From Myth to Memory at NYFW: Diotima, Jason Wu, Proenza Schouler and more

After a spectacular week of shows, presentations, and parties, the fashion world has made its trek to London, where the next chapter of fashion month is in full swing. In New York City, a wide array of shows unfolded across unexpected settings—from lush gardens to immersive labyrinths. Patricio Campillo explored rituals and how they shape our lives, translating these ideas into fashion as stitches that gather to form a garment. Jason Wu debuted a landmark collaboration with artist Robert Rauschenberg. Rachel Scott had a dual presence this season, showing at both Diotima and Proenza Schouler, where she explored two distinct themes: one rooted in Carnival, the other representing a brand in transition. Meanwhile, Taofeek Abijako brought mythology to life, crafting garments that put storytelling directly onto the body.

Bibhu Mohapatra Gestures of Gratitude

For Spring/Summer 2026, Bibhu Mohapatra paid homage to the trailblazing women of 20th-century India—visionaries who redefined womanhood and altered the course of history. From Sarojini Naidu, whose poetry stirred revolutions, to Kalpana Chawla’s fearless journey into space, and Lata Mangeshkar’s transcendent voice, Mohapatra drew from icons whose influence continues to expand opportunity for women today.

This collection also became a deeply personal reflection. Mohapatra looked inward to the women closest to him—his mother, mentors, and friends—whose unwavering support shaped his career. Their presence was woven into every silhouette and stitch, transcending aesthetic to become a gesture of gratitude. Lace dresses, tulle gowns, denim jackets, and sculptural sleeves carried intricate embroidery that echoed a dialogue between India and the West. That interplay of heritage and modernity gave form to garments that embodied strength, vulnerability, rebellion, tenderness, history, and hope—an emotional tapestry where the past conversed seamlessly with the present.

CAMPILLO “Repetición” as Ritual

Patricio Campillo presented his “Repetición” collection at the Continental Center, with Manhattan’s skyline as a dramatic backdrop. The title reflects his fascination with repetition as a daily ritual—capable of both grounding and destabilizing, shaping our lives in ways poetic and destructive. “Visually, repetition reveals itself as both order and poetry,” said Campillo.

That duality translated into materiality and form. Collaborations with textile artisans reimagined traditional knits and felting techniques, producing fabrics that carried rhythm and identity. One in-house knit, woven from strips of fabric, recalled a refined Mexican intrecciato. Charro tailoring’s aesthetic came through in cropped jackets with sharp shoulders and elongated trousers, distilling the tradition’s iconic codes into a modern silhouette. The collection’s partnership with Don Julio extended into accessories and garments crafted with agave fibers and cotton threads, grounding the work in natural process and ancestral craft. In Campillo’s hands, repetition was no longer monotony, but ritual—an act of memory and reinvention, infused with cultural resonance and artisanal respect.

Jason Wu Collage in Motion 

Jason Wu surprised with “COLLAGE,” a collaboration with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation celebrating the late artist’s centennial. Granted access to the archives, Wu drew from the “Hoarfrost” fabric series (1974–76) and Airport Suite editions (1974), where layered textiles and transferred images built shifting compositions.

On the runway, Jason Wu translated these ideas into garments pieced from strips of satin, silk twill, and organza, creating woven matrices that breathed with movement. Trompe l’œil lingerie effects, intricate embroidery, and artisanal finishes lent intimacy to the layered surfaces. For the set, models navigated a labyrinth of collage-filled panels inspired by a Rauschenberg installation. As they moved, garments appeared to camouflage within their surroundings, revealing unexpected details with each step. In this merging of art and fashion, Jason Wu honored Rauschenberg’s legacy not with static homage but with dialogue—fluid, playful, and alive. The result was a collection by Jason Wu that blurred boundaries, collapsing the distance between canvas and cloth.

Diotima’s “Bacchanal” of Resistance

Rachel Scott’s “Bacchanal” unfolded as both a celebration and confrontation. Rooted in Caribbean Carnival traditions and the diaspora communities that carried them, the collection recalled “Bacchanal” as an act of resistance to colonial domination—where self-actualization through music, dance, and dress became an anti-imperialist ritual. Peter Minshall’s ghost-like carnival sketches informed the mood, a haunting undercurrent beneath riotous color.

The palette layered contradictions—mango, guava, lime, and red against cumin, passion fruit, gray, and black—mirroring the uneven histories that shaped Carnival. Traditional characters were not replicated but reimagined: the Baby Doll appeared in a tailored top with macramé skirts; the cage bra transformed into a tailored waistcoat. Morning coats in disco silk or wool gabardine carried the swagger of celebration, while Diotima’s signature crystal mesh knit surfaced in drop-crotch pants, hoods, and rash-guard swimwear. Faces and hands bore J’ouvert splatters, recalling dawn after a night of revelry. The collection honored Carnival’s radical origins while re-staging it as fashion’s space of defiance and joy.

Head of State Myth in Motion

Head of State invited guests into a meditative atmosphere for “If Heaven Could Talk,” a collection steeped in reflection and rebirth. Models emerged in sharp contrasts—precise tailoring offset by drapery, asymmetry reshaping structured blazers, and uniforms softened with detail. Deep blues, earthen browns, and flashes of orange and gold evoked natural elements, grounding the mood in both gravity and transcendence. Designer Taofeek Abijako described it as “taking mythology out of the museum and putting it back into the body, into everyday life.”

The collection reexamined the Western uniform, specifically the business suit, through a West African lens. Abijako asked what authority and elegance might look like when history and future meet as equals. The result was a fusion of mythology, memory, and modernity—garments that held both narrative and possibility. Beyond expanding the brand’s design vocabulary, the show positioned Head of State as a cultural archive, where fashion serves as living testimony to myth, identity, and imagination.

Proenza Schouler Welcomes Rachel Scott

Proenza Schouler’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection marks a turning point as the brand moves into new hands following the exit of its founders, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. Rachel Scott, founder of Diotima, collaborated on this collection, with her first full outing for the house set for February 2026.

The show’s design notes read, “The act of evolution demands a soft undoing, a willingness to be unmade in order to change.” That sentiment surfaced in raw hems, exposed shoulder pads, and inverted tailoring—elements usually hidden by lining and finish. Fabrics that subtract rather than add—laser-cut cotton, seaglass embellishments—respond to light, motion, and air. Amid shifting materiality and form, accessories like fur sandals, organza thigh high boots, and knitted shorts suggest ideas still in formation. These are fragments of a vision, Scott’s signature emphasis on craft and texture, reimagined through Proenza’s codes, offering a glimpse of what is to come.

Tanner Fletcher Redecorating with Etsy

At Tanner Fletcher, guests were welcomed into a dreamlike home, a concept the brand has imagined since its inception. The show blended fashion with interior design, presenting a living mood board devoted to storytelling and self-expression. Each look was composed like a room, with garments echoing the textures and palette of their set. Models carried candlesticks, ceramic vases, and teacups sourced from antique shops, Etsy finds, and yard sales, infusing the runway with a sense of intimacy and lived-in charm.

A palette of muted rose, dusty blue, butter yellow, and ivory evoked both nostalgia and modernity, resisting confinement to a single era. Lace trims and embroidery softened tailored suits, while sequins and crystals adorned ball gowns, balancing opulence with wearability. References ranged from the Victorian period to the 1800s, 1940s, and 1970s, yet each was reimagined through a contemporary lens. The result was fresh, not costume. Tanner Fletcher reminded us that home is not fixed but a feeling, shaped by past and present lives within its walls.

Ralph Lauren: A Return to Intimacy

Ralph Lauren chose an unexpected venue this season, presenting the collection inside the brand’s own headquarters. The space was transformed with white walls, sweeping curves, a central staircase, black flooring, and wicker chandeliers, creating an intimate installation that placed full attention on the clothes.

Strength and sensuality guided the narrative. The Ralph Lauren woman embodied a modernist attitude grounded in minimalism yet softened by romance. Iconic tailoring appeared in a black, white, and red palette marked by sharp cuts and dramatic contrasts. Bodycon silhouettes played against voluminous skirts, while wide-brimmed hats added an air of mystery. Craft came through in patchwork slip dresses assembled from remnants of past collections, a subtle nod to heritage and sustainability. Accessories and details reinforced Lauren’s enduring codes while suggesting fresh relevance. The setting at headquarters underscored the collection’s message: a return to the core of the house, where intimacy and authenticity are central. 

TWP Garden Party in Bloom

TWP’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection by Trish Wescoat Pound draws inspiration from the prairie gardens of the American Midwest. The show felt like stepping into a sunny garden party, piece after piece grounded in utility and elegance. Wide-leg jeans in Japanese denim, matching shirt-skirt sets, and multiple waterproof trenches acknowledged the realities of spring rain. There were adventurous flashes—laser-cut leather skirts and sheer crystal tops—but most looks registered as elevated basics. Bags made their debut down the runway like durable leather totes and relaxed canvas styles designed for everyday errands. 

The color story embraced soft neutrals and classic tones, supporting the brand’s dedication to American sportswear—practical, beautiful, and grounded in real life. Trish Wescoat Pound imagines a muse who leaves her house in the morning, dashes to the deli, but still carries a sense of polish. In her hands, fashion becomes functional poetry