Kicking Fashion Month off - the correct way.
New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025 was a reflective celebration of identity, expression, and the transformative power of fashion as a platform for meaningful messages. Much like the city’s diverse melting pot, fashion week mirrored the spirit of its surroundings, resonating with everyone from everyday New Yorkers to the city’s elite. This season’s shows weren’t just presentations—they were conversations with the city itself. Here’s a look at the most compelling showcases that shaped New York Fashion Week this season.
TOMMY HILFIGER
New York is a city that celebrates its icons—whether in fashion, film, music, or social scenes—giving real meaning to the phrase “New York or Nowhere.” Reflecting this spirit, New York Fashion Week began with a quintessential NY moment, as members of the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan took center stage at Tommy Hilfiger’s show on Sunday, delivering a dynamic performance aboard a ferry. As the event concluded, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Raekwon emerged from the audience to perform the group’s iconic track “C.R.E.A.M.,” thrilling attendees.
The show unfolded aboard one of New York’s signature orange ferries, typically used to shuttle passengers between Manhattan and Staten Island—the birthplace of Wu-Tang Clan in the early ’90s. Tommy Hilfiger chose this unique setting to revisit “the nautical and maritime inspirations that have shaped our signature style since 1985,” as stated in the brand’s Spring 2025 collection notes.
On the runway, models showcased a blend of casual and sporty looks, featuring sailor stripes and regatta jackets, while Olympic stars like sprinter Gabby Thomas and gymnast Sunisa Lee were spotted among the audience.
WILLY CHAVARRIA
Whilst on the subject of the importance of expression and identity, Willy Chavarria‘s Spring/Summer 2025 showcase embodied a poignant intersection of fashion and activism, underscoring the profound themes of expression and identity. With bold designs celebrating diversity, community, and the enduring legacy of immigrant voices in America, the collection emerged as a timely prelude to the ongoing Harris-Trump presidential debate.
Chavarria is reshaping how representation, community, and politics are woven into fashion, and perhaps no moment captured this vision more powerfully than his SS25 show, titled América. Drawing inspiration from his roots in Huron, California—a Mexican-American agricultural community where he was raised—the collection revolved around a central and deeply resonant theme: work, a concept that speaks to the immigrant experience at its core.
LUAR
Raul López understands New York like few others, and in this city, that knowledge is half the battle won—especially when you can navigate its seemingly impenetrable facade and exterior. At LUAR’s Spring/Summer 2025 show, titled “En Boca Quedó,” López made a bold statement by replacing the international flags at Rockefeller Center with logo banners, marking a symbolic moment for the hometown hero. The iconic Rockefeller Plaza set the stage for a star-studded event, attracting the likes of Madonna, Ice Spice, and New York’s most sought-after “it” girls. LUAR’s collection itself was a tribute to rebellion and self-empowerment, embodying the brand’s fearless spirit.
WHO DECIDES WAR
It’s often believed that progress sometimes requires a retreat into the past. This notion proved true for Who Decides War, who drew inspiration from the Victorian era for their Spring/Summer 2025 collection at New York Fashion Week. The Victorians, known for their stringent social codes, moral rigor, and significant industrial and cultural advancements, also had a distinctive sense of style. The brand channeled the aesthetics of the 1800s into their contemporary streetwear, infusing their collection with bold outerwear and graphic-rich denim that bridges historical influence with modern flair.
SP5DER
On the topic of debuts, the fusion of music and fashion is nothing short of a symphony—a place where sound transforms into style, and self-expression is intricately woven into every beat. Atlanta’s Young Thug took this concept to heart when he created his fashion label, SP5DER.
Driven by a desire to craft a powerful dialogue that transcends both art forms, SP5DER made its New York Fashion Week debut with a signature streetwear flair for Fall/Winter 2024. Forget delicate chiffon, appliquéd wool, or laser-cut silk—SP5DER leans into bold monogram logos, vibrant colors, and rhinestone-adorned tracksuits, staying true to the essence of classic streetwear.
