Fashion People – “New York or Nowhere?”

Host: Lauren Sherman (Puck)
Guest: Leah Chernikoff (Executive Editor, Harper’s Bazaar)
Release Date: February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

Lauren Sherman and guest Leah Chernikoff dive deep into the mood, reality, and significance of New York Fashion Week 2026, discuss shifting runway show values, highlight indie fashion’s quiet power, and weigh in on the broader fashion zeitgeist— from second floor shops and diamonds to the role of sponsored collaborations. The episode’s tone is candid, inside-y, and laced with fashion-world dry humor.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Setting the Scene: LA Memories & Upcoming Fashion Weeks

[01:55-03:55]

• Lauren opens with personal updates, recounts her love for LA, favorite restaurants, and how she's prepping for show season in Europe.
• Hints at behind-the-scenes industry movements (ex-Conde employee, GQ appointment).
• Welcomes Leah back: “I’m really happy we got to spend so much time together this week.” (03:58)

The New York Fashion Week Feeling

General Vibe & Standout Moments

[04:00-06:49]

• Both Lauren and Leah agree NYFW felt “laid back in a really nice way.”
  • Leah: “Nobody seemed too stressed out… the clothes really kind of matched that vibe of… an easy uniform in a lot of ways.”
• Lee Show stood out: “To me, that felt like the essence of, like, a New York show… colorful, really exciting shapes that seem different… a jolt.” – Leah (06:04-06:49)

Zane Lee and Early Adopter Moments

[06:49-08:20]

• Lauren praises Zane Lee’s references and ethos: early Jacquemus mixed with Raf-era Jil Sander, unique (and affordable) materials, European sensibility:
  • “It was good… I've been going for several seasons... It reminded me of very early Jacquemus, but also like Raf Simons…”
• She shares that being hands-on (seeing/touching clothes, even pre-ordering) feels way more meaningful than traditional runway shows.

Critique: The Value and Purpose of Fashion Shows

[08:20-14:27]

• Lauren’s mini-rant questions the continued necessity of runway shows for many brands:
  • “If they’re in it to do a runway show, they need to communicate an idea, because otherwise, it’s not… The value of it now is people on the Internet seeing it and passing it around.”
  • “A lot of these clothes are gorgeous…and I think they'll sell well, but I do not think they should be a runway show.”
• Example: Maria McManus’ homeware gallery show—intimate, tactile, and impactful: “Her collection was so good… one of the best of the season. And I think it was better that she had a few models and they tried on what you wanted them to try on.”
• “Second floor shops” as a phenomenon—inspired by Krista Sea in Paris—where designers hold small events that blend shopping and industry preview.
• The pleasure of experiencing and mixing small batches of independent designs is “much more the essence of what is pleasurable in this culture versus having a runway show of perfectly nice clothing you can’t really see closely.”
• “I think a lot of these designers just need to think about, why are they in this?” – Lauren (13:56)

Notable Shows, Indie Standouts & Runway Nostalgia

[14:27-25:25]

• Seven for All Mankind returns with strong Y2K vibes:
  • Leah: “I walked out feeling like I'd been on a circa 2008 bender. But that was kind of the point… inspired by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen… skinny scarves, lots of jewels, big platform heels.”
  • “Fun for the internet… someone to distill into a ‘core’ for TikTok.” (17:00)
• Nostalgic sidebar: 00s style memories—middle vs. side hair parts, “straight, flat ironed hair,” millennial markers.
• Other highlights: Marc Jacobs (“super great”), Colleen Allen (“she's really, really good. I hope that she figures out how she wants to use that skill”), Altuzarra (“reminded me of you, for sure”), TWP (“the styling’s amazing. The casting is good. The clothes get better every season—a newer kind of Ralph Lauren type thing”), Karlmeyer (“materials and fabrication…gorgeous”), Diotima (“a cool progression with the kind of texture she’s using and shapes”).
• Starbucks as NYFW sponsor: “Coffee backstage… gift cards under certain seats… it didn't feel hokey… everybody needs a Starbucks gift card.”

Memorable Quotes

• “I thought that, like, look, I struggled this week in that the reason for a fashion show… there are two reasons: One is if you are a giant brand and you use it as content… The other is if you are a young designer that has a lot of ideas and you need to communicate them because you need someone to see the clothes, and they need to walk in the clothes.” – Lauren (09:18)
• “A lot of these designers just need to think about, why are they in this? And if they’re in it to do a runway show, then they need to communicate an idea, because otherwise, the value of it now is people on the Internet seeing it and passing it around.” – Lauren (13:53)
• “It was interesting… Starbucks as like a Y2K brand… embedded and non-intrusive… everybody needs coffee backstage.” – Lauren (29:04-29:51)

The Indie Spirit Awards: A Variation in Red Carpets

[31:47-35:57]

• Indie designers have their red-carpet moment:
  • Tessa Thompson in Collina Strada “really nice.”
  • Rose Byrne in M.M. Loewe.
  • “It’s really hard for even the brands that are owned by the big houses… If you’re not Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, Chanel… it’s hard to get clothes on people. They don’t have the budget.”
  • Shoutouts: Erin Dougherty in Lee, Kirsten Dunst in Valentino (“amazing style”), Rebecca Hall in Jil Sander, Nina Hoss in Simone Rocha, Jenny Slate (always “cuter and always a little more see-through than I expect”).

Fashion Campaigns & Nostalgia

[35:57-38:41]

• New Love campaign is praised: “It’s really warm, and everything this season has felt very cold and flat… It also just shows the clothes off… I really want this green blazer.”
• Return of campaign rankings: “Most of them are bad, so I don’t even know if we’re going to do a top 10.” (35:53)
• “A lot of the stuff I do is about the early bloggy days.” – Lauren (36:02)

“Love Story” Mania

[40:12-43:04]

• Recent “Love Story” series spawns style analysis:
  • Leah: “There was a lot of uproar based on the kind of photos that were being taken… hair color was all wrong… style was all wrong… But doesn’t feel as jarring [on film].”
  • Lauren: “Everyone who has watched it is like really enjoying it… they really figured out the wardrobing stuff.”

Diamonds (and Hard Luxury) Are Back

[43:33-49:16]

• Lauren notes the trend and desire for “hard luxury” (fine jewelry) among insiders and high-end consumers:
  • “If you have a lot of money and you’re kind of sick of everything that’s out with handbags and soft luxury… you’re gonna buy like a hundred thousand dollar necklace.”
  • “This is the year for diamonds.” (47:17)
• Leah ponders if “a magnetic pull” toward diamonds is midlife-related; Lauren attributes it to market trends and evolving personal style.
• Pros and cons of big purchases, desire for wear-forever pieces vs. ephemeral trends.

Notable Quote

• “She [Alexa Chung] talked about how when you get older…someone was telling her…diamonds bring the light back to your face. So there you go.” – Leah, quoting Alexa Chung & James Kaliardos (49:16)

The Second Floor Shop Phenomenon

[11:04, 51:13-53:05]

• Lauren loves second floor (by-appointment, off-main-drag) retail as a mode of intimate, special shopping:
  • “My whole life in New York was all about going to second floor shops or like fifth floor shops or whatever.”
  • Suggests this approach for brands like Phoebe Philo’s future retail.

Notable Memorable Moments

• Lauren on fashion’s “non-dictatorial” moment: “If you want to wear bell bottoms one day and skinny jeans tomorrow, that’s totally fine as long as you make them look good.” (27:14)
• Leah remarks on the nostalgia of NYC streetwear and the way young people are discovering it (“almost like, hungover—but also, it was a very clear idea… fun for the Internet… fun for TikTok”). (16:04)
• The recurring inside-joke about water as the chicest beverage, e.g., “You know how much I love water. You know how much I love water.” (27:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:55] Lauren’s opening; industry updates; intro to Leah
• [04:00] Reflections on NYFW; show attendance and atmosphere
• [06:04] Standout: Lee show; New York’s “laid back” vibe
• [09:18] Lauren’s critique: Why do runway shows still exist?
• [11:04] Second floor shops and intimate designer previews
• [14:27] Notable shows: Seven for All Mankind’s Y2K revival
• [25:25] More standouts: Altuzarra, TWP, Karlmeyer, Diotima
• [29:04] Starbucks sponsorships and brand relevance
• [31:47] Dinner at Lee Wine Bar; segue to Independent Spirit Awards
• [32:29] Indie Spirit Awards best-dressed moments
• [35:57] The new Love campaign; fashion campaign nostalgia
• [40:12] Discussion of the “Love Story” TV show and its fashion impact
• [43:33] The diamond discussion: jewelry trends and hard luxury
• [49:16] Alexa Chung on diamonds and aging
• [51:13] The value of second floor shops; suggestions for Phoebe Philo
• [53:05] Closing thoughts and goodbyes

Additional Highlights & Style

• The conversation is refreshingly unfiltered, oscillating between industry critique, personal anecdote, and keen observation.
• Fashion’s current state is seen as “less dictatorial than ever” (Lauren, 27:14)—consumers have more freedom than ever to experiment with presentation and purchase.
• Physical, experiential retail (second floor shops) and tangible luxury (diamonds) are preferred over digital trends and “content-only” catwalk spectacles.
• The behind-the-scenes tone offers listeners a seat at the fashion-industry lunch table; Lauren and Leah frequently reference mutual friends, inside jokes, and the early “bloggy days,” adding charm and authenticity.
• Recurrent emphasis on pleasure: “what is pleasurable in this culture” is a recurring motif—whether that’s feeling fabric, discovering new jewelry, or just sharing good food at Lee Wine Bar.

Conclusion

The episode offers a layered, insightful look at how New York Fashion Week is evolving, where the real value lies for today’s fashion insiders, why experiential and independent approaches matter, and how personal taste (and age!) shape style choices—from runway to red carpet to jewelry box. It’s an essential listen for anyone who wants to understand fashion’s current mood—and how fashion people actually think and feel about the scene today.