Paris got the invitation. Brooklyn got the show.
TELFAR may have just pulled one of the biggest plot twists of Paris Fashion Week. In case you’re not entirely caught up on what was most definitely one of the season’s most jaw-dropping moments (that had nothing to do with clothes), let us give you a recap. While the fashion industry gathered in Paris expecting to see the brand’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection, founder Telfar Clemens had other plans. The show was actually taking place in Brooklyn, New York, leaving the Paris crowd to watch the whole thing unfold on screen. Talk about gagging the industry.
Here’s how it played out. Around 300 guests, who had received personal invitations and seat allocations as they would for any other runway show, arrived at a show space in Paris expecting the real deal, only to discover that the action was happening back in New York. And the best part? TELFAR gave its own community the chance to experience the show firsthand, staging it alongside a massive sample sale where dedicated shoppers had been queuing since the early hours.
The event also introduced Bag Redemption, allowing customers to trade in their old TELFAR shopping bags for something new, whether another bag or pieces from the sale. As for the SS27 collection itself, there was everything from reworked tailoring and inside-out details to animal prints, denim and plenty of the brand’s signature logo.
At a time when fashion shows often centre on exclusivity, elitism and industry insiders, TELFAR flipped the script and, in true TELFAR fashion, put its home crowd and wider community first, leaving Paris to watch from the sidelines. The Paris crowd technically still got the runway show they were promised, just not in the flesh. The fact that TELFAR had New York and Paris locked in simultaneously speaks volumes about the brand’s cultural impact.
And if there’s one thing Telfar Clemens has consistently stood for, it’s doing things his own way and challenging the conventions of the fashion industry. Well, it looks like he’s done it again.
All Imagery: Courtesy of TELFAR / SAM MCKENNA
