New York Fashion Week culminated on Tuesday with a final flurry of shows from LaQuan Smith, Kallmeyer, Lii and others. The previous night, Japanese juggernaut Uniqlo took over MoMA to celebrate its LifeWear collection with celebrity guests including Cate Blanchett and Roger Federer. <\/p>\n
Here are the five runway trends that stood out this season. Keep them in your back pocket as the Spring 2026 caravan heads next to London, then to Milan and Paris \u2013 or take them as food for thought when shopping next year.<\/p>\n
Blank Slates<\/p>\n
Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Countless designers, including Coach (pictured here), chose to open with various shades of white, cream and beige.Photo: Isidore Montag \/ Gorunway.com\/Gorunway<\/p>\n The first look of any fashion show is known to set the tone for the rest of the collection, and countless designers chose to open with various shades of white, cream and beige. Some might call it vanilla. Others might see it as a palette cleanser. Either way, anyone attending a white party next summer will have plenty of options to choose from. <\/p>\n At Calvin Klein Collection, a simple pinafore mini dress worn with a headscarf kicked things off. At Coach, it was a tailored and frayed floor length denim vest paired with a matching bag. Diotima opened with a hooded crochet tank and balloon trousers, worn with a cascading ruffled skirt overtop. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, at Prabal Gurung, there was plenty of visual interest, with a cocooned, embroidered coat layered over a flared skirt inspired by the trumpet flower of the designer\u2019s native Nepal. <\/p>\n Ballooning<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Billowing pants, like this cropped grey pair by Michael Kors, bubbled over on the runways.WWD\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The 1980s are back \u2013 or is it the 1910s, when the original Harem pants were created by French designer Paul Poiret? Either way, billowing pants bubbled over on the runways, including a black pair matched with a patent leather blazer at Altuzarra and a cropped grey wool pair worn with a slinky top at Michael Kors. It\u2019s giving chic MC Hammer. <\/p>\n Minimalism with a twist<\/p>\n With the world in undeniable turmoil, it\u2019s no surprise that designers opted to keep things simple. Michael Kors, Fforme, Khaite and newcomer TWP (named for founder Trish Wescoat Pound) leaned into sharp lines and neutral palettes. But simplicity got an upgrade at Tory Burch. <\/p>\n A petal-pink, off-the-shoulder dress with elongated sleeves and a billowing skirt looked fit for the corps de ballet; a bold, aquamarine trench popped against brown trousers and a butter-yellow bag; and a gleaming foil top proved that minimalism can still pack a punch. <\/p>\n Shrugs and headscarves<\/p>\n