Black Designers & Events To Watch

The fashion girls are about to take over New York again. The next few days are bringing everything we love about New York Fashion Week with them.
Each September and February, NYFW gives us an excuse to talk about fashoon more than we already do. This season is no different. The official Spring/Summer 2027 schedule runs September 10 through September 15, with 70 runway shows and presentations listed on the preliminary Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) calendar.
HelloBeautiful will be on the scene.
We’ll be watching the designers we already know and love, the emerging names making their mark, the luxury houses that remind us why we fell in love with fashion in the first place, the hair and beauty moments making every outfit hit that much harder, and the runway moments you have to see to believe.
Just as important are the moments that define our culture. The ones that further cement how Black creativity, beauty, style and excellence continue to shape the fashion industry.
For the fashion girls who want to know where to be outside, which designers deserve attention, what shows could have everybody talking and which events are actually worth knowing about, this list is for you.
Fashion Has Been Busy Since February NYFW
Since designers last showed in New York, there have been several fashion moves worth keeping on our radar.
Rachel Scott continues making history while leading Proenza Schouler and her own label, Diotima. This season gives us another chance to see how she moves between two very different fashion worlds.
Public School New York is also back.
Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne returned to the NYFW runway in February after a six-year hiatus. Now, the New York-born label is on the official Spring/Summer 2027 calendar, making its September show one of the returns we are most interested in seeing.
There has also been major change at Off-White. Ib Kamara stepped down as creative director at the end of August after four years with the brand. Off-White brought its Spring 2026 collection to New York last September, but the house is not listed on the preliminary September 2026 NYFW schedule.
Then there is the celebrity influence.
Olandria Carthen’s fashion profile continues to rise. She continues to be that girl and recently joined MAC Cosmetics’ “We All Wear MAC” campaign. We would not be surprised to see her presence grow even more during Fashion Month.
And all of this is happening while fashion continues to deal with a complicated retail climate. Legacy American brands are pushing for younger consumers, while the broader luxury market faces pressure from changing spending habits and global economic uncertainty.
NYFW Cultural Moments, Beauty & Fashion Collabs, & Black Designers To Watch
Fashion and beauty are also linking up in a major way this season. Black-owned beauty brand Camille Rose is collaborating with Sergio Hudson for his Spring/Summer 2027 runway show.
The partnership continues something we have already seen from Hudson. During his February 2026 NYFW show, he collaborated with Black-owned jewelry designer Simone I. Smith, wife of LL Cool J, on a 28-piece jewelry collection that debuted on his runway.
Now, with Camille Rose joining him for September, Hudson is once again using his luxury runway platform to spotlight another Black-owned business. We love to see Black fashion and beauty brands creating this kind of style magic together.
The September schedule also gives us plenty of Black talent to follow. LaQuan Smith, Sergio Hudson, Diotima by Rachel Scott, Public School New York, Frederick Anderson, Negris LeBrum, Joseph McRae, Nardos, Advisry by Keith Herron, Aisling Camps, Science Project Company by Heginz Janvier, and Hikari no Yami by Jakarie Whitaker are the Black designers at the top of our watch list from the official CFDA calendar.
Here are some of the shows, presentations and cultural moments already on our radar.
Harlem’s Fashion Row Starts The Week With Culture And Style
When: September 8
Where: The Glasshouse
Harlem’s Fashion Row is one of the events we look to each season for Black designers, major fashion honors and the people helping push the industry forward.
Its annual Fashion Show & Style Awards brings designers, celebrities, editors and industry leaders into one room while continuing HFR’s work of creating visibility and opportunity for designers of color.
Caribbean Fashion Collective Brings Caribbean Culture To NYFW
When: September 10 at 5 PM
Where: Little West 12th Street, Meatpacking District
The Caribbean Fashion Collective is bringing Caribbean fashion and culture into the NYFW conversation with its Spring/Summer 2027 runway show.
Caribbean designers and creatives have long influenced fashion, beauty and style across the diaspora. This show gives that influence its own NYFW spotlight.
Fashion Bomb Daily Celebrates 20 Years
When: September 12 at 6 PM
Where: New York City
Fashion Bomb Daily is celebrating a major milestone during its sixth annual Bomb Fashion Show.
The platform turns 20 this year, and the anniversary alone makes this one worth watching.
Fashion Bomb Daily has spent two decades covering celebrity style, designers and the fashion lovers who keep the culture moving. Its anniversary show has the opportunity to bring all of those worlds together.
The evening’s dress code is champagne, so expect guests to treat the entrance like their own runway.
Renee Cafaro Atelier Brings Size Diversity To The NYFW Runway
When: Saturday, September 12 at 2 PM
Where: Kaplan Penthouse, Lincoln Center
Renee Cafaro Atelier will present its latest collection, The Alchemy, during New York Fashion Week. The New York couture house was built around designing for people who have traditionally been excluded or underserved by mainstream fashion, particularly plus-size consumers.
Project Runway model Liris Crosse has previously walked for Renee Cafaro Atelier, another example of the designer’s inclusive ideals and growing influence in the industry. The collection will also spotlight global influences and collaborations, including work inspired by Tongan tattoo traditions, historic Ukrainian beadwork, and a tribute honoring late Samoan designer Afa Ah Loo.
Nia Thomas Opens Her SS27 Showroom To The Public
When: September 12 and 13, 10 AM to 6 PM
Where: Cuna’s Private Dining Room at The Standard, East Village
Here is one for the fashion girls who want to get into the NYFW action themselves.
Nia Thomas is opening her Spring/Summer 2027 showroom to the public for two days at The Standard, East Village. Guests can see the collection in person, discover new arrivals and shop. The public format gives fashion lovers a chance to experience part of NYFW without needing a runway invitation.
Emerge! Celebrates 15 Years With Karl Kani
When: September 15
Where: Leman Ballroom, 41 Broad Street
Emerge! Fashion Show is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a major piece of fashion history.
Karl Kani is returning to New York City to present his newest collection. For anyone who knows the relationship between Black culture, hip-hop and streetwear, his return matters. Kani helped define an era of fashion, and his influence can still be seen across streetwear today. Nick Arrington and Raval Davis will host the event, with Claire Sulmers serving as red carpet host.
Olandria And The Reismans Take The Fashion Conversation Beyond NYFW
When: Thursday, September 17
Where: Soho House
The traditional NYFW schedule may wrap on September 15, but the fashion conversation keeps going.
On September 17, Olandria Carthen will join celebrity stylists The Reismans for “A Night With Olandria & The Reismans” at Soho House.
The live conversation will look at the creative partnership behind Olandria’s recent fashion moments, how those looks come together, and the strategy behind building an image in fashion and culture.
NYFW officially wraps on September 15, but this September 17 conversation is one post-Fashion Week moment we still have on our calendar.
Consider This Your NYFW Starting Point
There will be plenty more to see once Fashion Week begins.
Runway surprises will happen. New designers will emerge. Celebrity arrivals will shift the conversation. And somewhere between the shows, street style and backstage glam, we expect plenty of reasons to keep refreshing our feeds.
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