The time we have all been waiting for is back as Fashion Month gears up in New York, after we just left Copenhagen last month. Following New York, we will find ourselves in London before stopping by Milan for some needed Italian flair and ending in none other than Paris. For this season, established houses spun stories reclaiming their roots, debut designers carved out new mythologies, and the runway became a site of storytelling.
Of course, fashion week is more than just clothes; it’s about a culture founded on love and expression. It’s a living archive of identity, resistance, and reinvention that lasts for centuries. A place where designers, models, and audiences converge to celebrate the art of becoming and what has been. With each runway, we see that fashion isn’t just worn. The designs form part of a bigger picture that defines who we are.
Michael Kohrs kicked the week off early on Thursday. Notably, this year marks the 10-year anniversary for a few houses, including Brandon Maxwell. Moreover, we will also see many debut collections from emerging designers, such as SC103 and Maria McManus. With over 60 shows spanning sculptural minimalism, glitter-drenched Americana, and AI-powered innovation, NYFW is anything but boring.
AREA – New York Fashion Week
When it comes to camp, architectural mastery, and unapologetic glamor, fashion house AREA takes it to the next level. This season, the house blends sophistication and playfulness in a collection that feels like a love letter to excess. New to the house is designer Nicholas Aburn, who made his debut. Aburn is replacing Co-Founders Piotrek Panszczyk and Beckett Fogg, who stepped down in February.
To set the mood, Aburn sent out scratch card invitations with coins to establish his theme of the joy of celebration long before New York Fashion Week. This season’s collection is nothing short of a spectacle as it blurs the lines between luxury, loungewear, and extravagant avant-garde mastery. Of course, unconventionality is no stranger to AREA, as they continue to defy limitations. Aburn’s creative work captures every detail of the joyous moments of life.
AREA Spring/Summer 2026
The show opened with rhinestones and crystals that stretched beyond simple embellishments as they sat atop zipper pulls and hoodie drawstrings. The dazzling metals created a stark contrast against the slim black cotton sweatsuits, cropped cargo pants, and plain tanks. Mini skirts and bandeau tops bound by crystal embellished drawstrings soon took over the runway as a myriad of white swallowed the collection. Notably, a dramatic white bustier mini dress of jeweled drawstrings caught the light along with the glares of onlookers. Underneath, a simple cotton eyelet-trimmed bra peeked beneath the neckline, adding a sense of delicacy and intimacy to the garment.
Soon enough, a storm of stark hues and denim crashed the runway as denim rests layered with trompe l’oeil jorts. Meanwhile, denim fabric stretched as wide-leg jeans with knee slashes revealed satin lining. A denim miniskirt engineered to mimic two pant legs tied in a bow made an appearance, prompting everyone to question the very architecture of fashion.
For AREA, a singular pièce de résistance was not enough, as seven took the stage, each a spectacle of its own. Silhouettes of bundles of confetti, pom-poms, and party remnants became design motifs, turning the debris of celebration into wearable art. Oversized sequins acted as scales, covering the torso in a sculptural masterpiece, while a sheer minidress with confetti spilling off formed a juxtaposition to the previously monochromatic set of black designs. Colorful tinsel cascaded onto the body as voluminous multicolor ribbons engulfed the body, reminding us of the joys of partying and celebrating every moment in life.
Wiederhoeft
Wiederhoeft’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection is nothing short of elegance and timeless craftsmanship. This season, designer Jackson Wiederhoeft transports us to a distant world where the audience embraces memories. The show draws inspiration from moments of revelation and transformation in front of the mirror. Wiederhoeft converted their New York showroom into a romantic salon with lush green velvet and silky off-white curtains.
Romanticism took over the collection as the show opened with a delicate corset in pale blue silk taffeta. Delicate hand-embroidery of glass-cut beads, rose montée crystals, and beaded fringe laid atop the bodice. A sensual skirt of grey silk, georgette, and pale blue silk chiffon fell from the bodice, cascading onto the floor. A dramatic gown then took the runway with a strapless salon croset in hemp yellow double-faced silk satin. A billowing ankle-length ballgown skirt of Fil coupé silk jacquard draping tumbled from a stone-grey rosette bust. The bust is hand-embroidered with glimmering grey rose montée crystals, adding a dramatic touch.
Contrasting the rather muted palette, a striking, crimson, floor-length Room dress sensually moved down the runway. The design is fully hand-embroidered with micro sequins and metallic crimson glass cut beads in the Cabbage Rose artwork. Each detail and stitch intensified the romanticism of the collection. Tying off the work is a knotted sequin belt, lying peacefully against the waist and falling down the front of the dress.
“LOST WORKS”
As the collection moved, a Valérie corset captured the spotlight, and a hand-embroidered clay micro glass beads and satin, crystal, and jersey rosettes reflected the light of beauty and romance. A floor-length, unlined, butt-draped skirt of stone lightweight heather jersey flowed to the floor, clinging and releasing with every step. A blush satin-faced chiffon gown worn over a corseted halter body suit in nude mesh sauntered down the runway. Cinching the waist is a skinny belt hand-embroidered with metallic-gold, glass-cut beads.
Moreover, a rhinestone emblazoned t-shirt with the phrase “Enjoy me, I may never pass this way again,” contrasted with the otherwise elegant and romantic collection. Other details included crystal-covered miniature purses, the billowing wedding gowns, pencil skirts with textured fur, and jersey dresses with printed shadows. With each detail, Wiederhoeft builds a world where camp meets couture, concocting the ultimate fantasy. Each piece became a relic of theatrical mastery, dancing throughout Wiederhoeft’s vision.
Alme Couture – New York Fashion Week
While Almee Couture is not a known house, nor were they officially a CFDA show at NYFW, the house holds a story unlike any other. Almee Couture is one of the many small design houses showcased by the Art Hearts Fashion Foundation. The AHF operates as an independent platform that runs parallel to fashion week events in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and beyond.
The pièce de résistance of the collection featured a 23-kilogram gown titled Time. The gown blended cosmic intimacy with ceremonial grace to reveal the dialogue between ourselves and the Universe. Its design transcended mere fabric and form; draped against the body, it moves like a memory, luminous and alive. As it glided down the runway, time stopped, becoming tactile and capturing the gaze of onlookers.
The gown itself consisted of thousands upon thousands of shimmering embellishments that lay delicately across the fabric, evoking the swirling embodiment of a Van Gogh night. Anchoring it is a crescent moon set atop the bodice, floating through the clouds and cradling a miniature town amongst the stars. The skirt unfolded into a dramatic clock, encapsulating the memory of time and space between us and the universe.
“Spirit of the Forgotten”
Beneath it all, a train drifted atop a cloud of blue waves, echoing the rhythm of tides and tears in a testimony to the ones who have passed and marked our timelines. Encrusted with dazzling crystals and gem embellishments, the gown denoted a legacy that endures throughout lifetimes. Each stone glinted with ancestral presence, and each stitch became a tribute to the past, symbolizing the gravity of loss and the beauty of carrying forward one’s spirit.
This season, “Spirit of the Forgotten” was more than just a collection; it was a tribute to founder Sokhong Taing. Designer Hang’s dream of bringing Almee Couture to New York formed from the quiet strength of Taing. Just as the dream was near, the final moments of time fled, and Hang now mourns the loss of Taing. However, the spirit and life of the late designer lie in each thread. His presence is sewn into the seams of eternity.
While the week elapsed in a flash, we still have the memories and photos, and of course, the actual designs. Now, we are gearing up for London Fashion Week.
