Inside The Renaissance of New York Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week is back. And, it’s not because of the slew of stylish celebs gracing the front row or the inimitable street style of the city’s style set. No, it’s the overwhelming renaissance key brands in the schedule like Calvin Klein, Tory Burch and Coach are all individually and simultaneously experiencing.

After seasons of criticism over the city’s lacklustre Fashion Weeks, the renewed fervour around these brands and their subsequent shows has given NYFW its edge, again. We couldn’t be happier about it. 

After seasons of criticism over the city’s Fashion Week, the renewed fervour around the brands and subsequent shows has given NYFW its edge, again. We couldn’t be happier about it.

Tory Burch has undergone an evolution in the last few years to become one of fashion it-girls favourite labels. Over the past year the brand has seen a 39% increase month on month in popularity, but the design shift that led to its more recent cool status started back with the eponymous label’s Spring 2021 collection.

“That was the first collection that I really dedicated 100% of my time to design and the product. Before, I was designing maybe 20% of my time,” Burch told NYLON when asked about the shift.

The result was crisper, cleaner lines or as Burch herself put it “austere” designs—and the style set ate it up. 

Since then, Tory Burch has been named at number six on the Lyst Index (a barometer of the hottest brands and products) and been one of Time’s 100 most influential people.

Bounding from strength to strength the recent Fall 2025 runway at New York Fashion Week was a smorgasbord of unexpected colour combinations (affirming once again chocolate brown is the new neutral), textures and prints we’ll soon be seeing on those aforementioned it-girls, everywhere. 

If ever there’s a question over a brand’s ‘cool’ value, just look to Gen Z. And, when it comes to Coach the cohort has given its particularly hard-earned stamp.  

While the waves of 2000s nostalgia has bolstered the resurgence of the label, its genius comes in its rebrand and celebrity alignment. From its 2020 campaign with naughties icon Paris Hilton to the custom bag designed for Meghan Thee Stallion’s Met Gala appearance, Coach has become cool again.

The appeal has been simple. As influencer Hannah Krohne explained to her followers,  “They created this perfect, heavenly space for young women that is between a luxury timepiece and a cheap bag.”

At their Fall ‘25 NYFW show, the brand debuted two new bags that are sure to become instant sell-outs; the Empire Carryall 34 and the Empire 21, both top handle styles carried by models in-hand or cradled under-arm as ever it-girl does these days.

Leaning into their renewed, youthful appeal this collection paid tribute to the late David Lynch through silhouettes of oversize pants, distinct waists, small bags and strong outerwear that could be seen as a nod to the filmmaker’s cult hit Kids. 

After a six-year long hiatus the long-awaited return of Calvin Klein to the schedule further signified a renaissance of New York Fashion Week’s favourite brands.

The brand’s new creative director (and first female lead at that), Veronica Leoni, showed her Fall ‘25 collection to a crowd littered with A-List celebrities and legacy figures (Mr Klein, himself).

The buzz over the brand’s runway return alone could have reaffirmed its status if Leoni’s soft, feminine touch on CK’s signature tailoring had not already done it for her.