New York Fashion Week through the eyes of a budding savvy runway model

An overview of this year’s standout shows and an inside look at New York’s busiest fashion season

Meg Kosefeski / V Mag at UVA

With September’s usual frenzy of photographers, artists, celebrities, designers, models and — of course — clothing, New York Fashion Week was officially underway. Consecutive fashion weeks in London, Milan and Paris will follow a dramatic but potent 2023 season. This year, New York City featured a slew of up-and-coming designers and a plethora of standout shows, with its fair share of spectacles, such as surprise protesters and controversial sponsors.   

All eyes were on the most anticipated show of the week — breakout designer Peter Do at Helmut Lang. Models walked to Do’s debut line wearing black and white ‘90s minimalist outfits as Do’s voiceover played overhead. 

2023 also marked an important year for other brands, as Ralph Lauren celebrated the label’s first NYFW show since 2019 with denim, florals and lace. It was also Christian Siriano’s 15th anniversary show, and Victoria Secret’s first NYFW show since 2018, with the lingerie brand canceling their 2019 show to reinvent their marketing after a range of bad reviews and declining viewership. Other popular headliners included Khaite, Tory Burch, Diotima, Caroline Herrera, Michael Kors and Altuzarra.

For 21-year-old runway model Rachel Goff, “chaos” describes New York Fashion Week. Goff said she typically receives an email with anywhere from five to eight castings a day. Then comes the challenge of balancing a schedule and navigating the city.

“Everything's last minute, but it happens so fast and it's so crazy once it does,” Goff said. “I feel like you don't really know what it's like unless you experience it for yourself.”

It would not be fashion week without a little pandemonium. Shao Yang’s namesake label Shao New York had its debut show Sept. 11 on the rooftop of the East Village building where fake heiress Anna Delvey is under house arrest for overstaying her visa. In a Williamsburg warehouse, Elena Velez turned the runway into a mud pit where models in gauzy nude textiles brawled in muck at the end of the show. To top it off, PETA protesters hijacked the Coach stage holding a sign and wearing body paint reading, “Leather kills.”

Like the city itself, the fashion of New York represented a melting pot of cultures and styles. The label Studio 189 promoted African fashion based on artisans in Burkina Faso with fully hand-made textiles. Willy Chavarria reinterpreted Chicano style, reimagining modern fashion to incorporate Latino masculinity. Miss Universe 2022, R’Bonney Gabriel, closed Tanner Fletcher’s beauty pageant-themed runway show.

However, Goff said this season does not compare to last year. 

“The season’s not very good,” Goff said. “There aren’t that many brands that want to present their show, and the brands that do want to present their show are kind of third party. It's like maybe ten major brands this season.”

Some pitfalls of this year’s fashion week included a lack of “wow” factor, as the season presented mostly a refinement of existing minimalist trends. The choice by many brands to replace models with influencers, such as TikTok phenomenon Dylan Mulvaney, was also a source of controversy. Attendees also expressed a desire for more organization throughout the week, complaining about a lack of streamlined schedules and locations appropriate for navigating the city.

Along with the continuation of elevated ‘90s minimalism, general trends of the season included long jackets, oversized suiting and sheer dresses. The color white dominated the runway, as well as neutral shades and the occasional pop of red, icy blue and butter yellow. Monochromatic styles and denim were also prevalent. “Quiet luxury” came to life in the form of a casual yet refined dress code, and classically androgynous styles were detailed with feminine accessories, fringe, crochet, or even oversized earrings, such as the gold creations dangling from the ears of Gurung’s models. 

The stylings of fashion week extend beyond the runway. Goff said she noticed similar trends worn throughout the city that week, such as mini skirts, chunky belts, shoulder bags and chunky boots. 

“That's like, really chic right now,” Goff said. “Especially in New York, thrifting is just, it's just a given, like if you have a shirt and you like f—ing cut it up, step on it and throw it in the wash and you wear it. Like if it's your style, you can't look bad.”

In a cycle of castings, rejections, and acceptances, New York Fashion Week is a rollercoaster of emotions. The city’s competitiveness certainly adds to the stress.

“Yeah, it sucks when you don't get a show that you really wanted to get,” Goff said. “But it's also like maybe it wasn't the right time or maybe you have something better, because New York is a start. Then you would have London, and then you go to Milan, and then you go to Paris. So everyone will have an opportunity at some point.”

For anyone interested in modeling, it’s not for the weak of heart. Goff’s advice is to first like fashion, and secondly to prepare accordingly.

“You have to be ready,” Goff said. “Be prepared. It's a full time job for sure.”

Fashion week will continue in London, where the buzzy new designer Dilara Findikoglu canceled her Sept. 15 show days before it was supposed to happen. Findikoglu, whose designs have been worn by Margot Robbie, Kylie Jenner, Zendaya and Cardi B, among others, decided to cancel the show to budget for her business.