All the Best Moments from New York Fashion Week

Ludovic de Saint Sernin is skipping Paris Fashion Week this season with his biggest collection yet for his New York debut in collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Mapplethorpe's body of work, including the flower photography documentation of the gay BDSM scene, manifested in flowers on chainmail dresses and slutty tops and on sheer tees before transitioning to skimpy leather pieces. Welcome to New York!

Photography: Christopher Nowak

During NYFW Fall 2024, AREA actually showed their Spring 2024 Ready-to-Wear collection, inspired by 1920s cartoon eyes and '60s pop art. "Just as eyes observe, critique and appreciate, our collection mirrors the evolving dynamics of viewership in the digital age," the show notes read. "Through these explorations, we reexamine AREA's codes — quality craftsmanship, textile development and innovative embellishment — presenting a modern interpretation of dressing for both the viewer and self."

Photos courtesy of AREA

To Hillary Taymour, the designer of Collina Strada, being femme is a flex. For her Fall 2024 show held below Rockefeller Center, things got physical as the designer introduced Collina's Gym, "where your inner feminine power takes outer chiseled form." Models like Aaron Philip and Sara Hiromi walked down the runway showing off beefed up bodies, both real and created in the silhouettes of dresses, hoodies and shirts made from deadstock fabrics and corn leather. Say goodbye to the days of the femme body being shaped by men. "It’s about time we re-sculpted that meat-headed vision into something closer to the reality of femininity — something altogether sweatier yet more refined," declare the show notes.

Photography: Charlie Engman

Willy Chavarria Keeps Us "Safe from Harm"

For Fall 2024, Willy Chavarria explored love and protection with a short film and runway presentation, reminding us that, even in the rat race of fashion, our priority is to take care of each other. The short film saw Chavarria giving us a close and dramatic look into his world of intimacy and sensuality. The show built on last season's exaggerated shoulder Bomba suits and tailored Chicano style, while introducing bags and his interpretation of womenswear. Black leather, way open collars, houndstooth and tweed, tassel loafers and track suits galore! “Sometimes looks on a runway can't paint the full picture. We need to see the garments move throughout a life experience, " Chavarria said in a press release. "I hope to share a depth in what clothing means to me through this presentation.”

Photo courtesy of Willy Chavarria

Tommy Hilfiger Takes Over Grand Central Station

Returning after showings in abroad, Tommy Hilfiger dedicated his Fall 2024 collection to New York City as the home of "classic American cool," with a preppy twist, of course. The highlight of the occasion was Questlove and Grammy Award-winning artist Jon Batiste performing on the runway. The former's soundtrack was inspired by Grand Central itself, as well as the five boroughs, and the latter performed his hit track "Freedom."

Photo courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger

Lou Dallas Bursts Back Onto NYFW Calendar

A blustery February morning was no match for the bright hues and audacious cuts at Lou Dallas. Cutting through the wind with vigor, designer Rafaella Hanley used her knack for sourcing fabrics from around the globe to build a technicolor collection.

The methodical fabrication went beyond the clothes to the venue: the venerable Joseph Carini Carpets, which Hanley is a longtime fan (she's in the brand’s Instagram comments quite frequently). The brand’s carpets were hung up around the showroom during the show — providing a supplementary, and often complementary, accessory to the clothing being presented.

“[Joseph] is obsessed with color and it’s really the perfect marriage for today,” Hanley shared after the show.

Guests mirrored the collection at the Valentine’s Day-timed showcase, arriving in a slew of shades of red and pink, and in playful silhouettes that matched well with the visual language of Hanley’s latest offerings.

The designer’s return to the NYFW calendar comes at a perfect moment for a brand of this ilk. Its contemporary offerings include patchwork mini shorts and slinky tops, which feed into the skin-centric moment of late. Bright green, feathered coats and nods to country style cement the zeitgeist-y themes.

“I was thinking deeply about how to bring the idea of a country-pop star to New York,” Hanley said, noting how fabrics were employed as a vehicle to communicate the cross-cultural Lou Dallas identity.

The world of the brand was expanded with the help of stylist and HommeGirls fashion director Stella Greenspan, who helmed the show’s styling and has previously lent expertise, as well as a creative casting strategy which included artist Marika Thunder.

On a day about love, Lou Dallas provided something aspirational for us all to strive for – the spirited pursuit of playful dressing which inspires confidence, joy, and a little extra lace on the side.

Story: Sam Falb
Photography: Darian DiCianno

Puppets and Puppets showed her last ready-to-wear collection in an abandoned office floor in Midtown. The designer, Carly Mark, is moving to London and focusing on accessories, which gained a cultish following for its kitsch spirit. While Mozart’s “Requiem” and a chopped and screwed mix of Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” played, models walked in the Fall 2024 collection, which included lots of wrapped and twisted sheer stretch pieces, distressed hoodies and veils.

Photos courtesy of Puppets and Puppets

Wiederhoeft Knows Glamour

In the Starrett- Lehigh building as the sun set and fog filled the room, Jackson Wiederhoeft gave us drama. The Fall 2024 collection, called "Secret Room," included clothes made with the utmost care and craftsmanship. A tweed cocktail dress with a hand-beaded bodice opened the show, followed by evening wear gown, coats and separates made of chainmail, crystal, double-faced satin, silk chiffon, moiré, tulle, sequins. Wiederhoeft closed the show with a corseted bridal gown. Just so everyone could see how carefully constructed each piece was, models like Richie Shazam sauntered extra close to the audience.

Private Policy Went to Westworld

This season Private Policy explored the crossroads of fashion and technology with their “Wild Wild World" collection inspired by the spirit of America’s 19th century Wild West, weaving together ranch workwear with streamlined clothing. The designers, Siying Qu and Haoran Li, showed off new techniques like 3D silicone textured surfaces and metal ball chain bead weaving, as well as using distressed denim, printed plaid cotton and lots of metal hardware. "Our show set features a constructed fashion tunnel, both real and metaphorical: it is the physical structure through which the models enter the runway, but also the embodiment of the idea that our future with AI is still unknown," the collection notes read. "Yet there is hope at the end of this tunnel!"

Photography: Dave Smith

Agbobly's First NYFW Presentation

Jacques Agbobly's namesake brand debuted at New York Fashion Week with a colorful collection. Called "Bienvenue Aboard," the designer gave homage to his departed brother with colorful clothes and bold prints, merging his Western and African identities. Growing up between Lomé and Chicago, the ready-to-wear and evening wear nodded to the artistry of West African craftsmanship and the evolution of Togolese dress practices.

Photography: Nicholas Needham