These Designers Are Making Their New York Fashion Week Debuts for Fall 2022

It’s really happening. Friday is the first day of New York Fashion Week, where new and established designers will unveil their Fall 2022 collections to vaccinated in-person audiences and/or digital viewers at home. While there may not be as many household names on the schedule as there have been in the past, this February’s lineup is still a solid representation of the distinctive talent New York has to offer, including a few newcomers we’re just getting to know.

The majority of them launched their brands during the pandemic, so perhaps, collectively, they offer a glimpse into the future of fashion. They might reject the gender binary, commit to manufacturing locally and/or responsibly, or endeavor to produce more than just clothing — without making those efforts into a gimmick. Their rejection of convention is also reflected in their show formats: Some will host intimate gatherings at restaurants while another will stage a three-night party. One show even involves an AI-generated alien.