New York Fashion Week 2025: Michael Kors’ uptown polish and Collina Strada’s downtown cool
Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Wilde and Suki Waterhouse graced the front row of the Michael Kors Collection show
Young designers, however, need more than media buzz to survive and thrive. Unlike big brands with their own boutiques and direct-to-consumer channels, smaller labels are often at the mercy of unforgiving department stores and online retailers that are themselves struggling to stay afloat.
This is where institutions such as the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) come in.
“We’re not in a position to make decisions for young designers or get involved in their business day to day,” said Steven Kolb, CEO of the CFDA, in an interview during an event to celebrate the start of fashion week. “We are a sounding board for them and can offer them information, resources, introductions. Of course, a lot of what we do is public, [like] the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, our jewellery award with Tiffany and an award for Asian designers, so there are many programmes that offer grants and business development. We’re also providing information on how to get a store to pay them, how to react to tariffs and supply chain [issues] – not making those decisions for them, but giving them the tools they need.”
Kolb also recognises that putting together a show is a big expense for a small business, in spite of the exposure it can bring. “I say this over and over: no one should ever feel the pressure to do a show – it’s a big investment,” he says. “Shows are the extension of a designer’s creativity and their collection. If a young designer is in a position to do a show, then go for it, but don’t borrow money to do a show. That’s not worth it as there are other ways to show a collection that are just as effective.”
Here are two highlights from day one.
