On Feb. 10, designer Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen hosted her first-ever runway show—“runway show” being a loose term. The candle-lit ceremony was more like a summoning circle than the traditional catwalk one would expect. Invited guests sat around a shadowy stage (on the wood floor, in some cases), observing models as they placed offerings on a center altar. Though the candles created ambience, some audience members were concerned for fire safety. It was certainly a memorable choice, given that fashion week has seen many an after-party shut down by the New York City fire marshals.
Lisa Rinna and co. turned NYFW into Bravocon
The Real Housewives hive has been eating well this season, with cast members abandoning their respective cities for New York City’s fashion escapades. Events were so well-attended—with Luann de Lesseps, Dorinda Medley, Jenna Lyons, and Bronwyn Newport all making appearances—that one PR rep affectionately dubbed the week “Bravocon.” Even with the reality TV stars checking in at nearly every event, none incited a bigger frenzy than Lisa Rinna, who made a surprise performance at Jane Wade. Rinna played the part of the no-bullshit CEO, eliciting audible gasps from the crowd and closing the office-themed fashion show with a bang.
A regularly scheduled appearance from the PETA protesters
As sure as fashion month is long, Coach’s show will inevitably be disrupted by protesters. Animal cruelty activists have started a tradition of sorts, habitually disrupting the label’s shows season after season after season. Security dragged one catwalk crasher out of the venue, down the front steps, and onto the curb like last night’s recycling. The protester continued to scream “leather kills” at the top of their lungs while being used as a human dust mop (the footage of which promptly made the rounds). After six days of nonstop clothing, the interruption actually energized weary show-goers, with some calling it a “highlight” of the week.
The ruffled rumps of Colleen Allen
In terms of memorability, the fresh-on-the-scene designer’s NYFW presentation rivaled household names. Allen opted out of the fashion show spectacle, instead hosting intimate appointments with a select few to show off her creations. Even without the theatrics of a choreographed runway, she was still able to make an impression on the minds and social media accounts of the industry insiders who viewed her work. Within hours, fashion-adjacent feeds were awash with the frilly bloomers and cerulean velvet coat she showed in her fall 2025 collection—the likes of which will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most photographed pieces of the week.
Kendall Jenner’s runway run-in with ex-boyfriend Bad Bunny
The reality TV star-turned-supermodel walked in Veronica Leoni’s first show for Calvin Klein Collection (and the brand’s first since 2017). Though Jenner was impeccably dressed in an outsized topcoat, it wasn’t her garb that had Slack channels buzzing, but her audience. Jenner walked the CK runway with ex-boyfriend Bad Bunny sitting front row. The question on editors’ lips and group chats was: Are they back together?
Statement shirts at Luar and Campillo
Brooklyn-based designer Raul Lopez used a homophobic slur as the inspiration for his upcoming line, reclaiming the term “el pato.” While his flamboyantly feathered accessories were a hit, a black T-shirt also got the message across: “I talk shit about you in Spanish.” Meanwhile, Patricio Campillo’s stage fell in line with the omnipresent workwear aesthetic—up until the creative director’s customary post-show appearance. He himself sported a tee that read “El Golfo de México,” a push-back against President Trump’s attempt to rename the body of water.
A runway wedding at Collina Strada
