Joyful dressing and the trends that took over New York Fashion Week
Sep 17, 2026
NEW YORK — Across the runways this New York Fashion Week, designers reimagined spring dressing by shaking up the season's staples of florals and pastels, opting instead for more modern and irreverent trends.
From legacy brands to emerging talents, designers including Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren and Eckhaus Latta brought joy back to dressing with sartorial twists on color, movement and contrasts that could easily transition off the Spring/Summer 2027 catwalks and into New York's busy streets.
While New York Fashion Week is only the first stop for celebrities and fashion editors before seeing what London, Milan and Paris have in store, the celebratory tone is bound to be contagious.
The joy of dressing
Designers had a lot to celebrate, with many marking career milestones: Rachel Comey notched 25 years, Michael Kors and Carolina Herrera reveled in 45-year anniversaries for their brands, and Coach hit a storied 85 years.
Coach sent models down the runway in party hats, glittering gowns with colorful large bow trains, and gift-wrapped present accessories for its anniversary.
InStyle Fashion director Kevin Huynh said designers are waving goodbye to the quiet luxury era and leaning into vibrancy.
"We're really stepping into like, more is more," he told The Associated Press, "but not in that dopamine dressing where everything feels haphazardly put on, but like a real sense of vibrancy and excitement."
At Eckhaus Latta, designers Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta feted their J.Crew collaboration with confetti. Guests were told to open envelopes on their seats at the sound of laughter during the second half of their show and toss rainbow confetti onto the runway.
"Designers are really trying to kind of have fun and show the power that fashion can have in uplifting and inspiring people," Matthew Velasco, ELLE's fashion news editor, said.
Tory Burch embraced joyful dressing as a sense of escape, with models in color-blocked embellished looks strutting around a circular indoor catwalk that surrounded an outdoor garden with fountains. Burch said she wanted to contrast opulent femininity with utilitarian sportswear. Her collection featured embroidered cardigans with brightly colored skirts, boa-like thin scarves and a turquoise coat with a matching bag.
"I think when things are a bit more rough in the world you need to dream," Burch said.
Ralph Lauren opened New York Fashion Week by bringing romance and a celebration of style to the runway.
"It's about ways of dressing that celebrate ingenuity, originality, and character — the freedom and fun of creating a style that is truly personal," he said in his show notes.
Michael Kors had the optimism to stage his show outside in the garden at the Museum of Modern Art, where a bright orange trench coat and sunny yellow shoes popped against his black and white looks.
Thom Browne, who often leans into whimsy, created a show inspired by "A Bug's Life," with a giant indoor garden and models dripping in green crystals that hung from layered suiting. Some channeled actual ladybugs and butterflies with giant colorful hoop skirts, and jackets that looked like cocoons, eliciting smiles from the crowd.
Collections filled with shades of blue
Designers may not be feeling blue this season, but the color was certainly interwoven throughout their collections.
Ralph Lauren played with a palette of blues — from his classic denim to satin and lace gowns, to suiting and blue fur and feather collars. Tommy Hilfiger said he often takes his inspiration from nautical flags, so primary colors — including navy — were prevalent on classic and oversized blazers and rugby shirt stripes on his runway at The Plaza Hotel. Tory Burch styled turquoise and navy, and Henry Zankov delivered teal on the runway this season for Diane von Furstenberg.
After a decade-long gap, the Diane von Furstenberg line returned to New York Fashion Week with Zankov unveiling his first collection as artistic director for the brand. Known for his namesake knitwear brand, Zankov highlighted animal prints on von Furstenberg's signature wrap designs, while incorporating sheer blouses and dresses along with fluid suiting.
"You want to feel alive," Huynh said, "like we're coming out of the cold of winter, and color is such an easy way to accomplish that."
"Chartreuse had its moment, but teal is something that feels really refined," he added.
Cobalt blue or Klein Blue — made famous by artist Yves Klein — also took over the runways with Proenza Schouler and Sergio Hudson including the color in their collections.
Accentuating the waist
All eyes were on waistlines this season as designers sent models down runways in cummerbunds, scarves and chunky belts.
For Daniella Kallmeyer of Kallmeyer, the designer added a cummerbund to a buttoned-down blue top over trousers, as well as a white cummerbund embellished with white beading over an all-black suited look.
"It's that injection of androgyny with a cummerbund in womenswear that feels exciting and edgy," Huynh said.
At Ralph Lauren, the designer wrapped fringed scarves around the models to break up an all-white look or add a pop of color to the waistline.
Fringing out
After shedding the constraints of winter coats and layers, designers introduced a freedom of movement and fluidity to their collections with fringe.
Asymmetrical dresses swayed with fringe at Jonathan Simkhai while shimmering fringe peeked out from an all-black look at Rachel Comey.
In a twist on tailoring, jackets dripping with fringe made their way down the runway at Monse.
"I always am a firm believer that with the Spring/Summer shows, designers really flex their prowess a little bit more than fall," Huynh said. "You're really getting the full spectrum of a woman and a man's wardrobe."
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