New faces and questionable footwear - Everything you need to know from New York Fashion Week SS23

You only had to look at those on the street this season to see that New York Fashion Week meant business. If it was the pandemic that made the previous season feel a little lacklustre then this time around, New York definitely had its fight back. Just a few months since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, the push for women's rights has become more urgent than ever. Designers have drawn focus on the body and many like Michael Kors, have looked into their own archives to reference collections developed during times of social change.

Among those on the schedule, the experimentation on display was undeniable. From the return of Tommy Hilfiger, to stand out shows from Area and Theophilio, it has been clear that New York is prepared to put on a spectacle. As a city, they may be facing some dark times but their community stands stronger than ever.

Tommy Hilfiger pays tribute to Andy Warhol

Photos by Alexandra Arnold

With its legendary history, Andy Warhol’s studio The Factory was a hub of creativity in the 60’s. It welcomed a range of people from musicians and artists to drag queens and socialites. Noted by Lou Reed of The Velvet Underground, “All I did was sit there and observe these incredibly talented and creative people who were continually making art, and it was impossible not to be affected by that.” It’s no wonder then that after his three year hiatus, designer Tommy Hilfiger is back with a tribute to Andy Warhol in his collection “Tommy’s Factory”. Featuring models, Duckie Thot, Julia Fox and Winnie Harlow, even the torrential rain added to the immersive experience of the show. Among the stripes and Americana-codes, we saw the introduction of a new TH monogram designed by illustrator Fergus Purcell featured on accessories across the collection. Whilst we saw heightened layering and maximalist patterns across each look, the colour palette of varying shades of yellows, reds and blues created a collection that felt truly united and true to the brand.

Lil Nas X makes his catwalk debut at Coach

Photos by Sonny Vandevelde

A red carpet favourite, the rapper behind “Industry Baby” and “Old Town Road” closed this seasons catwalk for Coach with the perfect strut, making it difficult to tell this was his first rodeo. Lil Nas X, now global ambassador for the brand wore a patchwork leather gilet and shorts made from repurposed end of life vintage leather garments. Purple jelly shoes, another childhood staple desperate to niggle its way back into our wardrobes, were a constant throughout the collection and brought a welcomed lightness amid the cable knits and leather overcoats we recognise from the brand. For fans of Lil Nas X, his appearance on the catwalk was expected. His partnership with Creative Director, Stuart Vevers has been nurtured over recent years and Vevers even created six custom looks for his Long Live Montero World Tour.

The Devil Wears Prada plays out in real time at Michael Kors

For Michael Kors, this collection was about bringing together “City rigour and resort allure”, focused on finding the balance between grind and leisure- typically a difficult one to grapple with in the fashion industry. Kors looked to appreciate the work of his 70’s icons, including Halston, Burrows and Rudi Gernreich and delve into his own fixation on movement and sensuality in American design. “This collection uses a lot of elements that you normally find on holiday – lots of white, lots of bareness, soft caftans, bare strippy sandals – mixed with the crisp tailoring and polish you need in an urban environment”, he writes in the show notes. But, most notable of all this season was his front row, where next to Anna Wintour sat Anne Hathway aptly in a brown leather coat - a real full circle moment given her role as Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada.

Edvin Thompson proves why he earned the CFDA’s Emerging Designer of the Year

By exploring his own experiences as a Jamaican-born immigrant immersed in the Y2K craze that he grew up surrounded by, Thompson’s collection for his Theophilio brand is sultry yet comfortable. As well as Jamaica, there were nods to New York, Jersey and Atlanta - all places that have been home to the designer- in T-Shirts personalised with I [heart] TP motifs. Baby Tees, snake-skin prints and breezy tailoring were all welcomed additions and created a collection suitable for all genders. The high energy from guests at the show was notable in itself and when we consider that this is just the second time Thompson has shown at New York Fashion Week since winning the CFDA American Emerging Designer of the Year Award late last year, it is an exciting thought to consider the future of this young designer.

Sequins aren’t going anywhere anytime soon

Tom Ford SS23

Area SS23

Whether it’s reflecting on the party days of the 80’s for Tom Ford or presenting a parallel metaverse with Puma, New York may not know if it’s coming or going but one thing is certain. Glitz is involved. This week, the New York shows unearthed this common ground among their differences. FUTUREGRADE, Puma’s immersive culmination of past, present and future on the runway showed innovation by Creative Director, June Ambrose. Timed with the brand’s 75th anniversary, the collection showcased their different collaborations including one of its most recognised with Dapper Dan as well as a stand-out ball gown look modelled by Winnie Harlow. Over at Area, its appointment on the schedule did not go unnoticed and its daring silhouettes and experimental designs were softened by the touch of crystal to its spikes too.

Closing the SS23 collections in New York was the highly anticipated collection by Tom Ford. After it was reported in July that Tom Ford had hired Goldman Sachs to look into its potential sale, the industry suspected that this might be his final show. Among Ford’s signature satin shirts were embroidered hot pants and appliqued cargo shorts. But, central to our category, Ford closed his collection with disco gowns encrusted with sequins as models walked to ‘Time Waits for No One’ by Freddie Mercury. Leaving guests with poignant lyrics as they departed, “We’ve got to build this world together or we’ll have no future at all”.