Fashion Brands/Designers to Look Out for at NYFW spring 2027

New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is a month away, and the Fashion Calendar, detailing who is showing when, was unveiled in July. The annual fashion affair, featuring countless runway shows and parties, is preparing for stylists, editors, buyers, and celebrities to descend on the city for what many consider the January of fashion. NYFW kicks off Fashion Month, which also includes London, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks. 

With the debut of the NYFW schedule, there are some standout designers on this year’s roster. Although NYFW has marquee designers drawing large celebrity crowds and press attention, such as Michael Kors, Thom Browne, and Tommy Hilfiger, NYFW is a major platform for emerging designers. Designers such as Joseph Altuzarra, Alexander Wang, and Telfar Clemens of their respective namesake labels all got their start showing at NYFW before they evolved into major designers in the industry. Fashion Reverie takes a closer look at the emerging designers to keep an eye on this spring 2027 season.

Zoe Gustava Anna Whalen

Zoe Gustava Anna Whalen is reopening her studio and shop this month after a successful fall 2026 show at NYFW. Pre-industrial era pregnancy corsets, sanitary belts, and maternity wear inspired her last collection. One of the most interesting things about Whalen’s brand is that each piece is sewn and draped by hand, harkening back to the era of making clothes yourself. Whalen started her brand in 2022 and has since built a small following of those who love her dead stock textile, sculptural creations.

Lii

Lii is a New York-based label founded by Chongqing-born fashion designer Zane Li in 2023. Li was among the 2025 finalists for the Vogue/CFDA fashion fund, which provides mentorship and grants to emerging designers. His participation in the program helped elevate his profile in the fashion industry. He’s also secured retailer partners, like e-tailer Ssense and multi-brand store Forty Five Ten. The brand is known for its love of primary colors and structural shapes, earning it a growing audience. As one of the Vogue/CFDA Fashion FUND finalists, many are awaiting to see what the future of American fashion holds next with Lii.

Zaldy

Although far from an emerging designer, Zaldy, who is famous as the designer of many of legendary drag queen RuPaul’s costumes for his reality competition “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” is still new to the NYFW calendar. Last season, Zaldy held his first-ever fashion show, which was one of the most talked-about shows during NYFW. His show brought equal parts sex, camp, and style, and a unique flavor of something the Fashion Calendar desperately needed. Although the world of runway collections is new to him, let’s see what Zaldy cooks up next.

Diotima

While Diotima has been a staple on the NYFW calendar for several seasons now, now that brand founder Rachel Scott is also creative director of Proenza Schouler, it’s helped elevate her brand’s profile. Scott is still a relatively young designer, but the spotlight has been on her as people have long thought she would be in the running to become creative director of a bigger brand eventually, on top of still running her namesake label.

Now that she’s wearing two hats, she’s the talk of the town. As one of the few Black women creative directors with such a major spotlight, she’s also one of the most consistently anticipated and talked about shows during NYFW.

Advisry

Another Black-owned brand making waves is, founded by Keith Herron. Advisry is primarily a menswear label, known for combining California ease with classic sartorial forms. Herron famously dressed New York City Council Member Chi Osse in a custom look for the 2024 Met Gala, where the theme was fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Herron has also been expanding on the brand’s women’s offerings with his fall 2026 collection “Return of the Space Cowboy.” Now, fashion watchers are excited to see if he’ll build upon his womenswear for the coming season.

Sabyasachi

Sabyasachi is an ornate South Asian brand known for its sarees, bridalwear, and jewelry. The brand is 25 years old, so they are far from a newcomer, but they have focused on their U.S. expansion over the past several years. New York Fashion Week is still one of the most talked-about events on the fashion calendar, even though there is the argument that it no longer has the gravitas it once did. Still, in the era of social media and impressions, a runway show is a great way to get a brand name out there. With only so many international designers on the calendar, Sabyasachi is also a standout among many American-based designers.

Amir Taghi

Amir Taghi is a women’s luxury ready-to-wear label that made its NYFW debut in September 2025. His debut runway show was very intimate, and the collection paid homage to his Iranian heritage while combining Texas flair. Texas is one of the biggest markets for luxury fashion, so in his second year at NYFW, fans of the brand are wondering whether Taghi will continue to cater to the Texas market or shift his collection’s aesthetic to target a new market. Everyone will see in September.

Bad Binch Tong Tong

After Bad Binch Tong Tong’s Terrance Zhou won the 2026 CFDA | Genesis House AAPI Design + Innovation Grant, providing financial support to young Asian American and Pacific Islander designers, people have wondered what the designer will do next. Zhou’s brand has become synonymous with avant-garde couture-level pieces and is seen as conceptual art. He once presented a show at St. Bartholomew’s church that completely transformed the venue into an otherworldly communion. Whatever Zhou does for NYFW, he certainly won’t disappoint.

— Kristopher Fraser

 

Image credits

• image — Editorial image.
• zoe-gustava-anna-whale-01.jpg — Credit/source: Colin Savercool.
• lii-1200×630.jpg — Credit/source: ouispeakfashion.com.
• zaldy-oliverhalfin-1052729-2-vogue.jpg — Credit/source: vogue.com.
• diotima.jpg — Credit/source: theimpression.com and wearehordes.com.
• advisry.jpg — Credit/source: Advisry.
• sabyasachi.jpg — Credit/source: Sabyasachi.
• amir-taghi.jpg — Credit/source: papercitymagazine.com and hampdenclothing.com, respectively.
• bad-binch-tong-tong-01-1024×768.jpg — Editorial image.