The Tamesis
“This season [may seem] Quieter, but by the time it was done, I think we would all feel full enough. ” says fashion consultant Julie Gilhart, who has a long list of brands she’s looking forward to seeing: Collina Strada, Eckhaus Latta, Zankov, Campillo, Colleen Allen, Lii, Ashlyn, Fforme, Meruert Tolegen, Rùadh, Advisry, Gabe Gordon, Tanner Fletcher, Khaite, Tory Burch, Ulla Johnson, Artese, Heirlome, Kallmeyer, Maria McManus and TWP.
“Maybe this is an opportunity for New York Fashion Week to slowly shift the focus away from big shows and towards providing more opportunities for the next generation of talent. When things are always the same, it can get a little boring,” Gearhart said.
tough background
The fall/winter 2026 fashion show comes amid rising political tensions in the United States, the knock-on effects of tariffs and the fallout from the bankruptcy of Saks Global. Still, buyers will be out in force, and the fashion industry will once again be tasked with emerging from the darkness. Or they will become politicized again. “I think we’ll see throughout the season what the riots do to the emotional output,” KCD CEO Rachna Shah told Elektra Kotsoni in Elektra Kotsoni’s latest newsletter, The Scoop. “But at the end of the day, it’s a business and the economics of it need to move forward. So it’s about how you do that while holding space for what’s going on in the country.”
“[I want to] Encourage designers not to lose their creative voice, especially when faced with challenges such as the Saks bankruptcy, tariffs, inflation, geopolitical tensions, and more. There are a lot of heavy things that can be distracting. Through this, creativity is very important. ” Kolb said.
CFDA provides resources for brands responding to Saks crisis. On Monday, it hosted a meeting for members and attorneys to discuss options for shipping inventory and receiving overdue payments. Past sessions have focused on Bankruptcy 101. “The general consensus I hear is that everyone wants Saks to succeed. It’s very important to the industry and designers,” Kolb said. “That being said, we’re going to lose some brands. There’s going to be some impact, it’s just business. We’re doing our best to soften it and keep the brands going.” It’s not all doom and gloom for retail: Nordstrom will celebrate its 125th anniversary with an event Tuesday night at its Manhattan store, co-hosted by Thom Browne, that serves as the week’s unofficial launch.
While New York’s fashion scene lacks government support, other funds are aimed at helping smaller designers. Genesis House and CFDA award Terrence Zhou of Bad Binch TongTong a 2023 AAPI Design and Innovation Grant for Asian American and Pacific Islander Designers. This year marks the launch of the Veronica Beard x CFDA Creative Futures Scholarship, which provides four undergraduate designers with $50,000 each and paid internships with Veronica Beard.
Announced on Monday, the CFDA is also partnering with OpenAI on a new designer program. Dubbed the “Innovation Hub,” the partnership aims to teach designers how to use artificial intelligence in their businesses while focusing creative leadership. In its first year, the innovation center will pair six fashion brands with six AI tool makers to collaborate on pilot projects that combine AI and fashion design.
