HEADER IMAGE Dauphinette SS26 photographed by Madison Paloski
Collina Strada
Models walked the runway in pairs with replicated outfits in light and dark. In the show notes, the brand explained: “Beyond a shadow of a doubt, we are living in an era of crisis. Humanity’s darkest impulses no longer lurk in abstraction; they are taking concrete form. Our shadows walk among us.” Off the runway, designer Hillary Taymour took things a little risqué, teaming up with OnlyFans to give fans a backstage pass into her design brain, and maybe a peek at a few secrets no one else gets to see.
Off-White
The Ib Kamara-led label staged SS26 on a Lower East Side rooftop basketball court, serving as a love letter to Black culture. Titled ‘Pop Romance’, Off-White fused technicolour with tailoring and streetwear, while the venue was filled with graffiti murals inspired by each of New York City’s five boroughs.
Dauphinette
Titled “Human Behaviour: Animal Instincts & A Decaying Sense of Girlish Wit”, SS26 tells the story of founder Olivia Cheng’s raw honesty. The collection wove together whimsical beauty, vulnerability, distraction, and resilience, expressed through finely detailed, hand-sewn pieces. Notably, half of the garments were crafted from recycled materials, underscoring Dauphinette’s commitment to sustainability alongside its poetic vision. To close the show, model of the moment (and Elon Musk’s estranged daughter) Vivian Wilson closed the show, wearing a gown adorned with the brand’s signature beetle embellishments.
Valentino Beauty
For one night only, Valentino Beauty re-opened the infamous Studio 54, the former regular stomping ground of Cher. “When things are right, they just come back around,” said the legendary singer during Valentino’s temporary revival of the nightclub. The event was to celebrate the launch of the limited-edition Rendez-Vous Ivory Collection, which reimagines some of their signature fragrance and lipstick lines in white studded packaging, paying homage to Studio 54’s disco glamour.
Coach
Held at New York City’s Pier 36, overlooking the East River, this season Coach drew inspiration from the grit and resilience of the city, presenting a grown-up collection for the next generation of adults. Touching on the longevity of fashion, Stuart Vevers explained that he is no longer “interested in extreme polish or perfection that has long been associated with luxury.” Instead, the house embraced a more laid-back approach for SS26. In the press release, he noted: “I’m definitely of the opinion that things don’t have to be new and perfect to be desirable. I see people walking around with Coach bags that just happen to be 50 or 60 years old, and I think they’re beautiful.”
Proenza Schouler
This season marked the brand’s first collection since the departure of its founders, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. Diotima founder Rachel Scott has taken the helm, with her official debut scheduled for next February. For now, her contribution to the label was through a collaboration with the in-house atelier, offering a teaser of what’s yet to come – and if we do say so ourselves, it’s looking pretty excellent so far.
Area
Nicholas Aburn’s first outing as creative director for Area was a dazzling spectacle that honoured the label’s signature love of excess while hinting at a broader vision. The show opened with playful invitations styled as scratch cards, setting a tone of fun and chance before models stepped out in an explosion of sparkle. Oversized sequins, crystal-studded trims, and metallic streamers carried Area’s trademark drama, while unexpected touches – like reworked basketball jerseys, cargo shorts, and sporty track tops – grounded the fantasy with moments of wearability.
Allina Liu
Drawing on the erotic restraint of Secretary (2002), Allina Liu wove harness-like detailing into delicate silhouettes, garments that seemed to both hold and liberate the body. Orchids appeared as a recurring symbol, from scattered motifs to a single bloom placed on the lips of a model, a haunting nod to The Silence of the Lambs and Liu’s fascination with unsettling beauty. Georgia O’Keeffe’s iconic watercolours provided another source of inspiration, translating the body into abstract, commanding forms inspiring silhouettes that balance vulnerability with strength.
Willy Chavarria
Willy Chavarria’s SS26 collection, HURON, was staged as a salon-style surprise inside Printemps New York’s storied Red Room. Guests were offered the rare chance to preorder directly from the runway, which drew heavily from the cinematic universes of renowned filmmakers Pedro Almodóvar and Wong Kar-wai via saturated colours and charged emotions.
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