NEW YORK FASHION WEEK SPRING/SUMMER 2026: DAY 3

TIBI
review by MAREK BARTEK

all images TIBI via vogue.com

Tibi’s Amy Smilovic and Traci Bui-Amar looked to Antwerp’s Brutalist and Bauhaus architecture for a collection that balanced the line between gritty and elegant. Colour was reduced to chartreuse, blue, green, and the faintest pink, allowing us to really see structure and tailoring. Strong shoulders were softened by the intentional oversized design, best seen on a blazer from the second look. Geometric peplum belts, especially a clear version layered over cotton separates, offered fresh volume. Hoop hems on skirts and dresses were a nod to artist Ursula Sax’s sculptural costumes. Not every experiment landed, but the play with shape felt sharp, modern, and still true to Tibi’s pragmatic ease.

ALTUZARRA
review by MAREK BARTEK

all images ALTUZARRA via vogue.com

Joseph Altuzarra played with perception this season, riffing on AI and what’s real versus unreal. Florals on dresses turned out to be 3D appliqués, while illustrated bird wings curled around necklines like stoles. That being said, the surreal touches never overpowered the collection’s prettiness, which was anchored in time-capsule silhouettes from the ’40s and ’80s. Balloon pants, suddenly everywhere, became his defining trouser shape, paired with swing-back leather and suede jackets that felt sturdy — a perfect juxtaposition to the flowiness of the trousers. Faux furs added another unexpected twist for spring. Altuzarra’s eye for the uncanny met his instinct for elegance, proving that in a world of blurred realities, craftsmanship remains real.

MERUERT TOLEGEN
review by MAREK BARTEK

all images MERUERT TOLEGEN provided by the brand

Meruert Tolegen marked her upcoming opening of Wooster Street boutique with a collection rooted in structure and romance. Opening pannier silhouettes referenced the  Marie Antoinette era, while puff-sleeve jackets and corsetry carried Victorian echoes. Tolegen emphasised tailoring this season, tightening her line into sculptural jackets and clean silhouettes that highlighted her fascination with craftsmanship. The palette stayed refined, allowing details, such as corseted seams, puffed volumes, precise cuts, to take focus. With Pierrot, ballerina, and Arthurian touches, the clothes retained a storybook whimsy without veering into costume. Tolegen’s rise has been fast, and her spring outing underscored why: an artisan’s hand, rendered with poise and precision.

KHAITE
review by MAREK BARTEK

all images KHAITE via vogue.com

Catherine Holstein twisted the familiar this season, showing us a new dimension of a Khate woman. Opening look featured a leather blazer sliced at the sides to clasp the body at an angle. Cocktail dresses were dismantled, corsets ripped apart, tulle stuffed back in, testing the line between risqué and excessive. Polka-dotted skirts slung low on the hips and oversized knits brought that sense of Californian ease, contrasting with sculptural tops with a padded, rounded peplum shape, double-breasted coat dresses, and a column gown cut away to reveal a deep, dramatic back. Denim was raw this season, and came with big cuffs. Shoes, mostly consisting of kitten-heeled moccasins and caramel slingbacksfull pulled whole the mood together. For Holstein, confidence lives in self-consciousness, and Khaite clearly thrives on that tension.