The Run-Through with Vogue: "Vogue Editors Recap Their Favorite Shows (and Parties!) of NYFW"

Date: September 16, 2025
Hosts: Chloe Malle (Head of Editorial Content, Vogue U.S.) & Nicole Phelps (Director, Vogue Runway)

Episode Overview

This episode offers an energetic, insider recap of New York Fashion Week (NYFW) Spring 2026 through the eyes of leading Vogue editors. Hosts Chloe Malle and Nicole Phelps share their favorite runway shows, standout parties, and emerging trends, blending firsthand fashion insights with tales of celebrity sightings and legendary NYC venues. The episode captures both the playful and serious sides of Fashion Week, celebrating both bold escapism and real-world wearability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance of Setting and Experience at NYFW

• Iconic Venues Enhance Shows:

  • Toteme was presented at The Pool Restaurant in the Seagram Building, a venue choice that encapsulates the magic of NYFW by leveraging New York's iconic locations (00:36 - 01:11).
  • Chloe: “To me, New York Fashion Week is the best when it really takes advantage of New York City landmarks and makes the setting as much of an excitement as the collection... all we really can get in person is the experience.” (00:36)

• Unforgettable Outdoor Shows:

  • Nicole references Collina Strada’s show at the East River helipad, where birds joined in on the runway spectacle. “And the birds playing along with the Runway show...” (01:17)

2. Major Shows and Cultural Moments

• Coach, Diotima, and Rachel Scott’s Big NYFW

  • Coach’s Stuart Vevers and Calvin Klein’s Veronica Leoni both riffed on “what you wear out for the morning coffee run,” emphasizing relaxed, real-life ease (01:41 - 02:11).
  • Diotima’s first full runway, highlighted as a milestone for Rachel Scott, who also designed striking pieces for Proenza Schouler (02:14 - 02:29).

• Fun and Escapism Return

  • Designers channeling joy: Nick Auburn at Area debuted with playful pom-poms and tinsel, creating a “fun friend's birthday party” vibe (03:05).
  • Chloe: “One example of [fun] for me was Nick Auburn at Area... they were actual pom poms. They were pom pom purses. There was tinsel, there was enormous sequins.” (03:05 - 04:04)

• Ralph Lauren & Michael Kors: Escapist Glamour

  • Ralph Lauren’s star-studded show (Oprah and Gayle in the front row!) evoked breezy seaside Americana and inadvertently echoed Taylor Swift’s viral engagement moment in a sold-out RL dress (05:41 - 06:44).
  • Kors offered dreamy caftans and heavy gold amulets, inspired by summer travels and Donna Karan’s zen minimalism (06:44 - 08:04).

3. Recurring Trends and Editorial Observations

• Books as Accessories & Pro-Reading Statements

  • Books were spotted in clear bags on several runways (Michael Kors, Proenza Schouler, Joseph Altuzarra), and on the front row at Anna Sui. Chloe joked, “It does. It feels like a reader's week.” (08:23 - 08:57)

• Denim, Subverted—& Morning-Readiness

  • Playful rethinks: Two-waistband jeans at Eckhaus Latta; knotted jeans at Area (09:30 - 09:48).
  • Chloe: “I do feel like there is this theme of what you need to leave the house in the morning...” (07:10 - 08:04)

• Baby Boom—Kids at Fashion Week

  • Shows reflected family-friendly vibes, with models bringing infants onto the runway and editors’ children attending Off-White (09:48 - 10:43).

• Star Power & Fandom

  • Calvin Klein’s front row created fan pandemonium with stars like Rosalia, Lily Collins, Chris Briney (“Summer I Turned Pretty”), and BTS’s Jungkook (15:03 - 16:18).
  • “There was crowds outside. Oh, and you know who else there were crowds for was Jungkook from BTS, who just got out of the military in Korea. And he was there with his security, and he was adorable, very excited by the show.” — Chloe (15:24)

4. Memorable Non-Runway Events & Parties

• Jacquemus' Central Park Boathouse Bash (18:59 - 20:54)

  • Chloe: “The Jacquemus party was fabulous. ... He just really understands how to make something cut through the noise of the Internet and also be somewhere you are actually happy to be in person. ... They also painted the boats ... Veuve Clicquot yellow, and changed the awnings ... which is quite close to what Jacquemus’s yellow is.” (19:12 - 20:03)

• Chanel & Sofia Coppola’s Exclusive 'Doubles' Night

  • The ultra-insider party at “Doubles,” described as “a real Nepo consortium...everyone was excited to be there...Bill Murray was dancing!” (21:05 - 22:02)

• Valentino’s Studio 54 Recreation & the Power of Nostalgia

  • Chloe and Nicole reflect on the enduring allure of Studio 54, questioning if any current institution can replicate its mystique in the digital age (22:35 - 23:57).

• Kering’s ‘Caring for Women’ Gala

  • High-wattage, high-charity night at The Pool restaurant raised $4.5M for gender-based violence charities, attended by Salma Hayek, Demi Moore, Dakota Johnson, and more (23:57 - 26:09).
  • Chloe: “It was very big wigs bidding against each other for a good cause and also very celeb heavy. ... they were heaving Dionysian feasts with figs and beautiful grapes, and it was just gorgeous.” (25:39)

5. Weekend Wrap-Ups and Final Reflections

• Altuzarra’s Enduring Appeal (27:17 - 28:08)

  • Chloe: “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with some pretty dresses that look good on women.”
  • Continued trend: Balloon pants—curious how they’ll resonate beyond the runway.

• Minimalism and the 'Rodent' Effect

  • Nicole notes the ongoing influence of Scandinavian brands and The Row: “So many of them start with a white look ... very sort of strict, I think.” (29:01 - 29:46)
  • Chloe: “You’re seeing the effect of the row in what they’re doing. ... it feels like an affordable way to create some of the looks that the row is doing that I like.” (29:56)

• Anna Sui’s Joyful Nostalgia

  • A standout for creativity, friendship, and lo-fi authenticity: “She has managed to hold onto that feeling of like, I’m doing it because I love it.” — Nicole (31:28 - 32:17)

• Celebrating Women Designers

  • Khaite/Kate’s Kathryn Holstein and Ulla Johnson praised for wearable, aspirational collections (32:17 - 34:44)
  • Special attention to the collaboration with the Helen Frankenthaler estate for Ulla Johnson’s vibrant prints.

• Key Trends to Try

  • Fun, party-ready clothes: “There were a lot of clothes for having fun...even some of the pom pomy things at Calvin.” — Chloe (36:17)
  • See-through bags, headscarves, and *wearable wallets” get shout-outs as accessible trends for 2026 (36:17 - 37:52).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On NYFW’s Spirit:

  “Whatever happened to fun in New York City? ... there have been some great moments this week ... of designers really having fun with what they’re doing.” — Chloe (03:05)

• On Mixing Practicality & Glamour:

  “To me, that’s what athleisure should really be, is like glamorous sportswear.” — Chloe (04:46)

• On Modernizing Minimalism:

  “It’s not like quiet luxury is back, but there’s definitely a really strong strain of like, clean, pure minimalism.” — Nicole (29:31)

• On Fashion as Community:

  “People say fashion are such cutthroat individuals, but people show up for their friends, and I like when you see that.” — Chloe (31:28)

• On the Enduring Lure of Studio 54:

  “Why are we all still thinking about a club that existed for three years, like 45 years old? ... Will anything from now feel like the way Studio 54 does to us?” — Nicole (23:22)

Timestamps of Key Sections

• 00:36 — NYFW venues & importance of location
• 03:05 — Area’s joyful collection; the return of ‘fun’
• 05:41 — Ralph Lauren star-studded show & Taylor Swift impact
• 08:23 — Pro-reading trend: books on runways & front row
• 09:48 — Babies & kids at NYFW shows
• 15:03 — Calvin Klein celebrity crowd & fandom
• 18:48 — Parties begin: Jacquemus boathouse event (19:12), Chanel at Doubles (21:05), Valentino Studio 54 (22:35), Kering Gala (23:57)
• 27:17 — Altuzarra’s weekend show; balloon pants discussion
• 29:01 — Minimalism and Scandinavian influence
• 31:28 — Anna Sui’s nostalgic, authentic fashion show
• 32:17 — Dominance of women designers; praise for Kate & Ulla Johnson
• 35:08 — Tory Burch and the complexity of modern femininity
• 36:17 — Trends to watch for Spring 2026 (party clothes, see-through bags, headscarves, wearable wallets)

Conclusion

Chloe Malle and Nicole Phelps deliver a witty, energetic, and deeply knowledgeable round-up of NYFW’s standout moments, offering both editorial insight and off-the-cuff humor. The episode captures the creative highs of this season—celebratory clothes, surprising venues, powerful parties, and a sense of fashion serving both fantasy and reality. For those who missed NYFW or just want the Vogue view, this recap is essential, irreverent, and inspiring.