diotima, which she says is “more undone and rebellious.” On September 12, Nicholas Aburn makes his runway debut for Area. Though less known than Scott, Aburn brings experience from roles at Balenciaga Couture, Tom Ford, and Alexander Wang.
Runway Shows to Watch
Several standout designers who previously did presentations are stepping up to full runway shows this season. They include last year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners Dynasty and Soull Ogun of L’Enchanteur, known for immersive events in Bed-Stuy; Diotima’s Rachel Scott and Zankov’s Henry Zankov, who have incorporated mini-runway shows in the past; and newcomer Zane Li, whose label Lii is just two years old. After showing in Paris during market week, Li returns to New York with a runway show in partnership with Nike. Expect front-row excitement!
Celebrating Milestones
Brandon Maxwell marks 10 years in fashion with a show at Sotheby’s and a dinner at Mr. Chow. Reflecting on the past decade, he says, “It’s been a journey of discovery and finding my footing. Now I feel clear about the clothes I want to create, and for the next 10 years, I hope for more joy and creative freedom.” Meanwhile, Alexander Wang is back on the NYFW schedule after several years, celebrating his brand’s 20th anniversary. He promises a collection that will “look very different from what people have seen lately.”
Meet the Finalists
The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists are in town—be sure to check out their work!The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists are a diverse group, with seven of the ten designers making appearances during fashion week. (Julian Louie of Aubero showed his latest collection in Paris this summer, while Jamie Okuma and Peter Do have not yet announced official plans.) The remaining designers are all on the official schedule: Ashlynn Park of Ashlyn, Meruert Tolegen, Gabe Gordon, Timothy Gibbons, and Bach Mai will present runway shows—Tolegen in her impressive new Soho store! Meanwhile, Stephanie Suberville of Heirlome, Bernard James, and Ashley Moubayed of Don’t Let Disco will host presentations for a closer look at their collections. Reach out, explore their work, and support these exciting new talents.—LGF
Madrid’s Plaza Mayor will host the spring 2026 Carolina Herrera show.
Photo: Huanzhen Yang / Courtesy of Carolina Herrera
Where Is Carolina Herrera?
If you checked Monday’s schedule and noticed Carolina Herrera is missing, don’t worry—you won’t miss your seasonal dose of bold, colorful femininity. In 2023, Wes Gordon started taking his pre-collections on the road, first to Rio and then to Mexico City. This year, he’s changing things up by scheduling the spring 2026 show for Thursday, September 18, in Madrid’s Plaza Mayor. Let’s go!—LGF
Anna Sui sketches, spring 1993 ready-to-wear.
Photo: Courtesy of Anna Sui
Dresser card, Linda Evangelista, fall 1991 ready-to-wear.
Photo: Courtesy of Anna Sui
Justin Scott and Trish Goff, spring 1994 ready-to-wear.
Photo: Courtesy of Anna Sui
Anna Sui ❤ the ’90s
Every designer has a post-show ritual. In the ’90s, Anna Sui’s went like this: “The monitor rarely worked,” she explains, “so my father would photograph everything that came out. Since my show was usually in the evening, the next morning we’d get the film developed, pick up the newspaper and breakfast, and then collect the photos. I not only saw how the runway looked but also who was in the audience.” With the release of The Nineties X Anna Sui (Rizzoli) during New York Fashion Week, you can share in that sense of discovery. Organized around themes like the baby doll and slip dress, the book connects fashion to culture and offers a glimpse of an industry—and a city—that moved at a different pace. “It felt much more intimate,” Sui says. “Nothing was so polished back then. I never overanalyzed; I just did. I wanted to bring the ideas in my mind to life.”—Laird Borrelli-Persson
Doin’ It For Themselves
As recently as the supermodel era, runway models did their own hair and makeup. For spring 2026, Rachel Comey is bringing back that practice. “Since we’re always inspired by our models’ real experiences, we trust they’ll know exactly how to do their own hair and makeup for their looks… They’re all interesting adult women with their own perspectives,” says Comey, who is returning to the New York Fashion Week calendar after a year of showroom appointments. “As much as I love a big backstage production, an intimate gathering where women apply their own lipstick and chat feels like the kind of room I want to be in—personal, spontaneous, a place where women dress for other women, sharing words and mirrors.”—NP
Robert Rauschenberg, Sulphur Bank (Hoarfrost), 1975.
Photo: Ron Amstutz / © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
WIP: Jason Wu Collection, spring 2026
Photo: Courtesy of Jason Wu
The Art of Dress
Jason Wu is becoming quite the art connoisseur. After collaborating with Chinese artist Tong Yang-Tze, who was commissioned by the Met for work in the Great Hall last year, this season the designer is partnering with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to mark the 100th anniversary of the proto-Pop artist’s birth. Rauschenberg “had a lifelong interest in working with fabric,” said a representative.The Foundation’s director noted that the late artist was interdisciplinary in everything he did, so they believed this project would have excited him. Wu added that, coming from outside the traditional fashion world, he simply appreciates good design. Rather than directly using Rauschenberg’s work, Wu drew inspiration from his collage techniques to shape a collection rooted in classic American style. At a moment when national identity feels uncertain, Wu said it feels meaningful to celebrate what Americans have achieved. He emphasized that the U.S. is not just a commercial, transactional nation—it’s also a source of beauty and thoughtful creativity.
Libertine, founded by Johnson Hartig in 2001, is establishing a permanent presence in New York with a new appointment-only salon on the Upper East Side. Located in a bright former artist’s studio, the space will offer the brand’s largest selection in one location. Hartig, who created the collages that adorn the walls, described it as a flexible, evolving environment that will provide an immersive experience for clients.
SC103, designed by Claire McKinney and Sophie Andes-Gascon, is making its official New York Fashion Week debut this season. With six years and twelve collections behind them, this will be their fifth show. They’ll present outdoors in Brooklyn at 9 PM on September 12, a time chosen to include friends who work outside fashion and finish late. Their community-focused approach reflects the influence of their mentor, Susan Cianciolo, who coincidentally opens an exhibition in Spain on the same day.
Our Legacy, the Swedish brand that recently received investment from LVMH, is in New York for a men’s pop-up with Nordstrom and a brand dinner. Co-founder Jockum Hallin finds endless inspiration in the city’s energy, recalling how their first New York show in 2008 felt like discovering a new world.
The Museum at FIT’s latest exhibition, “Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis,” curated by Dr. Valerie Steele, explores how psychoanalytic concepts like the unconscious and sexuality influence fashion. A highlight is a mirrored Elsa Schiaparelli jacket from 1939. Schiaparelli, whose mother often told her she was ugly, defiantly used fashion to challenge conventional beauty and express her unique vision.The curator noted, “She always had issues with mirrors. And since she created this in 1939, you could say, looking back, she was reflecting the fragmented state of Europe at the time—things were falling apart. I believe she used fashion as a way to hold herself and her clients together.”
Last year marked the 100th anniversary of Surrealism, a theme explored in the group show “As beautiful as the chance encounter with a sewing machine” at Hesse Flatow gallery. Among the works on view is Drake Carr’s portrait of Vogue’s Tonne Goodman. While attendees capture runway moments on their iPhones, the Met will open an exhibition focused on Man Ray, often associated with the Surrealists, highlighting his analog rayographs—his take on the 19th-century technique of creating photos without a camera. Meanwhile, at Amant in Brooklyn, Mattie Barringer and Amanda McGowan of Women’s History Museum will examine the role of women in fashion through the figure of the grisette, a female fashion laborer. This archetype, both fetishized and marginalized since the 17th century, is described by the designers as “a contemporary symbol of survival and exhaustion.” The display will feature pieces inspired by the 1945 Théâtre de la Mode, which promoted French fashion after the war, as well as custom garments reflecting the current state of the industry.
—LBP
Photo: Courtesy of Burrow Supper Club
Photo: Courtesy of Burrow Supper Club
Where to Eat, Drink, and Be Seen This New York Fashion Week
On paper, fashion week is about clothes, but regulars know it’s also about food. Where you dine matters, and scoring a reservation at the trendiest spots is key. New to the scene is Burrow Supper Club, run by Eleven Madison alum Sammy Koolik, where twice a week guests can buy $200 tickets for a nine-course seasonal tasting menu. It’s worth every penny, especially since the ticket includes welcome cocktails, wine pairings, and the chance to dine alongside Gabbriette, who follows the club on Instagram. With events taking us to Brooklyn, the Vogue Runway team is eager to try the new I Cavallini in Williamsburg, from the team behind The Four Horsemen. Short on time? Mimi’s is the hottest new frozen yogurt shop in town (yes, fro-yo is back), and we’re hoping the hype settles so we can grab a quick sweet treat between shows.
—Irene Kim
Simon Porte Jacquemus will treat New Yorkers to an experience at the Central Park Boathouse.
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
For the Night Owls
Still not busy enough shuttling between shows? Pandora is kicking off a week packed with parties and events with an “immersive evening” on the 8th, featuring a special performance. The 9th is the day—you know, that date each season overflowing with events—headlined by Simon Porte Jacquemus’s takeover of the Central Park Boathouse with Veuve Clicquot and a Moda Operandi x Fendi cocktail. On the 10th, Valentino will reopen Studio 54 for one night to celebrate a new beauty collection, following the debut of Miu Miu Select with Coco Gauff that afternoon and London-based label Damson Madder’s chess tournament at The Chess Forum. The shows officially begin on the 11th, and Public School—yes, the formerly defunct label by Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne—is hosting a supper club extravaganza. Keep an eye out for after-party invites; that’s where the real action happens.
—JCU
You’ll Never Not Know the NYFW Calendar Lineup Again
Every other day during Fashion Week, I get a text from a friend asking about the show schedule. I get it—not everyone adds the full lineup to their Google Calendar, and the CFDA schedule screenshot gets lost in a sea of content. So here’s some good news: Coming to your Vogue app on September 9 is aIntroducing a new calendar feature to help you keep track of all the shows. No more texting the group chat or searching for “New York Fashion Week calendar CFDA 2025”—or anything like that. We’ve got you covered! —JCU
Julia Roberts in Venice wearing Versace by Dario Vitale.
Anadolu/Getty Images
Oscar Isaac in Venice in Celine by Michael Rider.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Amanda Seyfried wearing the same Versace look as Roberts.
Stefania D’Alessandro
The New Look for September 2025
With all the arrivals, departures, and new designers, fashion is buzzing with excitement. What will we wear next spring? What will fashion look like in 2026? While we wait to find out, it seems our September wardrobes will return to a reliable and familiar combination: a blazer and jeans. Don’t just take my word for it—look to Michael Rider, who dressed Oscar Isaac in his new Celine, or Dario Vitale, who outfitted Julia Roberts and Amanda Seyfried in a preview of his take on Versace. It’s the ultimate back-to-school look if I’ve ever seen one. —JCU
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful FAQs about the Spring 2026 New York Fashion Week Preview designed to be clear and conversational
General Information
Q What exactly is a Fashion Week Preview
A Its an early look at the trends collections and designers that will be featured in the official New York Fashion Week Its based on prereleased information lookbooks and insider reports giving you a sneak peek before the shows even start
Q When is the actual Spring 2026 New York Fashion Week
A The official event typically takes place in September 2025 Fashion weeks are always held about six months ahead of the season to give buyers and press time to prepare
Q Why do they show spring clothes in the fall
A Its all about the industry calendar Designers retailers and fashion magazines need those six months to produce order stock and feature the clothing so its in stores and on pages right when the spring season begins
For Attendees Industry Professionals
Q How can I get an invitation to the shows
A Invitations are primarily for press buyers celebrities and influencers Your best bet is to work with PR firms representing the designers have a strong industry profile or be affiliated with a reputable publication or retail store
Q Are there any events open to the public
A Yes While the main runway shows are often inviteonly many brands host public presentations popup shops and experiential events You can also often watch live streams of the runways online
Q Whats the difference between a runway show and a presentation
A A runway show is a dynamic timed event with models walking a catwalk A presentation is more static the models pose in a set environment allowing guests to mingle and get a closer longer look at the garments
For Fashion Enthusiasts Followers
Q Where can I watch the shows if Im not in New York
A Most major fashion houses livestream their shows on their official websites YouTube channels and on social media platforms like Instagram Fashion news sites like Vogue Runway also provide comprehensive coverage
Q How can I identify the key trends from the preview