MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 27: Amelia Gray walks the runway at the Gucci Ready to Wear Fall/Winter 2026/2027 fashion show during the Milan Fashion Week on February 27, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
Typically, it’s the runways that are a source of inspiration for how we dress in our everyday lives. But for his debut collection at Gucci, Demna Gvasalia flipped the script and turned an average pedestrian uniform into a much-talked-about catwalk moment.
In the midst of sequin-adorned gowns and crystal-covered thongs à la Tom Ford-era Gucci, Gvasalia’s vision put a spotlight on the humble black legging and a classic white T-shirt. Yes, basically the same outfit I wore to the farmer’s market over the weekend. This is a huge departure from the theatrics of Alessandro Michele’s tenure and it even feels quite different from the elevated ease of Sabato De Sarno’s “quiet luxury” creations. Putting Amelia Gray in a high-fashion version of “errand-core” pieces proves that fashion is out of the era of creating “art for art’s sake” and is now doubling down on the pieces consumers actually live in.
Of course, Gucci lovers will have to wait until next fall to invest in the runway-approved look. But if you’re like me and all of a sudden craving an upgrade to your leggings collection, these are the best of the best options to shop—no flimsy, see-through fabrics here. And considering the cost-per-wear (you’re bound to have these on for a minimum of 300 days in 2026 alone), it’s a no-brainer investment at any price point.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
A wise person once said: It’s not what you wear, but how you wear it. The latest styling trick in our back pocket is a simple yet effective layering technique that makes every sweatpant outfit look instantly chic.
Just grab your favorite button-down shirt and let it peek from underneath the hem of your matching top. I know, at first, the combination sounds like it would never work, and that’s the exact reason why it does work. Putting together a great outfit usually boils down to balance. The juxtaposition of super soft sweats against the crisp polish of a poplin shirt makes for a winning combination that one could wear on repeat. It’s kind of the cousin to Allison Bornstein’s “wrong shoe” theory, which essentially says pieces that seem like they wouldn’t be great matches actually make for the perfect match because of the visual friction. If you’re struggling to figure out what to wear to the office, this hack makes the cozy staples look intentional instead of an “I didn’t want to leave the house today” afterthought.
Origins of the perfectly disheveled look can be traced back to Miu Miu’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection. Models went down the runway in hoodies and sweats layered with pieces typically reserved for professional environments. Similarly, Demna Gvasalia championed the look consistently over the years, styling baggy sweats with oversized dress shirts. Both brands have delivered proof that tailoring can be beautifully messy and comfort dressing can feel formally pristine.
On the streets, you might have seen Elsa Hosk testing-driving the failproof combination, showing the cool contrast in Helsa separates. Kendall Jenner showed off her love for The Row’s soft sweats paired with the brand’s sharp Ment shirt while working on her laptop from the couch.
On the shopping front, brands like Sporty & Rich are the prototype for the effortlessly cool look, including elevated joggers and tailored shirts to shop in one place. You could go all out Jenner style and invest in an impeccably tailored shirt by The Row or look to tried-and-true classics from staple labels like The Gap. There are plenty of dependable options. Keep scrolling to see the standout pieces Refinery29 editors are shopping right now.
Staple Shirts
Essential Sweats
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
We’re diving into the biggest handbag trends that we’re seeing translate from the runways to our favorite stores and the streets.
Looking to both the Spring/Summer 2026 and Fall/Winter 2026 collections that debuted across global fashion weeks, we’ve narrowed down the most prominent handbag styles on showcase. For the nostalgia lovers, 2016-esque chain bags are having a major moment. For the those with traditional-with-a-twist aesthetics, undone-yet-ladylike bags are in. And for those who could never understand how people carry mini bags, spacious bowling bags are a popular choice.
All of these trends build on our up-to-the-minute dispatch on the runway trends that we saw at Winter 2026 New York Fashion Week, as well as our forecasting of the top 2026 color trends, best denim silhouettes, and emerging shoe styles to step into throughout the year.
Ahead, see the purse shapes, fabrics, hardware, and colorways that some of our favorite designers have sent down their runways — cementing them as the handbag trends we’ll be seeing (and wearing) all year long.
2016 Is Back & So Are Chain-Strap Bags
The mass nostalgia for 2016 is also infiltrating today’s fashion scene, and quickly. “Crossbody bags defined this era,” creative director and celebrity stylist Scot Louie tells Refinery29. “Think: The Gucci Marmont and Dionysus, the Chanel Boy Bag, Valentino Rockstud… Bags from this era are tied to a moment when fashion felt expressive, visible, and communal, which is why they resonate again now.”
Also of note? These bags all feature chain straps. And while chain-strap handbags have never really left Chanel’s runway (yes, they were prominent at the 2026 Spring Couture show just weeks ago), more brands are embracing the old-school style, too. From Valentino’s chunky shoulder bags and Chloe’s frilly leather pouches to Stella McCartney’s XL totes and Ferragamo’s oblong clutches, chain straps are popping up across your favorite brands and on all types of bags.
Why the nostalgia push? Self-declared Chief Bag Officer and creator of the @y2kbags Instagram account, Alejandro V has a simple explanation: “All of us who once aspired to wear those designer pieces now actually have the means to purchase them — hence why the 2016 aesthetic has come roaring back in rapid-fire fashion!”
Under-Arm Candy: Oversized Clutches
Keep your shoulders free from the weight of your belongings and instead opt for an oversized clutch that can comfortably nestle under your arm. Many models carried these bags during the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter 2026 runways, though the details varied. Designers are leveraging luxe leather, feathers and fringe, and belted and buckled silhouettes to update your typical wedding guest clutch. In other words, they aren’t exclusively meant for eveningwear attire.
“Holding onto something so precious just feels fabulous and chic,” says Alejandro V. “I truly believe clutches are forever and should never go out of style — but I’m very happy they’re having a major comeback moment.”
Woven Leather Bags (All Year Long)
Woven leather bags seem to peek out of people’s wardrobes in the spring and summer, so there’s no doubt that they’ll be everywhere again when the weather gets warmer. The most recent Fashion Month, however, has made a case for the versatility and timelessness of this high-quality style.
“The Bottega Veneta influence here is undeniable,” notes Alejandro V. “From Daniel Lee to Matthieu Blazy, they did an incredible job reintroducing this silhouette and reminding people how timeless it really is. We’re at a point where consumers understand that great design can live forever.”
Louie agrees — though he notes that the target market is shifting slightly, too. “There will also be more emphasis on men wearing bags, which continues to shift how these silhouettes are styled and perceived,” he said, giving a particular shoutout to a certain movie star and noted Bottega Veneta lover. “Thank you Jacob Elordi.”
A woven bag — whether finished in leather or suede, and shaped as an oversized shoulder bag, utilitarian tote, or a trend-forward bucket bags — can tag along for nearly any activity. (I personally wear a woven suede tote as my work bag throughout the year!) “You can dress it up or down, and there’s even the idea of passing it on someday as a family heirloom,” Alejandro V suggests.
Unzipped “Ladylike” Bags
While the “ladylike” trend as a whole re-emerged in 2025, the ladylike bag specifically will shine in 2026, top handles and all. There’s a crucially modern update at play, however: The traditionally dainty style (typically featuring a single strap or handle) is now being reimagined with unzipped, unclasped, and undone details.
“I think this ties back to the [Hermès] Kelly being such an eternal icon — the ultimate single-strap, ladylike bag,” explains Alejandro V. More signature styles like the Dior Lady Bag have new interpretations too, like the Cigale bag. You’ll also find the unfastened, single-strap style across Loewe, Fendi, and Toteme’s collections.
(Non-Leopard) Animal Print Bags
Animal prints will likely never go out of style, but there are points when they’re especially in vogue. Such patterns have been all over the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter 2026 runways, most frequently presented through handbags. Even more interestingly, leopard print isn’t the most popular choice Instead, zebra and tiger prints, snakeskin, and cowhide dotted several designers’ collections — and they’re far more versatile than you may think.
“Most animal prints are basically neutrals,” Alejandro V notes. “You can wear tiger and zebra print with almost anything! Cheetah, obviously. Or giraffe print à la early Dooney & Bourke.” Typically available in neutral color palettes, these prints can be paired with your favorite wardrobe stapes to add a pop to any outfit.
From The Office To The Alley: Doctor & Bowling Bags
Spacious and structured handbags have solidified themselves as the trend of all trends to carry around. On the runways, they’ve predominately popped up in leather, suede, and even snakeskin variations, and silhouettes ranging from the professional-looking house doctor style to the sportier bowling bag.
These boxy and/or bulbous bags are perfect for all-day wear, though they’re particularly useful as your work bag. “These bags fit everything—and then some,” says Alejandro V. “A book, an iPad, a Hydro Flask… it’s truly the perfect chic little schlep bag without feeling overwhelmingly massive.” In other words, gone are the days of mini bags (though we’re sure that won’t last very long).
Playful Pastel Bags
There isn’t just one trending color that will cement itself as a 2026 handbag must-have. Instead, a rainbow of pretty pastels will be taking over. Expect to find butter yellows, baby pinks, mint greens, lilac purples, and frosted blues across every handbag category (including in some of the trending styles seen above ). See: The pale yellow cylindrical shoulder bags at Coach; the pink, purple, and blue pouches at Prada; as well as the pink lady bags and yellow quilted chain bags at Dior.
Pastel purses will no doubt make their biggest presence during the spring months, but they can also add unexpected brightness to fall and winter outfits that need a bit of cheering up.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Target is no stranger to partnering on creative collaborations. From Rowing Blazers in 2023, Diane von Furstenberg in 2024, and Kate Spade as well as Woolrich in 2025, the reader-favorite retailer has teamed up with a range of designers and brands on limited-edition collections that almost always instantly sell out.
And to get us into the warm-weather spirit, Target is collaborating with cheerful lifestyle brand Roller Rabbit on a cross-category collection that embraces adventure and encourages spring getaways. The brand’s signature joyful prints and matching pajama sets mix with its first‑ever expansion into luggage and outdoor items for an all-inclusive collection that’s ready to upgrade your vacation outfits and activities.
“This collection encapsulates the Roller Rabbit universe at scale — including expansion into brand new categories — while staying true to the personality and pillars of family, friendship and togetherness that define our brand,” said Ed Bertouch, CEO of Roller Rabbit, in a press release.
The 250+ item collaboration spans apparel for the whole family (available in extended sizing and adaptive styles), home and entertaining essentials, beauty, and more, with most items falling under $35. And for the cherry on top, it also features limited-edition, print-covered items from more brands like Poppi, Olive & June, and Byoma.
The collection goes live at 3 a.m. EST on Saturday, March 7 online and in most Target stores (where you can shop a limited-edition Roller Rabbit printed sleepwear set exclusively available at Target along with Mystery Boxes). Ahead, see glimpses of the lookbook for some "window shopping," and come back to actually shop the Target collab next week (before it sells out).
All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission.
Refinery29 celebrates 20 years by going back to where it all began: 2005. The year that defined pop culture, fashion, and modern ambition. This special episode of R29 The Rewind features Kimora Lee Simmons, who sits down with Refinery29 Chief Content Officer Brooke DeVard to revisit the year through Kimora’s lens. Together, they unpack the rise of the Baby Phat empire, the influence of early-2000s music and pop culture, Kimora’s life at the height of it all, and how that moment continues to shape fashion, money, and culture today. R29 The Rewind is an episodic series where we sit down with icons from every era to go way, way back and revisit the moments that shaped culture then and now.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Awards season is in full swing, and we've been busy cheering for all the talented winners left, right and center. The BAFTAs 2026 were filled with glorious moments, like Wunmi Mosaku finally being recognized for Sinners, but there was another part of the awards show we couldn't tear our eyes away from: the fashion. The outfits the celebrities show up in are always a delight, from the bold and provocative to the safe and demure.
There have been some major wins on the carpet, with Hamnet'sJessie Buckley wearing a Grecian-styled Chanel dress and Teyana Taylor in a bold Burberry piece. We've rounded up the best looks from the BAFTAs 2026 red carpet, from daring silhouettes to gothic-inspired looks.
Teyana Taylor
Teyana Taylor in Burberry.Photo by Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images.
Jessie Buckley
Jessie Buckley in Chanel.Photo by Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Images.
Rose Byrne
Rose Byrne in Miu Miu.Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images.
Odessa A'Zion
Odessa A'Zion in Dior.Photo by Mike Marsland/Getty Images.
Chase Infiniti
Chase Infiniti in Louis Vuitton.Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images.
Emma Stone
Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton.Photo by Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images.
Aimee Lou Wood
Aimee Lou Wood in Emilia Wickstead.Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images.
Erin Doherty
Erin Doherty in Louis Vuitton.Photo by Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Images.
Wunmi Mosaku
Wunmi Mosaku in Ahluwalia.Photo by Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Images.
Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal
Gracie Abrams in Chanel, Paul Mescal in Prada.Photo by Aurore Marechal/Getty Images.
Sadie Sink
Sadie Sink in Prada.Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images.
Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson in Prada.Photo by Mike Marsland/Getty Images.
Tilda Swinton
Tilda Swinton in Chanel.Photo by Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Images.
Rei Ami, EJAE and Audrey Nuna
Rei Ami in Jesmine Erbas, Audrey Nuna in Thom Browne.Photo by Aurore Marechal/Getty Images.
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington in Prada.Photo by Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 18: Dove Cameron is seen in Chelsea on February 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by TheStewartofNY/GC Images)
Yes, the streets of NYC are still cloaked with piles of snow. But I can’t be the only one becoming impatient waiting for spring to officially arrive. The sartorial solution? Style stars are cleverly working next season’s most coveted pieces into their outfits now instead of later. Case in point: Dove Cameron gave the ’90s minimalist goth trend a spin while promoting her TV series 56 Days.
On the runway, the movement was shaped by moody, all-black looks highlighted in Pierpaolo Piccioli’s debut Balenciaga collection and Catherine Holstein’s sharp Khaite jackets that hugged the body like a metaphorical shield from all of the chaos happening in the world.
Cameron’s interpretation of goth girl spring felt effortlessly cool with the help of Nour Hammour’s Thalia leather jacket. It’s a popular style that checks all the boxes of 2026’s most-desirable spring outerwear pieces: a customizable cinched waist (a move away from the boxy silhouettes of previous years), a funnel neck design that sits up tall when fully zipped, and a slightly cropped silhouette that lands just below the waist. It’s leather jackets like these that will outshine any trench coat this year.
Like with any trend, the key to mastering goth glam is all about balance. Stylist Marc Eram cleverly paired Cameron’s tough jacket with a white Alberta Ferretti dress. The fluid movement adds just the right amount of softness next to the structured layer. Keeping the grunge aesthetic going, Eram topped off Cameron’s look with Gentle Monster’s cult-favorite Manifesto sunglasses and Andrea Wazen boots, a winning combo that’s undeniably chic.
If you’re like me and ready to push your heavy-duty winter coats to the back of your closet, now’s the moment to test out transitional ’90s minimalist goth jackets just like the one worn by Cameron.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
I was at the runway of the first plus-size designer on the official NYFW calendar (Eden Miller’s Cabiria, showing at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week back in 2013). A year later, I was there when Chromat opened their SS15 show with plus model Denise Bidot — and I made a very un-fashion-week-like exclamation of excitement when I saw her step onto the runway. I saw Christian Siriano go from a straight size designer to a plus fashion collab with Lane Bryant, to dressing plus celebrities for the red carpet, to becoming one of the designers known for dressing every body once he normalized including multiple plus models on the runway in 2016.
For a glorious while, it felt like progress was inevitable and the number of plus models walking NYFW would just keep going up… and then the pandemic hit. And then the rise of Ozempic for weight loss hit. And suddenly, progress hadn’t just ground to a halt — we were going backwards.
As someone who has been pushing for size inclusion in fashion for over a decade, it is beyond disheartening to see the tiny bit of hard-fought progress we made being pushed back so rapidly. I’ve loved fashion since I was a little kid (I was the 5 year-old seeking out copies of Vogue and Elle at the local library), and I still get a thrill from covering NYFW even after a decade plus of doing so. But sometimes I look at the CFDA calendar before a season starts and feel my anxiety rising, because I just know there probably will be little to no size diversity to come.
That bad-gut feeling was sadly correct this season. The official numbers aren’t in yet, but this might have been one of the least size diverse New York Fashion Weeks in recent history — and that bar is low.
Now, some of this season’s dip can be attributed to certain brands sitting the season out. Last season, I saw the bulk of visibly plus size representation at plus-specific shows like Renee Cafaro Atelier and plus fashion label Eloquii’s NYFW debut. Size inclusive designers like Rachel Antonoff and Kimberly Gordon of Selkie can always be counted on for truly diverse runways too, but neither showed this season. Alexis Bittar is another designer that I always find casts without discriminating against larger bodies (last season’s pageant-themed presentation was filled with dolls of every size), but this year’s visceral, violent, and excellent vignette just included one model (and one victim), so size diversity wasn’t applicable this time around.
But all that just highlights the fact that it shouldn’t be on a handful of designers to carry all of the representation at Fashion Week. Because when they change their format or skip a season, the absence is keenly felt.
Sarah Chiwaya
These feelings are supported by the data: We’ve not yet seen the numbers from this season, but last season the representation was insignificant, with less than 1% plus models on the runway, and 97.1% of models sizes 0-4. Given that the average U.S. size is closer to a 16/18 (and recent CDC data shows that that size is holding true even after years of aggressive marketing of GLP-1s for weight loss), that is nothing short of abysmal.
To be clear, we’ve never approached anything even CLOSE to equitable runway representation (which would mean at least 67% curve models). Indeed, we’ve barely even cracked 5% — and that’s with the most generous calculations. Tokenization, which is not real representation, has often been the norm over the last decade, but there’s nothing like seeing zero curves on the runway to put the absence of even that little bit of size diversity into sharp relief.
I wasn’t alone in feeling it, either. Bella Gerard, a fashion editor and author of Substack’s B List, also noted the blatant regression: “Above all else, the lack of body diversity on the runway this season just feels so…disappointing,” she noted. “It’s not breaking news that attempts at inclusivity are often performative in the fashion sphere, but this season really proved a ‘one step forward, three steps back’ reality. Not only was there next to no curve representation, but the straight size models looked even thinner than in recent years, calling back to an era of thinspo I thought we’d collectively renounced and evolved past.”
Fortunately, there were some bright points this season too, with top designers whose visions of fashion were not constrained to just one type of girl. On the first day of shows, Collina Strada showed a deliciously darkly romantic-yet-eclectic collection, replete with high Victorian lace collars, blurred prints, volume play, and body baring dropped-waist silk dresses that looked equally hot on straight and plus size models. Later that evening, Jane Wade’s show — titled “The Summit” — was an innovative fashion expedition, with conifers on the runway, tents on dresses (and as dresses), and survival-ready fabrications merged with Wade’s signature suiting and elevated officewear. (The story of a corporate woman dreaming of an escape to nature is crucially not one limited by size.)
And at New York Men’s Day, A.Potts showed a distinctive style of oversized, genderless clothing on a cast that included both age diversity and an even more underrepresented category: Male plus models. Designer Aaron Potts is no stranger to size diverse casting, either: Prior seasons have included plus models, and I — a size 20 — was actually one of the models for the launch of his new diffusion label Werkshop by A.Potts (which was also featured in his NYMD presentation).
I allowed myself a little hope after that good first day, but as the week went on and I saw more shows with zero curve models than not, the lack of size inclusion just felt more and more pronounced. Industry friends who knew I was reporting on size inclusion this season would occasionally text me curve model sightings. “Paloma on the runway at Proenza.” “One curve model at Gabe Gordon.” “I think two? at Eckhaus Latta.” Every message was appreciated, but the underlying implication that we needed to be eagle-eyed to spot even a smidgeon of size inclusion was a downer.
Then there were the false positives, driven by the emerging trend of adding mass to thin bodies with clothing. I saw countless peplums, panniers, and padded pieces throughout the week, and as I was desperately searching for a hint of curve and trying to parse a tall size 8 curve model from her size 4 contemporary, I occasionally got excited only to realize that was just a straight size model with fabric curves added on. It felt like I was playing an unwitting (and unwelcome) game of “curve model or just a structured hip?” When there’s so little visual difference between straight and curve models — who do not typically wear actual plus sizes, paradoxically — the facade of inclusion shatters even more.
Shows with organic diversity, like Kim Shui’s richly textured, color-forward FW26 show, were some of the bright points of the season, but were sadly the exceptions, not the rule. Age diversity did seem to be on the uptick, too — with gorgeous older models in shows including Carolina Herrera, Diotima, and the relaunch of Derek Lam with new creative director Robert Rodriguez at the helm.
Yet as I saw runway after runway composed exclusively of the thinnest models, the scattered tips I was getting about curve models on the runway started to feel like rare sightings of an endangered species.
Sarah Chiwaya
As someone with 25 seasons of NYFW under my belt and who has dedicated my career to the push for more and better for plus size women, I am always wary when there’s a category that seems like the chosen diversity du jour. True representation should be across the board and not a passing trend, with an ongoing emphasis on making sure underrepresented groups can see themselves in fashion. I’ve obviously clocked this, but other fashion industry vets have noted it as well.
In a recent piece for the New York Times, top fashion critic Vanessa Friedman noted that the recent shift extends well beyond the catwalk: “The gravitational pull is toward an ever-shrinking human form, especially on the runway,” she wrote. “It’s too bad. Not because skinniness is bad, but because it should not be the only option. People still come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Seeing the reality of life reflected on the runways, which have become a form of entertainment for everyone, is actually more appealing than seeing life reduced to one size that cannot fit all.
Designers who really understand that appeal also know that it’s good for their bottom line. Committing to size inclusivity isn’t just the ethical thing to do — it’s good business sense, too. Take Christian Siriano, who extolled the fiscal virtues of size inclusion back in 2018, saying: “Adding plus sizes to my line tripled my business. Why wouldn’t you do that?!”
This season, when asked about diversity in casting, he echoed that sentiment, exclaiming that it was “so important!” Last week, the designer punctuated this belief visually by sending the same silhouette down the runway on two different body types. “I love how you can see they look amazing in the same dress, in the same look,” he told me backstage.
When designers approach representation as part of their brand identity, it effortlessly translates to the audience. Both legendary R&B singer Monica and the Whoopi Goldberg independently praised Siriano’s commitment to making fashion for all backstage. “It was absolute elegance, and it was for every size, shape, color and creed, so many different types of women — and men! — in the show,” Monica noted. “Gives you all sorts of inspiration!” Goldberg summed it up even more succinctly: “Christian’s work just always inspires me and makes me so happy, because we can all wear it.”
That type of organic inclusion was also evident in Chuks Collins’s striking presentation, which ranged from lush topstitched knits to sharp suits to stunning structured ballgowns, all shown on a range of sizes and body types. (Collins was heavily influenced by how scarification, purposeful, ritual, and otherwise, can play into the way we present ourselves to the world.)
“I grew up seeing people that look like you, people that look like me,” Collins said. “My mom is not a size 2. My grandmother, who taught me to sew, she’s not a size 10. About 40 to 50% of my clients are plus size people. So I am not going to lie to myself and say ‘oh, my demographic, my ideal demographic is a size 2 to 4.’”
For Collins, who started the brand in 2006, building a collection for customers of all sizes is both a labor of love and a practical financial matter — after all, he’s building a label he wants to last. “I have to create clothes that people see themselves in, that they want to wear. With that, I’m becoming a successful business,” he noted. “I also just love dressing people with curves, because that’s what I started doing, that’s how I started my career. So I’m not going to — because of what, industry standards? — I’m not going to include that? And I love women. I love beautiful women with curves. I tell the stories of how I feel, and my work is a representation of myself.”
In the end, an outsized portion of the size diversity this season came from emerging designers and those making their CFDA debuts, such as Menyelek Rose of the eponymous label Menyelek. Designer Andrew Curwen, meanwhile, showed a sexy, directional, and haunting (complimentary!) collection. “Nocturnal Conditions” looked stunning on every figure, and the diverse cast (by F10 Casting agency) felt simultaneously natural and intentional.
Camryn Mcclain of RENÉE NYC also cited body diversity as integral to her inspiration: “For casting this season, we focused on different characters of everyday people of various shapes and sizes that reflect what I see in the city,” Mcclain said. That thoughtfulness complemented a presentation of some of the most interesting knitwear I’ve seen lately, with bold braiding and fringe details rendered in rich jewel tones and gilded neutrals.
“I want my collection to inspire and be inclusive for everyone,” said Veejay Floresca, another designer on the CFDA calendar for the first time. “I worked with my team to cast models across sizes, races, ages, and gender identities so that everyone can see themselves in the collection I created. It is so important to me that everyone feels beautiful and can express themselves freely and I hope my collection can bring this to all of my customers.”
The casting fully reflected that, with a stunning range of bodies (including Project Runway star plus model Liris Crosse) all looking occasion-ready in sumptuous gowns and suiting. Floresca’s Project Runway mentor Christian Siriano was also in attendance, and it felt both poetic and prophetic that Floresca is also adding to the legacy of embracing true runway diversity.
As New York Fashion Week wrapped, social media was only beginning to set itself ablaze with reactions to the new Netflix documentary centered on America’s Next Top Model, particularly the impossible beauty standards that persisted then and seem intent on making a vicious comeback today. While reactions to the show — and the harmful standards that were upheld in the era of ANTM — are rightfully horrified, it’s worth looking at the present in the same lens.
Fashion is meant to be forward-looking, creative, and progressive, but all too often falls into the “that’s just the way things are” default.
Designers letting themselves off the diversity hook now, thinking the current wave of regressive and exclusionary ideals will be an excuse, will inevitably find themselves on the wrong side of history.
Sarah Chiwaya
For now, the bright spots and the designers that see fashion for all will keep me going. As Curwen said after his show: “Those who are told ‘no’ the most in the industry are the ones we pay the most attention to.” In doing so, Curwen and designers like him set themselves apart from the crowded field of brands all targeting the least populous market (aka straight sizes). Here’s hoping the industry gets on board with this more expansive view of who belongs in fashion, and other designers see the opportunity that true inclusion presents, for both business and the human obligation.
