The Big Apple Was the Big Attraction at New York Fashion Week for Spring 2025

Spring 2025 was a major moment for New York Fashion Week, during which the city itself emerged as one of the leading trends. With no central hub, designers of all nationalities and backgrounds chose iconic locations to set their shows, putting the city at the very heart of the season’s collections.

European imports included Alaïa, Off-White, Ronald van der Kemp, Toteme and Nanushka. In the case of Alaïa, creative lead Peter Mulier partnered with the Guggenheim, where his spiral dresses and fuzzy coats mimicked the lines of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece.

Other highlights included Tory Burch, who chose the Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg; tiling the whole set to look like the inside of a wet pool, and Luar’s Raul Lopez, who closed down Rockefeller Plaza — nothing gets more New York than that. Except Coach’s “I heart NY” T-shirts, perhaps.

Upping the wow factor were Madonna and Ice Spice in the front row. Michelle Williams and Ella Emhoff also made their rounds (the latter, both on and off the runway), as did Olympic winners like star track athlete Noah Lyles, who closed at Willy Chavarria, one of American fashion’s leading voices at present.

Here, WWD wraps up some of the main trends at NYFW Spring 2025.

OPTIMISM

That was the word on just about every designer’s mind and every show-goer’s lips this season, translating to ethereal transparencies. Such was the case Khaite, a queen of dark and moody glamour, where Catherine Holstein delivered one of her strongest collections to date by adding a softer touch with sheer organza. At Carolina Herrera, Wes Gordon also got into the lighthearted spirit with a collection that could be described as a polka-dotted flower-power fever dream. Prabal Gurung’s celebratory outdoor show, meanwhile, hinged on flowy, romantic silhouettes in happy colors.

SPORTS

After the Paris Olympics, athletes are at the epicenter of fashion now more than ever, and that influence was evidenced by the sportif references seen all over the runways. Polos, rugby stripes, baseball caps and varsity jackets were pushed by American heavy hitters like Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, while experimental takes were offered by the new vanguard like Melitta Baumeister. Everyone got in on the game.

TEXTURES & FRINGES

Despite the increasingly tech-forward landscape of fashion, intricate beading, knitwear, fringes and painted accents gave dimension to a lot of the collections this week from Zankov and Diotima to Michael Kors, all of which reveled in the spirit of craftsmanship, showing off feats of the human hand. 

TAILORING

After a couple of seasons of boxy, ‘80s-skewed power shoulders, the tailoring assortment this time around was loosened up with softer construction meant for real-world wear as many head back to the office. Todd Snyder returned to NYFW with a pastel-colored men’s collection inspired by the French Riviera, while Tibi and Lafayette 148 continued to show their strength in dressing women for getting the job done, whether they’re on duty or off.

LEATHER

If there’s one piece of outerwear to invest in come spring 2025, it’s a leather jacket. They came in all shapes and colors, from cropped to baggy, barn to aviator and beyond. Some of the standout options from the week include those from Aknvas, Campillo, and Brandon Maxwell.