New York Fashion Week: From Humble Beginnings to the Amalgamation of Fashion

New York Fashion Week, perhaps more than any other event in the industry, is the most anticipated showcase of high-end and luxury fashion and provides leading designers worldwide with an unrivaled global platform to showcase their collections bi-annually every February and September. A name synonymous with earth-shattering runways and collections, NYFW has kept its finger on the pulse of all that is trendy and soon to be trending.

New York Fashion Week mainly takes place in the Manhattan borough and typically runs seven to nine days. Fashion Week in New York is considered one of the “big four” fashion weeks along with Paris, Milan, and London. New York Fashion Week had humble beginnings but is now viewed as a must-attend event for celebrities and tastemakers worldwide. Fashion Week is a bi-annual event with Autumn/Winter collections showcasing in February and Spring/Summer collections showcasing in September, with New York following this cadence.

Compared to the larger-than-life stature it currently holds, New York Fashion Week had humble beginnings – starting back in 1943 under a different name. The first fashion week was founded by Elanor Lambert, press director of the New York Dress Institute, and was originally branded “Press Week” to quell the desire of traveling to France for fashion shows due to the outbreak of World War II. Lambert hoped to bring awareness to American designers who were typically ignored in favor of French and Italian designers. Press Week was a huge success and saw fashion magazines like Vogue begin to feature American designs and designers.

In 1993, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) consolidated the week's events to Bryant Park and rebranded it as New York Fashion Week. While the current location of shows and events varies, Fashion Week predominately takes place downtown in Lower Manhattan, with shows being held everywhere from abandoned buildings to railway terminals. New York’s February 2025 Fashion Week, featuring designer’s Autumn/Winter collections, includes highly publicized trends that are already bleeding over into other facets of the fashion world and will surely carry throughout the rest of 2025.

NYFW 2025 Trends: Ballerina Core

The Ballerina Core trend may sound obvious on paper, but when the aesthetic is broken down and dissected, the influence both have on each other is palpable. Ballet, much like fashion, has been at the forefront of cultural movements and was long seen as a reflection of worldwide events, gender, and sexuality.

Ballet as a dance art form began in the 15th century and was only performed by men in royal courts. By the 18th and 19th centuries, women slowly but surely started to become professional ballerinas although this was not without controversy. The now iconic “tutu” silhouette worn by female Ballerinas was frowned upon due to the conservative dress style of the 1800s which led to female ballerinas often portrayed as sex workers.

In the 20th century, fashion houses like Christian Dior began to incorporate Ballet-inspired silhouettes into their collections and runways and ballet’s full incorporation into different facets of art and culture began to take hold. Films like The Turning Point and Black Swan were critical darlings and everyone’s favorite fashionista Carrie Bradshaw famously wears a tutu-inspired look during the opening credits of Sex and the City. While Ballerina Core has been an inspired trend in years past, its current resurgence is exciting and trend-worthy.

Ballerina Core uses shades of pink and other pastel shades of yellow, blue, and purple – highlighting the color's paler counterparts. The colors are seen on everything from ballet flats and slippers to leg warmers and athletic-inspired, but always feminine, tops and bottoms like compression tops and flared skirts. Brands like Miu-Miu, Prada, and Gucci have produced handbags that draw inspiration from the trend and aesthetics of Ballerina Core based on color, silhouette, and style.

NYFW 2025 Trends: Western Wear

We can thank the residual effects of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album for revitalizing all things cowboy and western-inspired. From glittery cowboy hats to bedazzled boots, the Western aesthetic has taken the fashion world and social media by storm over the last year, and throughout 2025, this trend and aesthetic will only continue to grow.

The term cowboy can be traced back to the early 19th century and drew inspiration from the vaquero traditions of Mexico as well as Spain and early North American settlers. Traditionally, cowboys worked on ranches and herded cattle and are now synonymous with, but not limited to, North American western culture based in Texas, California, the Rocky Mountains, and the Great Basin. Over the years the cowboy aesthetic has shifted and entered the popular zeitgeist with the rising popularity of rodeos, line dancing, and country music.

While country music stars have long been seen as the main proprietors of western and cowboy wear, the sleek and durable style has made its way into everything from streetwear to high fashion. The streets of the booming metropolis of New York City are now littered with trendsetters and tastemakers wearing cowboy boots, suede, and western-inspired denim. While no one is expecting to see full-on cowboys on high-fashion runways, the influence of the Western style will surely be highlighted.

Denim, suede, and slouchy handbag styles from brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Hermes will be the perfect Western-inspired styles to pair with your cowboy-chic or ranch-ready look.

NYFW 2025 Trends: Butter Yellow

Not to be outdone by Mocha Mousse, the Color of the Year for 2025, Butter Yellow is yet another savory-inspired shade that will take 2025 by storm and inspire runways, streetwear, and tastemakers from all walks of life. The Butter Yellow shade invokes a sense of warmth and nostalgia all while being ultra-modern and invigorating to look at.

Butter Yellow is the perfect alternative to white or cream, a shade just above those that will texture and layer to your style all while elevating what you’re already wearing. Go full monochrome with many different shades of Butter Yellow or pair a single pop of color with an accessory – like a handbag – to your look. Butter Yellow handbags are supple and rich in texture and will seamlessly pair well with anything in your wardrobe. Chanel, Loewe, and Hermes are rife with bags crafted in this shade and will surely bring new life to your style with the shade’s warm and comforting hue.