New York Fashion Week S/S 26 Recap

0:10Bobby Schuessler:Welcome to the Who It Wear podcast, your direct line to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors, and tastemakers who are shaping the ever-evolving world of fashion. I'm Who It Wears shopping director Bobby Shessler, and today I'm sitting down with senior fashion editor Eliza Huber and senior fashion and social editor Tara Gonzalez for our official New York Fashion Week recap. After a busy week, the three of us meet up in the studio on Monday evening, hot off the heels of the Tory Burch show, ready to talk through the buzziest moments, our personal favorite collections, and of course, the trends and styling hacks we spotted on and off the runways.

0:49Bobby Schuessler:This is always such a fun, inspiring week for us, and we had a blast reporting all of our findings to give you a front row seat to the spring-summer 2026 shows. It's all coming up on Who What Wear.

1:09Bobby Schuessler:Hi, Eliza and Tara. Like, I don't know what time it is. It's Monday night, New York Fashion Week. We wanted to do this real time right away. You just came from the Tory Burch show. Yes, I'm excited to sleep. Yes, but first we have a lot to discuss. Yes. In general, like first hot take, favorite standout moments from the week. Honestly, Tori is always a huge standout for me. I feel like when I get the invite every season, it's like the little high because I know that I'm going to want to buy stuff. I know. Right, you're like a true shopper. Yes. Yeah, like my collection of Tori is getting a little scary.

1:45So yeah, Tori was a huge highlight. It was held at this beautiful old bank that I actually used to shop at when it was like a vintage. They used to do the Brooklyn flea there on the inside. So kind of a cute throwback, but I already picked out what I want.

1:58Bobby Schuessler:Okay, what is it? There was this turquoise funnel neck knee length trench coat paired with, I think, brown trousers. That's definitely coming home with me. And then there was this gold wrinkle effect metallic jacket that I love. There was this like gold Tory car coat a few seasons ago that I was obsessed with that I couldn't get. And I haven't seen it since. So it's been haunting me. Okay, I'm into that. Wait, I have a question on a trench coat because we obviously have seen them all week, like different iterations, long, cropped. You're saying knee length. What do you think is the trench coat vibe for spring 2026?

2:34Bobby Schuessler:Like staples, that's like one of the things we always talk about at Hooray, right? So it's like, I still like a long line one, but maybe like a knee length is good. I feel like there are certain items where you only need one. You know, like a black coat, you might need one black coat. A trench coat, I think I have like 12. You can have a couple. Yeah, you can have 15 trench coats and that's fine. I saw Acos, they have this little cropped cape-like one that's so chic and like that mushroomy color. Yes, yes, yes. And you can have a super long kind of double-breasted column trench coat. Then you can have like a more row-esque like baggy.

3:07Totally. They was a really pretty one like that at Tibby.

3:09Bobby Schuessler:Yeah, there was actually. I feel like you posted that. I need a length one. Yeah, you need a fine. The answer is 15. Okay, Tara, what was your favorite show that you saw this week?

3:19Eliza Huber:Okay, so I feel like a highlight for me is always Sandy Liang. I'm such a Sandy girl. She's also from the city. Like we also both are from Queens. So I feel like that's why I connect so much to her clothing. I feel like it's just so inspired by the city that I'm from and that I like to live in. And so I feel like going to her shows, every single outfit, I feel like I see myself in everything that she makes. and this season her collection was really fun it was really different for her like she made this funky little patterns with a little cute bunny and then she had this really fun lace white skirt that had panels made of lace so it looked like a little curtain like a little window on the skirt which was so cute there was a dress that was covered in little ruffle like underwear just like really funky out there stuff they had little sandals with huge oversized buttons on them and it was just so fun like so playful really really different for her but still felt like part of her universe and for me I just was like I'm gonna need all of these things so it's kind of like what you were saying about Tori where you're making mental notes that was me of making mental notes about what I needed from the Sandy show I feel like that's what's really fun about New York Fashion Week is that it is so playful you get different things at the different fashion weeks Paris is so sophisticated and elevated and same with Milan I feel like New York is just fun there is still that elevated, beautiful craftsmanship, but it's just lighthearted.

4:36Yeah.

4:36Bobby Schuessler:And that was one of my next questions that you kind of like touched on. What shows really like had a strong point of view where you felt like immersed in the experience, immersed in the brand, the Kate show always, it's such a gorgeous spectacle. They like build it out and it all goes together. Like this venue with this Kate girl, you just like really feel it. Was there anything that stuck out for you? I feel like Rachel Comey is like that. I've been following and wearing that brand like ever since I really started buying nice designer things. And it's always remained very constant. The clothes change and they're modern and they adapt.

5:11But the Rachel Comey girl and world stays really consistent and true to itself. I feel like a lot of brands can be influenced by trends and what's going on in the world. And I feel like Rachel just knows what her clients and her shoppers want and what she likes and never really strays from that. This collection felt so strong to me. Like I was going back even over just like the layering. Everything felt so true to her and how women would actually wear it. And I also loved I read that all the models did their own hair and makeup, which I also feel so brilliant.

5:49Eliza Huber:I also feel like the audience, like there's a ton of people that are fashion editors, but then there's also just cool people. from out and about in like the New York creative community. And I know this for a fact because I was looking out at the audience and I was like, is that my upstairs neighbor who doesn't work in fashion?

6:03Bobby Schuessler:Oh my gosh.

6:04Eliza Huber:And I was so confused, but he's also a twin. Oh my God, that's amazing. No, they're both in a band and they're like older Italian men who have been in the New York creative scene for like decades. They've lived in Brooklyn forever. Yeah. It was his twin I found out. Okay, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine. That's kind of to your point though. It's like that she brings out these people who like normally don't go to fashion shows, but are like in the New York creative scene, which I really love. And then on a similar note, I would say Susan Alexandra and Rachel Antonoff also had a show on Tuesday. It was a dog show for anyone who doesn't know.

6:35Eliza Huber:So the models are wearing Rachel Antonoff clothing and they're carrying Susan Alexandra bags and the dogs are all available for adoption. And they have Susan Alexandra leashes. And the show is just such a joy, such a delight. There's always actors and actresses from SNL and other sitcoms and movies. Dylan O 'Brien was in the show. Chris Fleming was the host, who's like hilarious. I was a big Teen Wolf fan, guys. I loved Teen Wolf. Well, there you go. Well, there you go. Teen Wolf stands. They're represented in New York Fashion Week.

7:06Bobby Schuessler:That's amazing too, because sometimes fashion can feel so serious. So like to be playful and fun. I love that. Were there any collections that surprised you or you really went into it being like, okay, I know I'm going to like it, but you really loved it? I really wanted to see what Rachel Scott would do with Proenza. Totally. I feel like with a brand that has been around for a long time under the same leadership, you just never know when you put someone new in what they're going to do with the brand. And I feel like obviously we all trust her because she does such an amazing job. But you just never know.

7:36And so it was really exciting to see her first collection. I feel like it perfectly merged what she does best and what like the house codes are and what Proenza does best. I love how Proenza has always been this brand that could do like really bright, vibrant colors and patterns, but do it in such a sophisticated, wearable, clean, elegant way. And I feel like she put her own twist on that, but kept that DNA really strong.

8:05Eliza Huber:In terms of surprise, I feel like I was just talking to Eliza about this in the car, but I went to the Tyler McGilvery show. And she's like a, you know, young designer who's dressing a ton of cute kind of New York fashion girls around town. I went and I saw like so many people that I follow online and so many people that have like really cool style. But her show was on a boat and it was going to be a mermaid show because that was in the invite. And I feel like for me, I went into that thinking, oh, like, OK, like the mermaid core thing was like such a thing. And I don't know, is this going to feel too trendy or a little like overdone?

8:37Eliza Huber:And I actually feel like it was so fun. A lot of the pieces were super wearable, like super cute. She had like this really interesting octopus pattern on a skirt that was inspired by like a vintage photo. And I spoke to her after the show and she had gone to Tampa to speak to mermaids. So people who wear like tails and do all this fun stuff. Okay, Tampa. And so I feel like that collection to me was so fun. And also Sarah Paxton from Aquamarine closed the show, which was iconic to me. That was surprising. That was shocking. And overall, the collection itself was really fun and not at all what I was expecting.

9:08Eliza Huber:So I feel like I really appreciated that she was taking something that felt like it was trendy and such like a TikTok thing. But she made it her own and was like, OK, but like mermaids are chic. And I pulled different kind of inspiration than you're expecting. I love a mermaid. Same. H2O. Same.

9:25Bobby Schuessler:okay any like key looks that you think you will see in a celebrity anytime soon

9:30Eliza Huber:or that you want to see on a celebrity oh my god okay my current fixation is the summer i turned pretty obviously who isn't obsessed we have one episode left lola tongue on the show she has like really cool personal style like she wears such interesting things i feel like she's also a sandy girl and i feel like there was a really funky like finale dress at the end that was all white with ruffles and had this huge padded bow on the back. I could totally see her wearing that on a red carpet or something. Totally. I would love that. I am obsessed with this probable dress. I don't know if it was a dress.

10:04Maybe it was a two-piece. It was like a black and white full feather, but it was almost like very Swan-y. And I want to see Jenna Ortega wear it. Jenna Ortega, every single red carpet look.

10:16Bobby Schuessler:Yeah, I mean, her Emmys was like amazing too. Oh my God, she's like incredible. Or Hunter Schaefer would look really good in it. That's actually a good point. But yeah, that was like a standout. That's a standout. Yeah, I feel like I saw feathers like everywhere. Same. Like Orm, Altazara. Brandon Maxwell. Brandon Maxwell. Ula Johnson had it. Like I'm like into a feather. Yeah, me too. Okay, what other trends? If you had to name one or two key trends that you saw throughout, what are you saying? Well, we were talking about it on the ride here and I feel like all throughout the week. Definitely the like long pendant necklace.

10:48Yes, for sure. It's one of those trends where it's really nice because we're already wearing it. So it's evolving, but you don't need to like always be buying something new every single season. I feel like the trend cycle can be so quick. So it's nice to almost see something be like a through line through different seasons. I feel like what changed it this season is a lot of like little wallets or like queen purses. We just saw that at Coach.

11:12Bobby Schuessler:We all were there just like a couple hours ago. I definitely need one of those. It's so handy. I know. You put like your little tiny thing. I need this penny in here. Okay. Like the last surviving pennies need to go inside my coin purse. My little coin purse around my neck. Yeah. Or also I honestly have seen a lot of like little wallet bags tied around as like a belt. I think the biggest trend that I've noticed this whole week is wearability and practicality done in a really chic elevated way. But it's just like stuff that people will wear all the time. And so those little bags that are hands-free feel so wearable, especially in New York, where, like, we're always holding a thousand things.

11:51And you need, like, your little phone or your whatever it is. All the stuff.

11:54Eliza Huber:I feel like aprons.

11:56Bobby Schuessler:First, it was, like, the skirts over the pants.

11:58Eliza Huber:And now, especially I saw this a lot at the Eckhouse Lada show, which was also a standout show for me. It was, like, my favorite collection of theirs in a really long time. But they had this amazing look that was, like, this long pair of pants. And then it wasn't a skirt. It was like an apron that was this beautiful pale yellow color and it was tied around the side. So, you know, it was like kind of flowing in a way. And I feel like I've been seeing that a lot. Little aprons tied around tops and overpants. But also even at like the Tibby show, like those belts that we saw were kind of a little bit.

12:28Oh my God, they're like hoop skirt belts.

12:28Bobby Schuessler:I feel like hoop skirts we saw a lot too. Hoops are random. Like I saw them a few times. Me too. I feel like at Tibby especially. Tibby, yes. It's crazy. Like Amy is such a talent, the creative director, because she can make something like that. I know. It feels so easy to incorporate. I know. I'm like, that's just like a hoop skirt you could wear to a dinner or whatever. Like throw it on over a white skirt or like a slip. Yeah, it's amazing. Or honestly, like some of them had it built in and then some were the belt. But I feel like you could get like the belt and then put it under a slip skirt and have it have that shape or like really play around.

13:00I mean, I feel like Tibby more than literally any brand, like the styling is so. You're always getting ideas. Yeah, you're always getting a thousand different ways to wear something.

13:08Bobby Schuessler:Speaking of the apron and tying, I did it earlier today, but I still think tying around the waist, like a sweater, a shirt, that's still like huge. Street style and I saw it on the runway. Yeah, totally. Yeah, I noticed it a bunch at Brandon Maxwell. Yeah, Brandon Maxwell, TWP had it this morning, which was cool. The accessorizing at TWP was so good. Uh-huh. Any other street style trends that you've seen? Well, I keep talking about at cost, which is the best thing ever that cost does the like see now by now. I know. It's honestly like so dangerous. It's the coats. But I do think that's like the future.

13:41It is. Like the fact that they can debut a collection that beautiful and elevated. Yes. And you can shop it immediately after is I think going to be a game changer. But there were two items. I'm actually writing a story about this. But this one plaid button down shirt, it comes in blue, but it also comes in this like tan neutrally color. So many different people wearing it and styling it all different ways. Like tied around the waist, worn full, tucked in, loose, unbuttoned. There's just like so many options. And then also this incredible croc car coat, which is like leather. So good.

14:18Bobby Schuessler:So good. And flip flops. Flip flops are still here. Flip flops are everybody. It's going to be like negative 10 degrees in New York and everyone's going to be like little cold toes. Well, I mean, I saw today like a fur coat and like a flip flop. So that's just like what we're doing. Yeah. And they're not going away. They were still all over the runways. No, there'll be a sock involved and they'll be wearing flip flops in January. Like we're just doing it. Yeah. Okay. How did you approach your street style game, your fashion week outfit planning?

14:44Eliza Huber:No planning. No planning. I was going to say also no planning. No planning. It was chaos. It was a scary one. It was a scary one. And I feel like Liza got off the airplane and went to a show. Truly, I got on the JFK air train. I took the world's quickest shower. That's amazing. And then I came to a show. Normally, I have a Google Drive full of every single item I own. Right. I've seen it. A flat of every single item I own. And then I'm dragging it to make different outfits for different events. And then I'll change it up that day. But there's like 100 outfits. This season, none of that.

15:17Bobby Schuessler:None of that. We're just figuring it out. Yeah. What you feel like. I picked out my outfit yesterday in the dark. Okay, perfect.

15:24Eliza Huber:Because my boyfriend was sleeping.