When the present moment feels hopeless, why not turn to the past for inspiration? That seemed to be the thought process of many emerging designers this New York Fashion Week. Several up-and-comers’ collections distinctly drew inspiration from the past, with everything from the underground music scene of the 90s to the anti-imperialist traditions of the Caribbean serving as source material.

While newcomers like FANG NYC made their debut this week, other young labels like Campillo were focused on nailing their sophomore September fashion week appearance. Rather than being repetitive or stale, this year’s class of emerging designers’ constant references to the traditions and eras of bygone times felt innovative and unique; no two collections were the same, nor were any of them overly concerned with the current trend cycle.

Hand-cut lace, sculptural silhouettes and studded leather ensembles were only a few of this week’s highlights; every design choice was intentional, with each element alluding to the designer’s point of view. However energised they may be by the past, though, it’s clear these rising designers have a very bright future. Below, learn all about all the most promising fashion moments you may have missed last week, and the figures, events, customs and movements that inspired them.

BEN DOCTOR

If you’ve already used up all your PTO, stepping into the aviation-inspired world of Ben Doctor’s latest collection may be your best bet at taking flight this year. The Brooklyn-based designer centred his SS26 show ‘Skybus’ on the theme of midcentury air travel, using the working flight attendant as his muse.

Merging structured tailoring with uniform-esque designs, the collection felt right at home with fashion’s recent obsession with workwear. Each piece, from glossy peplum mini skirts to cropped blazers, was styled with shoes from Sneex, the hybrid sneaker-heel brand founded by Spanx founder Sara Blakely.

MILA SULLIVAN

Fans of all things whimsical will find their taste represented in Mila Sullivan’s SS26 collection, ‘Laid Bare’. Born out of Sullivan’s Williamsburg studio, the Brooklyn-based designer’s latest collection was a display of her commitment to blending vintage materials with modern storytelling. A “dreamlike ode to memory and material”, the show fed into culture’s hunger for nostalgia by incorporating materials from the past. 

The playful, romantic looks featured hand-dyed fabrics, distressed silks, and hand-cut lace. Several pieces felt fit for a Regency-era limited series, while others would have looked at home on a ballet stage. Another nod to the collection’s theme of materiality, several of the looks were accessorised with water bottles from Okapa, a luxury hydration brand focused on using rare materials.

GABE GORDON

Following his NYFW debut last season, Gabe Gordon was back in full force with the SS26 collection ‘Autoerotic’, which wrestled with the relationship between desire, eroticism, and violence. Designed by Gordon and his husband and creative partner Timothy Gibbons, the collection featured ample leather, corsets and box shoulder pads reminiscent of the label’s sporty SS25 collection. 

‘Autoerotic’ also included plenty of the brand's signature knitwear, previously worn on the likes of Kim Kardashian and Dua Lipa. With references to 70s psychological thrillers and Madonna’s Erotica era, the collection further added to the label’s use of retro worldbuilding.

GRACE LING

Where is Grace Ling looking for inspiration? Anywhere but the present. The label, run by Singapore-born and New York-based CFDA Fashion Fund Finalist Grace Ling, used its airtime on the fashion week calendar to present its SS26 collection, ‘Future Relics’. Centred around the themes of time and evolution, the collection was a reminder that all that’s created now will one day be considered ancient. 

Represented through trinket-like charms shaped like keys and knives, Ling’s love of antique shopping was evident throughout the collection. “People often look at crafts of the past and they say that ‘people don’t make things like this anymore,’” the label stated in a press release. “We wanted to bring that back and the collection pays homage to craft and extensive, intricate details.” 

The vintage-inspired details were juxtaposed by metallic, iridescent designs that felt more in line with fashion’s future. While most of the collection was ready-to-wear, the show closed with an ethereal sculptural look that was downright otherworldly.

FANG NYC

With their NYFW debut, FANG NYC proved that everything from the '90s is cool again. Beijing-born Fang Guo’s initiation to the city’s fashion week calendar referenced the iconic decade’s grunge aesthetic, with plenty of denim and faux leather to prove it. “This collection draws inspiration from an indie rock musician I was seeing, and from the parallels I noticed with the queer underground raving scene that has long informed my work,” Guo said in a press release. “I began revisiting concert footage and archival interviews from the 90s–artists like Kurt Cobain, The Cranberries, and others–and used those references as a foundation.” 

That foundation was then reinvigorated by the inclusion of aspects of modern design and styling. Focused mainly on knitwear, the looks combined visual lingerie, studded accessories and plenty of leather, resulting in a clear love letter to the time period the designer aimed to emulate.

CAMPILLO

Inspired by the traditions of basket-weaving, Campillo’s SS26 collection ‘Repeticíon’ was another fashion week moment tied to cultural practices of the past. Designer and LVMH Prize finalist Patricio Campillo utilised his second September NYFW showing to highlight Mexican craftsmanship, incorporating the act of repetition throughout the design process.

Many looks from the show included repetitive, patterned pieces inspired by weaving, while others directly featured panels of woven leather. By pairing the dramatic, geometric woven pieces with loose, modern tailoring, ‘Repeticíon’ bridged the past and the present.

DIOTIMA

Drawing inspiration from Carnival, a celebratory tradition created in response to colonialism, Diotima’s ‘Bacchanal’ show paid homage to the Caribbean’s rich history of rebelling through art. Designer Rachel Scott’s latest work was in part inspired by carnival theatres created by Trinidadian designer Peter Minshall, along with traditional characters from carnival folklore. 

Recurring themes within the collection included extreme sculptural silhouettes, along with the thick, ropey netting now synonymous with the brand’s aesthetic. Stark blacks and whites converged with neon greens, rich corals, and deep reds for a colour palette that was rich in contrast, and, according to Scott, one “alive with friction, insistence, and exuberance.” Another nod to the collection’s air of resistance, ‘Bachanal’ was not only dedicated to Claudia Jones, a Trinidadian journalist and social activist from the 50s, but also made in honour of “all displaced peoples”.