Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images By Larry Stansbury ·Updated January 15, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio participant prepared…
It’s the high of the new yr and, before you know it, fashion week will be upon us. The preliminary CFDA New York Fashion Week calendar just dropped, and it’s secure to say we’re excited to support our favourite Black designers.
From Wednesday, February 11, through Monday, February 16, the metropolis will be transferring nonstop. Think: runways, displays, avenue >LaQuan Smith, Diotima, and Frederick Anderson are back in formation—prepared to show once again that they dictate the second, not comply with it. And Advisry is back on schedule, hitting February 15 with a contemporary wave of streetwear-meets-art vitality.
Below, meet the Black designers taking up space on the official NYFW calendar. Believe us—these are the exhibits everyone will be speaking about.
Frederick Anderson
Known to ship a refined form of luxurious that feels sensual, refined, and deeply textured, Frederick Anderson is kicking issues off with his signature lacework, sculpted knits, and fluid silhouettes. Anderson designs for ladies who show up in every room as they belong—those who perceive that glamour is a life src=”https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2235811495-scaled.jpg” alt=”The Black Designers You Need To Know Showing At NYFW Fall/Winter 2026″ width=”400″ peak=”266″ />NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 16: Fashion designer Frederick Anderson walks the runway for the Frederick Anderson Spring/Summer 2026 Collection Runway Show on September 16, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Victor Pagan/Getty Images) Public School
Public School is returning to the calendar. Led by Maxwell Osborne, the label has always captured the essence of the metropolis—streetwear ease sharpened by considerate tailoring and surprising layers. Each assortment reads like a love letter to New York’ssrc=”https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-496695006-scaled.jpg” alt=”The Black Designers You Need To Know Showing At NYFW Fall/Winter 2026″ width=”400″ peak=”274″ />DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – NOVEMBER 09:Designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne stroll the runway at the Public School show at Dubai Design District on November 9, 2015 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.(Photo by Cedric Ribeiro/Getty Images) Sergio Hudson
Known for razor-tailored silhouettes, saturated colorways, and a take-no-prisoners angle, Sergio Hudson’s garments sharpen the wearer and announce the second. The fashion designer is back to remind us why energy dressing will always be half of fashion’s DNA. Hudson’s work resonates with ladies who know precisely who they are—because he designs clothes that speaks before you do.
NEW YORK, USA – FEBRUARY 07: A model walks the runway during the Sergio Hudson Ready to Wear Fall/Winter 2025-2026 fashion show as half of the New York Fashion Week on February 7, 2025 in New York. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) LaQuan Smith
If spectacle had a patron saint, it would be LaQuan Smith. His runway is where intercourse appeal meets craftsmanship, offering curve-clinging silhouettes, shiny finishes, and items constructed for high heat and glamour. Expect the robes to function high slits and moments of mesh and leather-based. These are the form of seems destined for superstar closets before the show even ends.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 12: Laquan Smith walks the runway at the Laquan Smith fashion show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows on February 12, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images) Diotima
Rachel Scott’s Diotima is a breathtaking research in heritage, approach, and storytelling. The model’s hand-woven crochet, meticulous beading, and clever asymmetry really feel both sacred and futuristic. Each collectiondecoding=”async” src=”https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2198425861-scaled.jpg” alt=”The Black Designers You Need To Know Showing At NYFW Fall/Winter 2026″ width=”400″ peak=”266″ />NEW YORK, USA – February 10 2025 (L-R) Models are seen posing at the Diotima presentation during New York Fashion Week, February 10, 2025. (Photo by Jonas Gustavsson for The Washington Post via Getty Images) Nardos
Nardos turns runways into storytelling—and robes into declarations. With sweeping silhouettes, couture-grade detailing, and a love of drama, her items are designed for ladies stepping into their highlight. Her presence at NYFW affirms what we already know—Black designers excel in the realms of fantasy and expertise.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 24: Designer Nardos Imam (C) walks the runway during the 7TH EDITION OF CATWALK FOR CHARITY, BENEFITING HAITIAN CHILDREN at The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami on October 24, 2021 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images) Aisling Camps
Aisling Camps is redefining knitwear. The Trinidadian-born designer merges technical mastery with sculptural play—creating items that drape, reveal, anddecoding=”async” src=”https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-1475199793-scaled.jpg” alt=”The Black Designers You Need To Know Showing At NYFW Fall/Winter 2026″ width=”400″ peak=”600″ />LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 21: Aisling Camps attends the Fashion Trust U.S. Awards 2023 at Goya Studios on March 21, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Fashion Trust U.S.) Advisry
This model is a future-forward remix of American fashion through a distinctly youthful lens. Created by Keith Herron, the label attracts from nostalgia, artwork, movie, and the digital lexicon of now. Every assortment feels like an invitation—step into the world, be part of the neighborhood, and put on your identification proudly.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 12: Keith Herron walks the runway at the Advisry fashion show during September 2022 New York Fashion Week: The Shows on September 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows)
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