See all the best looks — and celebrity appearances — at New York Fashion Week

What is the state of American fashion right now? It’s a question at least partly answered by New York Fashion Week, which concluded Tuesday, where brands including Thom Browne and Calvin Klein showed their latest collections in a season marked by major debuts, returns and decisive shake-ups for American designers.

Amid a wider industry reshuffling, several major labels and cult mainstays — including Proenza Schouler, Area and Helmut Lang — were absent from the schedule following the departure of their creative directors. Some heritage brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren skipped the season entirely, while others showed overseas or across state lines. (Willy Chavarria, one of New York’s most prominent designers, opted to show during Paris’ menswear week; Bode, though still officially on the schedule, debuted its collection in New Orleans as part of the football- and fashion-centric GQ Bowl.)

A pared-down week in New York nonetheless saw doses of theatricality, including Marc Jacobs’ off-schedule procession of doll-like models in exaggerated silhouettes, Christian Siriano’s automotive-inspired gowns and flashy clubwear, and Thom Browne’s conceptual closing that saw besuited models as otherworldly birds.

Model Alex Consani walked for Marc Jacobs, who hosted an off-schedule show at the New York Public Library ahead of New York Fashion Week.

But understated collections focused on wearability were par for the course, from Eckhaus Latta’s “anti-snobbish” showing of leather bombers, cargo pants and casual asymmetrical dresses to Veronica Leoni’s highly anticipated debut collection for Calvin Klein.

In the latter brand’s first runway show since creative director Raf Simons’ departure in 2018, Leoni seemed to issue a return-to-work order, with sleek business casual attire made weightless through wide tailoring and billowing silk.

“I really tried to explore beauty in the most authentic, clean, fresh and pure way,” she told reporters, including CNN, backstage. “We (were) inspired by the archive, but didn’t get into any nostalgia. We tried not to get stuck looking too much into the past.”

Klein, now 82, was in attendance at his namesake label’s comeback. So too were Calvin Klein models past and present, including Kate Moss, Christy Turlington, FKA Twigs and Kendall Jenner, the last of whom walked the show in an ankle-length pinstripe coat dress.

Elsewhere, Ella Emhoff, Dove Cameron, actor Cole Sprouse and Japanese Breakfast singer Michelle Zauner showed up for Collina Strada, while Katie Holmes, Whoopi Goldberg and Julianne Hough sat front row at Christian Siriano. Actress and singer Keke Palmer made appearances at both Brandon Maxwell and Sergio Hudson.

FKA Twigs arriving at Calvin Klein to watch Veronica Leoni’s debut.

Bad Bunny also showed up for Calvin Klein’s return to the runway.

Cristin Milioti, Queen Latifah, Cara Delevingne and Kerry Washington at Thom Browne.

Following a quieter midpoint for celebrity appearances, Tory Burch and Thom Browne both drew a number of A-Listers to close out the week. At the Museum of Modern Art, Amanda Seyfried, Martha Stewart, Ciara and Jodie-Turner Smith were among the front-row guests for Burch’s spin on classic sportswear, while at The Shed arts center, Cara Delevingne, Kerry Washington, Queen Latifah and Adrien Brody showed up in variations of Browne’s “uniform” — the suit.

Looking to longevity

Backstage, shortly before presenting his new codes of “opulent American sportswear,” Hudson spoke to the challenges facing American designers. “I don’t think there’s a lack of talent. I think it’s a lack of support,” he said, pointing to a shift in focus towards European fashion weeks. “There’s a lot of great designers here, and I just feel like they’re being ignored. We have to open up our eyes and see what we have at home.”

At Christopher John Rogers’ long-awaited return to the New York schedule after a five-year hiatus — a vibrant showing of color-blocked, striped halter dresses and tasseled button-downs and pants — the designer alluded to the difficulties in maintaining an independent label. “We haven’t been immune to the recent challenges of the industry and are grateful as a brand to be here now presenting this body of work,” he said in the show notes.

Elena Velez often looks to the complexity of womanhood for her shows; this time she turned to the nautical folklore of sirens, sailors and mermaids. Models were drenched in water before hitting the runway. 

Ahead of Elena Velez’s runway, where mermaid and siren archetypes served as muses in netting, leather and wet, ruffled gowns, the Wisconsin-born designer called fashion “a longevity game.”

“It’s one of those industries where you have to claw your way into people’s realities, and you have to impose yourself in this space to be taken seriously,” she told CNN over a phone call.

In past seasons, Velez has done so through dramatic presentations — including a literal mud pit fight club — and atypical partnerships, including one with OnlyFans. In keeping with this season’s lost-at-sea mood, she said, fittingly: “There’s no plan b — I’ll sink with my ship.”