New York Fashion Week: Highlights of the Spring-Summer 2025 catwalks

CNN
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In recent days, established brands like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger have attempted to breathe new life into classics in New York City—and a little further afield on Long Island—while labels like Alaïa and Off-White, which usually present their fashion in Paris, have crossed the pond to define what American fashion means to them.

New York Fashion Week, which officially kicks off fashion month, has been at a crossroads in recent seasons, as its counterparts in Milan and Paris have continued to dominate the industry calendar with coveted shows and spectacular celebrity guest lists. But that's not to say the city has been without A-listers – especially since the week-long event coincided with the US Open and featured many stars both on the court and on the runway.

Ralph Lauren kicked off the event on Thursday with an unscheduled bash in the Hamptons, rebuilding the iconic Polo Bar for guests including First Lady Jill Biden, singer Usher and actors Jude Law, Tom Hiddleston and Naomi Watts. The following evening, Alaïa gathered supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Amber Valletta and Stephanie Seymour in the audience at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, while Kendall Jenner led the model parade through the art museum's famous spiral architecture – but the biggest surprise of the evening was Rihanna's glittering appearance in a crystal-net ensemble by the French luxury house.

Off-White also had no shortage of famous faces on Sunday. Creative director Ib Kamara staged the label's first New York runway, luring singers Zayn Malik, Mary J. Blige and Camila Cabello, as well as model Alessandra Ambrosio, to waterfront basketball courts in Brooklyn. Also in attendance were U.S. Olympic water polo player Ashleigh Johnson – of course with rapper Flavor Flav, who became her team's sponsor this year – and 2024 Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Sunisa Lee.

But Olympians not only made the guest list this week, they also made surprise runway debuts. Jordan Chiles, another of the gymnasts' “Golden Girls,” swapped the balance beam for the runway with Kim Shui. She wore a floral silk bodysuit-style outfit with a flowing cape, while sprinter Noah Lyles took a more leisurely pace at Willy Chavarria's show, wearing white athletic shorts and armbands that read “América,” the name the designer chose for a show about the immigrant perspective of the American dream.

Chavarria's latest collection — which included wide-leg belted khakis, crisp ties and lapels, and practical men's skirts, followed by a separate, new line of sportswear with Adidas — was displayed against a backdrop of the American flag and began with a rendition of the classic Spanish love song “Querida.” (Guests also received small American Civil Liberties Union pamphlets containing the full U.S. Constitution, a reminder of the country's founding ideals.)

It was far from the only show expressing a sense of political urgency ahead of the 2024 election. Surrealist label Area, celebrating its 10th anniversary, partnered with Tinder to promote (and donate to) the national abortion rights campaign Bans Off Our Bodies, featuring a collection of hand and fingerprint prints printed, sewn and etched onto the garments.

“We really think and reflect what's going on in the world and incorporate that into our clothes,” Area's creative director Piotrek Panszczyk told CNN backstage.

Nepali-American designer Prabal Gurung also had a message, albeit one of hope. Fueled by Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, Gurung wrote in the show notes that he wanted to “create a collection that reflects a powerful affirmation of matriarchy, femininity and the future.” Gurung's collection of trailing scarves, sheer bustiers and hand-draped saris was full of movement on a windy day near City Hall – and included a seemingly ironic nod to Harris with an embroidered minidress made from coconut palms.

“I have always believed in the power of women, in feminine ideas,” Gurung told CNN shortly before the show. “I have always believed that they saved me… and I know that they can save the world.”

Scroll down to see this season's runway highlights, updated throughout the week.