New York Fashion Week has arrived. The schedule this Spring/Summer 2026 season is less busy than usual, but exciting nonetheless, especially for the host of emerging designers who are debuting, or returning to the schedule. There are certain names missing from the schedule this year, namely Proenza Schouler, whose newly appointed creative director, Rachel Scott, will debut her first collection for the brand in February next year, focusing on her own label Diotima’s debut runway show this season. Instead, Scott hosted an intimate, but no less robust collection preview for SS26 with scaled back production to champion the clothing. Calvin Klein Collection will return for its sophomore runway collection after returning to the schedule earlier this year, and LII, and L’Enchanteur are some of the names making their debut alongside Scott.
Part of NYFW’s charm is witnessing the emerging brands that go on to be household names season after season. These brands grow from debut shows to the ones people send in their seating requests in advance to. New York has always been a creative hub for those with vision, so below, I’m sharing the six most exciting emerging brands to look out for this season.
Diotima
Diotima
All eyes are on newly appointed Proenza Schouler creative director this week as she makes her first-ever runway debut for her own label, Diotima. The brand, deeply rooted in Scott’s heritage as a Jamaican woman, focuses heavily on craftsmanship and fine materials, giving her knitwear-heavy collections a luxury feel. Scott has already won plenty of awards and nominations for the brand, taking home two CFDA Fashion Awards, a runner-up for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2023 and was a finalist for the 2023 LVMH Prize and for the 2025 Woolmark Prize. This season, she will be the one to watch, and nothing fills me with more hope for the industry than a visionary woman in a heavyweight design position.
Wiederhoeft
Wiederhoeft
Jackson Wiederhoeft has only been showing on schedule since 2023, but in that time, the ultra-feminine designer has created a cult following for their corsetry, draping, and feminine silhouettes. The ex-Thom Browne designer has an exacting knack for intricately crafted pieces that have just slightly off-kilter elements, which is what ensures we always return for more. The show, which takes place tomorrow night, will have two seatings to accommodate the crowd Wiederhoeft attracts.
Tanner Fletcher
Tanner Fletcher
Launched during the pandemic, Tanner Fletcher was established by couple Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell, whose CFDA-nominated label has a distinctly, charming vintage feel. Laden with vintage silhouettes, bright, casual tailoring, and nostalgic lace, the brand sits at the intersection of something akin to Sandy Liang meets Thom Browne with a touch of Alessandro Michele’s quirkiness. Of course, what Richie and Kasell have created is entirely their own, and this season, I’m looking forward to watching their vision evolve, plus, their casting this season will follow seasons prior, where they invite friends of the brand to walk in the show.
Colleen Allen
Colleen Allen
Chicago-born Colleen Allen is one of those designers who seemingly emerged out of nowhere and immediately had the industry behind her. Of course, that is not actually the case. Allen’s extensive career has seen her work as a designer at The Row, following an internship at Calvin Klein under Raf Simons. She studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York and London’s Central Saint Martins, and debuted her first ever collection back in February 2024. Nonetheless, the reception to Allen’s eponymous brand, which is minimal, austere, and has my name written all over it, will return with an appointment-only presentation this season.
Grace Ling
Grace Ling
Singaporean-born, New York-based designer Grace Ling has internships at Thom Browne and The Row under her belt, and while her homegrown label is not necessarily new, I still feel she deserves a spot on this list. With the help of 3D tech, CGI and CAD, Ling’s designs are unique not only for their structural components, but for the minimal amount of waste that is generated due to her ability to use technology to calculate how much material is needed for each garment. Ling is returning to the runway this season for Fall/Winter 2026, and I can’t wait to see how she continues to build her universe
Lii
Newcomer Zane Li, whose brand Lii is only in its second year of production will return to the city with a show that will be in partnership with Nike this week, Li’s work explores menswear codes with an emphasis on clean lines and colour. I love his take on casual tailoring and can’t wait to see the collection this season, which is his first back in New York after a few seasons presenting collections during market week in Paris.
