The Best Runway Looks From New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2022

Who: Thom Browne

The Inspiration: J.G. Ballard’s “The Garden of Time”, the Greek and Roman galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, sculpture, genderless fashion, classic suiting with a twist, sharp tailoring

Who: Private Policy

The Inspiration: Their theme “Urban Plants: Good for the Planet, Good for the Mind”, eco-awareness, plants, organic matter, club kids

The Quote: “This season we’re really exploring the idea of urban settings, with this organic form of plants and how these total opposite elements can mesh together so beautifully. We were really looking at how people fill their apartments with plants and just feel happier,” Siying Qu, one half of the brand, told Vogue.

Who: Caroline Herrera

The Inspiration: Clothes to go out and be seen in, statement-making silhouettes, fresh, vibrant colours, feminine glamour

The Quote: “Our woman is not a wallflower, she’s not shy; she loves getting dressed and expressing herself. There is always that component of chic but she plays with her clothes. It’s not timid,” the brand’s creative director Wes Gordon told WWD.

Who: Gabriela Hearst

The Inspiration: New York art dealer Hester Diamond, Native American weaving and handcraft, natural landscapes, geodes, healing crystals

The Quote: “Being able to create beautiful pieces that are desirable and at the same time that empower others is probably one of the most satisfying personal experiences,” Hearst said in her press notes.

Who: Monse

The Inspiration: Crochet, cottagecore meets skate culture, wildflowers, alpine forests, magic mushrooms

Who: Naeem Khan

The Inspiration: Bright neon colours, underwater corals, chinoiserie, spring florals, Majorca tiles, animal prints

The Quote: “In a world that surrounds us with darkness, we find the light in togetherness, that drives in inspiration, and fire the passion,” said Naeem Khan in his show notes.

Who: Rodarte

The Inspiration: The power of nature, mushrooms, poppies, sunshine, the outdoors, Roswell

Who: Brandon Maxwell

The Inspiration: Psychedelic patterns, gingham, metallics, stripes, magic mushrooms, 

The Quote: “I wanted to do something that felt authentic. When I started I was maybe insecure about not having a fashion education, so I felt I needed to be more serious. But I’m not that serious a person. During the pandemic, I decided that if I got the opportunity ever again, I’d like to do it as me,” Maxwell told Vogue in an interview.

Who: Coach

The Inspiration: Patterns (houndstooth, Madras check, tartan), trompe l’oeil details on shirts and bags, baseball, NYC landmarks and restaurants, ’90s aesthetic

The Quote: “Spring presents my vision of a new vocabulary of American fashion inspired by our 80-year heritage through the lens of the next generation. A celebration, too, of the colourful, upbeat optimism of Coach’s first designer Bonnie Cashin, it’s a collection I designed in response to the times we are living through—and a collective wish for a better, brighter future,” said Stuart Vevers in his show notes.

Who: Michael Kors

The Inspiration: Tailoring, summer sexiness, body positivity, wardrobe classics, refined elegance, lots of sparkle, urban romance, New York City’s Central Park

The Quote: “How do you do romance that’s not about ruffles and frippery, with a cleanliness and sharpness? It was really an urban/romantic tug of war,” Michael Kors told WWD.

Who: LaQuan Smith

The Inspiration: The ’70s, disco glam, New York’s Empire State Building, partying, ladies of leisure (with a twist)

The Quote: “New York is back, baby. This is an iconic time and when we’ve come from a year of just chaos and craziness I think that we need to continue to find ways to celebrate and uplift people,” the designer told Harper’s BAZAAR.

Who: Moschino

The Inspiration: Moschino founder Franco Moschino’s classic suits, pastel cartoon animals, not-so-prim ladies who lunch, Fran Drescher’s The Nanny

The Quote: “It’s very ladies who lunch, but it’s also nursery rhymes, so it’s baby lady. There’s also a wink to The Nanny. Fran Drescher wore so much Franco Moschino, iconic little suits that were such a signature of the brand and that moment,” Jeremy Scott said.

See also: 9 Divine Gowns From Moschino’s Fall/Winter 2021 Show Perfect for the Art Aficionado

Who: Prabal Gurung

The Inspiration: Gender fluidity, feathers, classic American sportswear, Madras fabric, gingham, highlighter bright colours

The Quote: “Over the summer, going to the protests, the trans rally, going to places like Happy Fun Hideaway in Brooklyn, which is a non-binary space... I just wanted to create a collection that could show to the world what beauty can look like. I honestly feel like the world is better with women,” the designer said backstage at his show.

See also: A United Front: Asian Americans Speak Up On #StopAsianHate And Why It Matters

Who: Peter Do

The Inspiration: The Vietnamese ao dai, roses, pin sharp tailoring, relaxed sensibility

The Quote: “I wanted to show the skyline as a nod to the point of arrival for my parents, which is why I’m here,” the designer told WWD. “...I’ve been thinking a lot about Vietnam...through the hazy lens of the women who brought me up.”

Who: Proenza Schouler

The Inspiration: Travel, island locations, scuba and surfing

The Quote: “A celebration of a newfound freedom which also feels a little fragile,” Jack McCollough told WWD.

Who: 3.1 Phillip Lim

The Inspiration: The beauty, colours and silhouettes of flowers; his garden North Fork, Long Island

The Quote: “Here, I go back to the garden: you need a balance of colour, texture, and a strong foundation with strong soil. From a conceptual point of view, I think that’s where we’re headed,” said the designer in an interview with WWD.

See also: Designer Phillip Lim Takes Us Inside His New York City Loft And Reveals How WFH Keeps His Creativity Flowing