Fashion on the runway always, in some way, finds itself on the racks. Whether it’s a ready-to-wear collection or an exclusive couture look, I’m excited for everything next season’s fashion has to offer.
From brands like Prada who dominated Milan fashion week as usual, to brands like H&M who unexpectedly established themselves as masters of both retail and runway in London. Though for the purposes of this review we will focus on a fashion capital closer to home: New York.
On Sept. 12, Off White presented a collection titled Pop Romance which according to creative director Ib Kamara, was inspired by “disco, hip hop, graffiti and even streetwear.”
The late designer Virgil Abloh established Off White as an example of black excellence and that legacy is living through clothing. Just look at the material. Huge sequins marked on flowing midi dresses that were bright in color to remind me of the disco age. Tailored suits with strategically placed stripes and sharp shoulders remind me of the 2025 Met Gala theme; Superfine: Tailoring in Black style, where Black dandyism was in the spotlight.
Just from looking at the models you could tell Karma’s points of inspiration had deep roots within black culture.
Additionally, the sharp cowboy boot style shoes remind us all of Black people’s importance in country culture. I would describe the show as a masterclass in expressing oneself through color and patterns while refining that expression with tailoring.
Similarly brands like Ralph Lauren, Micheal Kors and Grace Ling featured top tier tailoring.
The piece that stood out the most to me was the show stopping silver leaf sculpted against a model’s chest to fit her perfectly, from Grace Ling’s Future Relics show. But the designer also included traditional tailoring styles in the show through suits and blazers.
Micheal Kors, Ralph Lauren and other designers also included oversized blazers, signaling a potential trend for the upcoming spring and summer season.
Monochrome and matching sets were also popular on the runway this season which Michael Kors didn’t shy away from.
Many of these brands are handing viewers looks that come right off the runway, with their ready-to-wear fashion options. This allows people to buy clothes they see in fashion shows but the prices aren’t always right for the average person.
Unfortunately (or luckily), as we know, fast fashion brands are likely to mimic runway fashion and put them on their racks. From those racks, people like you and I can access this seemingly exclusive attire. So in looking at trends from fashion week we already know what to look for before it flies off the shelves.
This fashion week gave us new trends while reminding us of how we can connect to the old. From the colorful prints and monochrome matching sets in Michael Kors to the sharp tailoring and flowy dresses from Grace Ling, everything seemed to be connected. Even in Off White’s master class in building on black culture, I anticipate the trends that come out of this ready-to-wear collection.