It’s still July, but anticipation is rising for the spring 2026 collections in September, fashion’s “season of the reboot.” Everywhere you look, it seems, change is afoot. While most designer debuts, from Dario Vitale at Versace and Louise Trotter at Bottega Veneta to Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga and Matthieu Blazy at Chanel, will take place in Europe, New York Fashion Week has its fair share of headlines and newcomers, too.
The season will kick off slightly later than usual (which means that many of us will be able to take our first honest-to-goodness Labor Day vacation… maybe ever?). Serving as the season’s off-schedule curtain raiser will be Brandon Maxwell with a show for his 10th anniversary on Tuesday, September 9. The official opener will be Michael Kors at 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 11—angel numbers, anyone?
On the debut front, Nicholas Aburn, a former Balenciaga couture designer who has replaced Piotrek Panszczyk at Area, will show his first collection on Friday, September 12 at 10 a.m., while Veronica Leoni and Frances Howie will present their sophomore efforts for Calvin Klein Collection and Fforme, respectively, that afternoon. Later that day, Ib Kamara will be back in New York with his latest collection for Off-White, and capping off the evening, Alexander Wang’s own return to the NYFW schedule will overlap with cult-favorite SC103’s calendar debut.
Also returning this season are Amy Smilovic of Tibi on Saturday, Jason Wu on Sunday, and Toteme on Monday morning. Additional new names on the schedule include Maria McManus; Zane Li, with his debut runway show for Lii; and Amir Taghi, an Oscar de la Renta alum. Colm Dillane of KidSuper, who usually shows in Paris, is on the schedule on Sunday evening with a fashion and event double-feature.
Dynasty and Soull Ogun of L’Enchanteur, last year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners, will stage their first-ever runway show. They’ll be joined on the schedule by 2025 finalists Bernard James, Don’t Let Disco by Ashley Moubayed, Gabe Gordon and Timothy Gibbons of Gabe Gordon, Heirlome’s Stephanie Suberville, Jamie Okuma, Ashlyn by Ashlynn Park, Bach Mai, and Meruert Tolegen. Julian Louie of Aubero, who showed his latest collection by appointment in Paris last month, and Peter Do are not listed on the schedule.