There's something fresh in the air at New York Fashion Week this season. The city returns to its annual meeting for the spring and summer of 2027 with a more optimistic and confident tone. Of course, we cannot ignore the influence of its mayor, Zahran Mamdani, in increasing this confidence and optimism. The man with the broad smile and the laugh that sometimes preceded his remarks arrived at City Hall bringing with him the promise of a more vibrant city. He has not disappointed hopes so far, and this vitality was reflected in his dormant week in recent years, during which he seemed to lose his weight on the global fashion map.
The official program this season is more full and optimistic: about 70 shows and presentations, with the return of “Tommy Hilfiger,” “Monse,” and others, along with new names such as “Conner Ives,” “Magda Botrum,” “Zaldy,” and a group of rising names who have shined recently.
Today, designer Thom Browne will close the week, after being absent from the February show.
The coincidence of this new movement taking place in the week with Mamdani's rise to power makes it difficult to separate Fashion Week from the city itself. While the latter is moving towards a new cultural, social and economic dynamism, the fashion industry is working to restore its old momentum, and to bring back those of its children who migrated to Paris in search of greater expansion, such as Gabriela Hearst, “The Row” and others, which has made the city lose some of its importance in the global calendar. But the picture currently looks less bleak and more positive.
Although it is too early to say that the week has regained its full health this season, it can be safely said that the general mood believes that the coming is better.
Part of the credit goes to Zahran Mamdani, who raised confidence in New York, but the main reason is due to the growth witnessed by the American market, which makes veteran and young designers alike see that the city has become an important station through which they can reach the world easily. The American market is currently considered more resilient than European markets that were important until recently. Which makes it tempting for important fashion houses, such as Chanel, Balenciaga, and Gucci, which held shows in New York this year.
Ralph Lauren does not stop at the past
Many major American brands benefited from this growth and achieved high revenues, such as Coach and Ralph Lauren, which started the week the day before the launch of its official program. Ralph Lauren's financial revenues, for example, this year exceeded $8 billion for the first time in the company's history, reaching $8.1 billion, an increase of 15 percent over the previous year. It was natural, according to observers, for his show to be entertaining. But what was not expected was that they would surprise them with something new.
The house is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its founding, and therefore it was easy, and expected, for its presentation to turn into a review of its history by replicating pieces from its archive. But the opposite happened. In it, the house summarized the problem that could face any ancient house that blindly clings to its past, and at the same time, it presented the solution by not relying on it completely and achieving balance.
“This is not a year to look back,” explains David Lauren, the designer’s son and chief brand and innovation officer, explaining that his father wanted to preserve the initial spark from which the company was launched, while blowing out its embers to give it more glow. There are two striking references to that past in the collection. The first is two women's suits made in Italy, in homage to the first women's suit designed by Ralph Lauren. The second is a brocade shirt and jacket and a wide tie that recalls the one who helped launch the “Polo” line in 1967. But all the rest was directed at a woman of this era.
The collection was characterized by a different spirit than what we are accustomed to: wide, low-waist trousers, slimmer jackets, romantic evening dresses, and carefully tailored suits. Of course, the house did not completely disavow its DNA, as denim was present, but “coated” or treated with modern techniques, like some other fabrics that underwent advanced processes of washing and hand painting, while effects were added to them that made them look like “vintage.” Ralph Lauren emphasized that the collection is about “innovation, originality and personality.”
Its strength for the consumer is that it does not require explanation. Each piece told its story and recounted its history with the house in a lively and contemporary style. Perhaps this was the challenge that the house faced in its sixtieth year: keeping its American character clear while at the same time adopting a language that reaches all worlds and ages.
American style...the strong present
Ralph Lauren was not the only one who took this trend; The performances since the beginning of the week indicate that she has put the darkness behind her. Coach, which celebrates its 85th anniversary this year, did not ignore that its designer Stuart Vevers did not ignore that its commercial strength lies in its archive and in its leather accessories in particular, which he translated into a new “TurnLock Tote” bag inspired by a design dating back to the seventies, to suit smooth and practical fashion.
Tommy Hilfiger also returned to the official New York program, with a show at the Plaza Hotel, which it said in its press release was “closer to a personal celebration in New York.”
The hotel where the designer stayed with his family in previous years was transformed into a theater in which he brought back one of the most clear vocabulary of American fashion. The “preppy”. A style that is not only associated with American fashion but also with his style. This time, he presented it with more liberal proportions and sizes and bolder colors, which appeared in “Oxford” shirts, “chino” pants, pieces of tartan, and polo “T-shirts”. Hilfiger explains that New York has been and remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration for him. “For 40 years, I have been inspired by the style of its people, and the ways in which they deal with classic pieces, each in his own style.”
Back to the nineties
Calvin Klein, under the creative leadership of Veronica Leoni, also remained faithful to the house’s distinctive style with simple lines, to be one of the most calm things presented throughout the week. The collection included simple coats and flowing dresses with a clear evocation of the spirit of the nineties that has been historically associated with her name, and in one way or another, it evoked the late Carolyn Bisset.
For its part, Michael Kors presented a show based on modernity and art, without artistic references turning into reproduction or a lesson in art history. She contented herself with quoting light signs that were translated in a style that combines softness with strength. Softness appeared in feminine, flowing designs and practical separates, while strength appeared in detailed designs that the designer said was inspired by New York's steadfastness after the September 11 attacks, the anniversary of which coincides with the events of the week in this month every year.
Tory Burch...fun first and foremost
The optimism and positivity that characterized the atmosphere of this week appeared clearly in the “Tory Burch” show, through a combination of colors that highlighted shades of coral, turquoise, violet, light green, crimson red, and creamy yellow, in striking contrast with dark brown and cool neutral colors.
But the designer did not forget the importance of preserving the design process, which she explained by saying that the collection combines “luxurious femininity and American practicality with a touch of naughtiness derived from the joy of fashion itself and the space it gives to play with its vocabulary.” This naughtiness appeared in metallic embroideries, long wool jackets with wavy details and a velvet texture, in addition to dotted threads that add a playful character to the pieces. Scarves and decorative balls are also decorated with handmade feathers, according to artistic touches, to wrap around shoulders or bags as a lively festive touch.
However, in general, the fashion was characterized by a diversity that combined knit designs with a sporty nature, skirts low on the waist, trousers with a cinched waist, and shirts with external pockets, along with decorative details that became closely associated with the house’s name. Opera coats come in a cut that mimics comfortable raincoats, while the sharp tailoring deviates slightly from its usual balance, revealing thoughtful elegance with unusual touches.
In terms of fabrics and materials, there are many suggestions, varying between woolen fabrics that appear in designs inspired by men’s clothing, and touches of silk that were intended to reduce its severity and create a feeling of lightness. There are also suggestions of cotton treated with advanced techniques, along with jacquard fabrics that mimic wallpaper with silk linings and Fille Coupe threads, as well as “crepe de chine” silk with its shiny touch.
Cult Giai is perhaps the darkest show in terms of its concept, although this idea was not translated into fashion literally. She said it's a collection that reflects on grief, resilience and what can happen after loss. The collection moves visually from darkness to light; It begins with dark and earthy colors, then progresses towards green, sky blue and red, before ending with more delicate and soft pink shades. A path that resembles a transition from a barren land to an oasis or a garden in which organza and silk are transformed into hand-painted sculptural flowers. Despite the collection’s contradiction between strength and fragility, strength and softness, it emphasizes that beauty is born from the womb of pain.
There are names in fashion that do not need explanation or definition. It is enough to mention the name Elie Saab to bring up pictures of dresses designed for an unrepeatable moment: weddings, lavish parties, award ceremonies, and film festivals... They are dreamy designs that flow over the body and are suitable for palaces... They are often decorated with embroideries that catch the light from a distance and make the wearer shine like a star.
Until next October 22, his designs remain out of reach, and his name is associated more with dreams than it addresses all social classes. All this will change once the collection is released on the market. Credit goes to H&M stores, which can be said to have achieved the difficult task when they convinced him to cooperate with them and launch a collection that the whole world is awaiting next month entitled “Elie Saab x H&M.”
Anne-Sophie Johansson, creative consultant at H&M and head of women’s fashion design, says, “The company felt that the time was very appropriate for this collaboration. People have the greatest need for beauty and that romantic spirit away from the heavy daily news that surrounds them from all sides.”
Johansson adds that choosing the designer to collaborate with is not always based on a fixed plan; “Sometimes the idea starts from a feeling that a particular name suits the moment.” She continues, saying: “In Saab’s case, there was a feeling that his style of manual work and detail could offer something different at a time when technology has become overshadowing many aspects of fashion.”
Elie Saab... the trump card
Although it did not mention the importance of the Arab market in general and customers in the Middle East region in particular, the timing of this cooperation says a lot. The name Elie Saab evokes a lot of positive emotions in this market, which would make this cooperation of commercial importance that goes beyond the artistic. For women in general, and Arab women in particular, it will not be just a new collaboration between a designer whose name is associated with luxury and a popular brand that has made collaborations with top designers an annual tradition since 2004, but rather the fulfillment of a long-awaited dream.
The scale of expectations raises an urgent question: Will the designer succeed in transferring the poetic feeling that he has created for decades into fashion that addresses a wide audience without losing any of his privacy and identity?
The answer is that Elie Saab, despite his romantic style and clear poeticism in his designs, did not achieve the successes he achieved without calculating everything rationally. He does not rush into big decisions, as evidenced by the fact that when the idea of this cooperation was presented to him about a year ago, he did not rush. He studied the idea from all sides before agreeing; Imposing its conditions.
He did not want a collaboration in the traditional sense, in which the designer simply adds his name to the piece, but rather he wanted it to be an actual meeting that brings together two brands that serve women. He did not skimp on his romantic touches in designs, and imposed the use of materials and technologies that H&M did not use at this level or in this manner.
Johansson says that some pieces made of faux fur, for example, were not possible with the same quality a few years ago, adding that the company benefited from the experience it had accumulated from previous collaborations with large fashion houses, in addition to the development of recycled materials.
The collection includes 35 women's pieces, 6 men's pieces, and about 10 accessories, including shoes, handbags and jewelry. As for prices, they start from 29.99 euros and reach 399 euros. For a woman, the choice will start with the dress, but it will not end there. Despite what is said that the woman who is impatiently awaiting the launch of this collection is not necessarily a regular Elie Saab customer with high potential, this assumption is questionable, given that the concept of luxury has changed in recent years and is no longer linked to price alone.
Between evening and day
One of the equations that Elie Saab and H&M had to achieve was to combine night and day. The designer's name is associated with lavish weddings and large parties, Swedish stores, and practical daytime fashion, and therefore it was necessary for the collection to combine elegance and practicality, and to emerge from evening to daytime in shapes that are easy to coordinate together. This coordination is clearly visible in the photos published on the H&M website. In it, Johansson suggests, for example, pairing a short faux fur jacket and geometric jackets with jeans, an elegantly tailored coat with “casual” pieces, and sparkling sequined pieces with black straight trousers.
But if each piece is taken individually, Elie Saab's luxurious touches are always present... for example; A green dress with a high side slit and dark shades of color underneath, representing one of the designer's main signatures throughout its history. There is also a black dress with a sculpted cut, decorated with a long train and a prominent bow at the waist, and another open at the chest in recycled duchesse fabric, along with jackets covered in sequins in shades of gold to black. Lace is also present alongside knitted and embroidered clothes... and other designs that will enrich any woman's wardrobe.
This diversity is not a side detail... Saab says that the collection was developed in the same way his collections are usually developed. Perhaps this is why he was keen to have it implemented in his own workshops in Paris and not in H&M laboratories, as was the custom in its previous collaborations. He also made sure that it was not associated with a specific season, which explains the strong presence of the black color, stemming from his desire for the piece to be used for many years to come, not just one season, and for it to be re-worn over and over again without making its owner bored.
This is the height of the demand, given that the opportunity to obtain a design with his signature at an affordable price will not be repeated in the near future.
A sequined jacket, for example, can complete an evening look, and it can also be coordinated with jeans during the day... and so on. Each piece is able to penetrate all occasions with realistic elegance. This flexibility is part of Elie Saab's attempt to make the collection closer to an actual complete wardrobe. This is an idea that is not based on making what he proposes normal, but rather on discovering his ability to give his name a greater space in daily life.
The most difficult thing in any cooperation between a large fashion house and a widespread popular brand is maintaining identity. With his artistic intelligence and commercial sense, the designer realizes the seriousness of this matter for his history, which is why his treatment of this collection went in the opposite direction: he preserved his visual symbols, and instead of copying the image of a dress from his own collections worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, he made it a part of daily life.
Last June, the Gala De Danza team arrived in Cairo, on a visit that paves the way for its upcoming concert at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is scheduled to be held on the fifth of next November.
Christina Leon, founder of the “Gala de Danza” project, tells Asharq Al-Awsat that she is “very happy because the Grand Egyptian Museum - with all the weight and prestige it carries - will be transformed into a ballet theater in the first presence of the project in the Middle East and North Africa region.”
The concert will present a program that combines classical ballet, contemporary dance, music, and arts, in a show that bets on the privacy of the place and its historical importance. More than 150 artists are participating in this event, including international stars and young Egyptian performers chosen from hundreds of applicants. With the arrival of the Gala do Danza team last June, auditions were opened for Egyptian talents of all ages, from academies, and local ballet schools. Christina says that more than 500 talents applied for the auditions, while only 50 of them will have the participation of dancers from international groups, such as the Royal Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet, and other artistic groups and institutions.
Since music will have a role in this concert, among the participants will be Sawsan Al-Bahiti, the first Saudi opera singer.
But what appears at first glance to be an international concert of an entertaining nature, for Christina Leon, is much more than that, because it carries a human side that aspires to give an obscure artist - who was not helped by geography and circumstances to reach international platforms - the opportunity to transform into a bright star.
Providing opportunities for new talent is not a passing detail in her project, but rather it is the essence of her personal and professional experience, as a former ballet dancer, who knew firsthand what it means for talent to make its way into the light. To understand this vision, we must go back to the beginning.
Who is Christina Leon?
She started dancing at the age of 12 after taking up slope skiing. At thirteen, she caught the attention of Sofia Golovkina, director of the well-known Bolshoi Academy, during a workshop held in the United States. She then traveled to Moscow to train, and was one of the first American girls to receive training at the Russian Academy.
At the age of sixteen, she joined the Ballet Theater
