Take a Bite of The Big Apple.
What’s the ultimate sign that summer is over? For so many, it’s the return to school or work. But for fashion enthusiasts, it’s the start of Fashion Month. With a large number of creative director debuts, innovative presentations, and dope collections, the Spring/Summer 2026 season landed with a bang in New York. The city was taken over by a large variety of shows, all taking us on a journey from deep cultural heritage to bold experimentation. It was a season that proved fashion is a powerful vehicle for storytelling, with designers exploring themes of renewal, tradition, and personal identity. From the most established houses to emerging labels, each collection added a unique thread to the vibrant and complex tapestry of New York’s fashion landscape, and here at PAUSE we dive into our favourite shows from this season.
Campillo
Designer Patricio Campillo’s “Repetición” collection for Spring/Summer 2026 was a powerful and personal take on Mexican heritage, combining bold charro tailoring with innovative, sustainable techniques. Honouring repetition as both a ritual and a form of renewal, the collection featured impressive new knits woven from fabric strips and architectural shapes built from hand-stitching. This collection is already in our wishlist…
Eckhaus Latta
Another must-see of the week was Eckhaus Latta’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, a masterful blend of urban reality and newfound elegance. Designers Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta presented a clever, edited line that moved from sophisticated all-black eveningwear, featuring languid tailoring and sequined dresses, to vibrant explosions of color. With raw-cut edges and playful cut-outs adding a signature touch of dishevelment, this collection was both a celebration of the brand’s tight-knit community and a widely appealing vision for city life.
Coach
We also saw Coach’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, where designer Stuart Vevers found inspiration in the “grit and polish” of New York City and the idea of a new day dawning. The collection had a feeling of lightness, with a palette of monochrome whites and sheer tulle dresses decorated with romantic motifs like stars and balloons. Vevers also embraced the beauty of wear and imperfection, using torn and scuffed garments, as well as deadstock fabrics, to create a collection that celebrated the history and character of well-loved items.
Who Decides War
A different kind of reflection came from Who Decides War’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, “Read the Room,” a profound statement on a difficult year that drew inspiration from the beauty found in destruction and regrowth. Designers Téla D’amore and Ev Bravado masterfully curated a gothic dreamscape with direct references to old, broken architecture. The collection featured some of the brand’s most striking and intentional tailoring yet, including slimmer silhouettes and an elevated focus on womenswear. It was a deeply personal and powerful collection that invited the viewer to reflect on their own experiences.
Head of State
Finally, Head of State’s “IF HEAVEN COULD TALK” collection for Spring/Summer 2026 was a vibrant and powerful ode to the African diaspora and the repatriation of cultural artifacts. Designer Taofeek Abijako masterfully blended his Nigerian heritage with contemporary streetwear and Western tailoring. The line featured stunning, saturated colors and innovative architectural forms in pieces that ranged from draped, loose-fitting garments to structured blazers with exaggerated details. It was a collection that simultaneously honoured the past and envisioned a new, exciting future.
Photo credits: Vogue Runway
