Most of us know New York Fashion Week as a global culmination of models and runway shows, but what if there was more to this multi-million dollar event? I invite you to join me as we break down the highlights of this year’s spectacular styles. We’ll cover celebratory appearances, innovations in design, and dive into the latest apparel trends at RHS where, just like in NYC, it’s not all about the clothes.
What better place to start than with guest appearances from the largest event of the summer: The Paris Olympics. American gymnastics star Suni Lee stepped off the mat and into the world of fashion this fall. Featuring in the Brooklyn Off-White show, Suni wore a stunning light gray dress that highlighted her toned physique. Also on the runway, Team USA track runner Noah Lyles modeled for a new Willy Chavarria and Adidas collaboration. At Radnor, the hype around the Paris games continues into the fall with the recent unveiling of Olympics as the 2024 LM Pep Rally theme. Back in New York, America’s politicians- or political adjacents- were seen participating in the fun. Jill Biden and Usher were photographed together at the Spring 2025 Ralph Lauren runway while Vice-President Kamala Harris’s step daughter, Ella Emhoff, appeared at the Coach show. As a fashion designer herself, Emhoff’s artistic eye came through as she sported a stylish NYC graphic tee. Fun T-shirts like Emhoff’s have long been staples in RHS student’s closets and this year is no exception. High schooler’s rep their sports teams, favorite bands, or summer events via graphic tees!
When it came to celebrity cameos, no one did it like Tommy Hilifger. Starting with the runway, actress Brook Shields was seen clutching her phone especially tight as her daughter, Grier, made her modeling debut. At the after party, Hilfiger invited the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tan Clan who took the stage for a floating performance on the Staten Island ferry. Speaking of singers, Felix and Lee Know, popular members of South Korean boy group Stray Kids, were seated beside Brook Shields enjoying the boat-bound performance. If two K-pop stars weren’t enough, Blackpink’s Jisoo’s appearances on the ship that night brought a sea of eager photographers. Back in New York- but not for Saturday Night Live this time -Colin Jost and Pete Davidson also came to ferry festivities. Colin was hilariously greeted by a fellow unnamed guest asking him “Is this really your boat?” to which the comedian replied, “I took this ferry to school every day.” Now, if you’ve had enough of all these new faces, Suni Lee returned to NYFW for the Hilfiger party, completing its unforgettable line-up of celebrities. At the moment, Hilifger is not a particularly popular brand for students; however, as the colder weather comes in, we’ll certainly be seeing more sweaters, cardigans, and jackets similar to those on the Tommy runway.
When it comes to innovative design, this year’s New York Fashion Week was nothing short of ground-breaking. Google Shopping partnered with a label called Simkhai to create an AI generating tool for virtual try-ons. No need to try on three separate outfits before school anymore! More on technology, many shows were live streamed this year, allowing for global connection and perhaps a small dose of zoom class PTSD for any students who tuned in. Now, if we’re talking about runway innovation it would be a crime not to mention the Alice + Olivia show which actually wasn’t displayed on a runway. Founded back in 2002 by Stacey Bendet, the brand is a luxury Hollywood favorite. A-list celebrities from Beyonce to Michelle Obama have worn their dazzling collections and the new set of clothes at NYFW was no exception. The cutting edge show displayed their collection through a series of rooms with an ethereal fantastical theme. One could have easily lost track of time viewing the many enchanting corsets, shirts, and flowing gowns. While Radnor students may not be dressing up this much, perhaps NYC’s formal attire we’ll influence student’s outfit selections for our upcoming LM dance. In addition, with Los Angeles Fashion Week just around the corner (October 17-19) I invited you to keep your eyes on off and runway for more ground-breaking designs!
Taking a break from NYFW, let’s unpack Radnor’s latest fashion trends. Starting off strong, the Stanley water bottle is gone for good and the Owala has taken its place on students’ desks this fall. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the brand was founded back in March 2020 with the goal to create practical, colorful water bottles. It makes sense that these bottles became so popular considering the biggest critique from Stanley users was the bottle’s size, while Owala slip neatly into the side of backpacks.
Other accessories include the Adidas Sambas, which increasingly walk our halls. The now legendary fashion sneakers got their name from a 1950 German football team, not, contrary to popular belief, from the Brazilian dance style. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the Sambas were redesigned, yet they didn’t see mainstream success until 2021, when they went viral on TikTok. These days, the shoes encapsulate the larger trend of fashion moving away from millennial minimalism and into Gen-Z artsy-maximalist taste. In light of this NYFW, maybe we’ll be seeing the Willy Chavarria collections as the next Radnor-Adidas trend. Students are walking around in Sambas and sipping on their Owala’s but what are they actually using to study? The NorthFace backpack is making its return in a 2024 school fashion trend. Originally designed for hiking, the school bags have been popular for years now and this one is no expectation. Notable colors include the classic black and gray/white but more green bags have been seen in the halls this year. Maybe students are seeking to reconnect with nature after the reality of back to school? Who knows! One thing is for sure, the best part of NYFW and Radnor style is not the clothes, but rather the connections they form between A-list celebrities and high school students.
