Don’t get it twisted: New York Fashion Week makes for a fun highlight reel on social media (what’s not to love about dressing up and running into celebrities?), but there’s plenty of chaos and tension behind the scenes that the public doesn’t always see. Editors camp out at coffee shops to file their stories before dashing to the next show; influencers hustle to post as much video content as possible; and publicists run around making last-minute seating changes and praying their clients’ events go on without a hitch.
But no one seems to feel the NYFW pressure more than the designers themselves. For months, they work tirelessly to sew, cut, embroider and drape their collections to perfection. So we can only imagine the sigh of relief they take when they finally present their work and can take a much-needed break (at least, before starting next season’s collection).
For Spring 2027, team Fashionista asked multiple designers what exactly runs through their minds when the runway finale ends and they come out to greet their audience. Andrew Kwon and Grace Ling, for example, reflected on how grateful they are for their teams. Others, like Tory Burch and Heirlome’s Stephanie Suberville, felt emotional. All of them were relieved. As Rachel Antonoff described it: “Thank fucking God.”
Ahead, read what was going through designers’ heads as they took their final bows.
Rachel Scott of Proenza Schouler and Diotima
Photo: Victor Pagan/Getty Images
“Oh God, you don’t even know how much I think about this. Well, first of all, we had to orchestrate to make sure [the] closing model could help me up the stairs. It was logistically challenging, but she was so sweet to hold my hand. But I also, when I come out, it’s intimidating. I’m not a model. I started this job so I could make clothes, not walk on a runway, but you always walk out and when you see friendly faces, it’s just really nice. So the first person I saw when I walked out was Samira Nasr, who is such a legend.”
Tory Burch
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“On some levels I’m like, it’s quite emotional because you’re [working] until the very last minute. I saw a girl, she didn’t realize she was about to walk so she didn’t have her shoes. My team is upset. I’m like, ‘Barefoot’s the new black. Who cares?’ You just can’t worry about it. But it’s just a relief. This one was a lot of work for all of us. It was just like, wow, I just breathed it.”
Nicola Brognano of 7 For All Mankind
“I’m thinking: I did a good job.”
Joseph Altuzarra of Altuzarra
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I think that I’m really relieved.”
Wes Gordon of Carolina Herrera
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I actually get really nervous. I have bad anxiety in general and there’s something very scary about it. I have enormous respect for models who can do that, because it’s scary. It’s like walking onto a stage and then having to walk a long way. I’m trying to think to hold my shoulders back. I’m trying to think not to make a goofy face. And then I’m also trying to find my mom and dad, Mrs. Herrera and my husband.”
Patricia Bonaldi of PatBo
“I’m not thinking about anything. It’s more like very high adrenaline. I can barely say ‘Hi,’ but it’s a moment that feeds me. It makes me feel very confident and sure that I need to keep doing this.”
Stephanie Suberville of Heirlome
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I was actually really scared and I didn’t want to do it because I just wanted to pop up and say hi, but I wanted to have a moment with [Maricarmen Jimenez] and she actually helped me because I was holding her hand really tight. She was very calm and she’s an artist, so she kind of calmed me down. So it was kind of nice.”
Veejay Floresca
“I’m always thinking about, ‘When is the next one?’ I think it’s really fun to do something that I love, and am passionate about. So, I’m just thinking about, ‘what’s next?'”
Keith Herron of Advisry
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“It’s funny because when I first was doing runway shows, I would always run down and it kind of makes it faster, that moment, because it’s a nerve-wracking moment. But lately I was like, ‘Oh, let me take it slow and enjoy this moment.’ So I guess I try to feel the energy of the room and finally be present in that room, because you spend so much time preparing for this runway show and then you don’t actually experience it yourself. That’s the one moment you get to really be there. So I just try to take it slow and enjoy that moment.”
Ella Mae Jepsen of Ella Mae
“Oh my gosh, I don’t know if I was thinking about anything except for like, ‘ahhh!'”
Prabal Gurung
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I’m thinking about my mother. My mom lives in Nepal. Sometimes she’s in New York. It’s been a while [since] she came to my show. Honest to God, that’s all I’m thinking about. I’m thinking about my mother and how grateful that I am that she allowed me to live my dreams ever since I was a kid. And then my team, who without whom, I wouldn’t be able to do this. And I get to walk out in the end, but it’s an entire village who does this work. So I’m thinking of my mother and my team and then hopefully a long rest.”
Rachel Antonoff
Photo: Jonas Gustavsson / Firstview.com
“Thank fucking God. With humans, you can’t always anticipate what’s going to happen, but with animals, you absolutely can only anticipate that you have no idea what’s going to happen. You know, it was fine and we’re thrilled.”
Susan Korn of Susan Alexandra
“We had our two dogs with us, our elders, backstage with us, and we told them that this is all for them because they both inspired us to put all this rescue dog love into the world.”
Patricio Campillo of Campillo
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I’m blank. I’m like, ‘Holy shit, thank God it’s done.’ I don’t know. It’s a lot every time I do a show and I do a collection. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know if I’m happy or if I’m devastated. It’s just every time I do it, it’s so important to me. So yeah, I’m not necessarily the most balanced person emotionally after the shows.”
Kate Barton
“Everyone’s always like, ‘Are you excited for your show, fashion week?’ And I’m like, ‘I’ll be excited once we’re there.’ So I feel like now I’m excited to have a fun night and we have a party after this, so I’m excited to just have fun after.”
Christian Cowan
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I hate doing my bow, so my mind is at, ‘How long do I have to be out here before I can hide again?’ So I just keep it quick. Of course I like to wish everybody a ‘thank you,’ but I just don’t love everybody looking at me.”
Christian Juul Nielsen of Aknvas
“I was thinking about [my husband] Casper. I wanted to wave at him, but I couldn’t see him because he was at the end of the runway, and I wanted to… just grab him, but there was too much light.”
Sergio Hudson
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“Thank God it’s over. But this year when I take a bow, I’m going to be wearing a shirt we did in collaboration with Live Free 999. I’m trying to get a message out there about mental health: You’re not alone, and you don’t have to suffer in silence.”
Ben Doctor
“I was thinking, ‘thank God it’s over.’ I’m not kidding. I think this year was especially hard to push at the end. So, I was just really happy that it was over and that it was a success.”
Andrew Kwon
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I think about my team. Not just my team in the atelier, but also the teams who are helping to build [the show] the day of. The shows literally last 12-15 minutes, yet it’s months and months of building and creating. So all I’m thinking about is the teams helping to build Andrew Kwon, and I feel so grateful for them.”
Jackson Wiederhoeft of Wiederhoeft
“It’s hard to describe. It’s like every feeling at once — it’s very intense. It’s very vulnerable, yet it’s very exciting. I’m very proud but also very sad to move on from this world and close the tomb.”
Grace Ling
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I’m really thankful for everyone who came. I’m also thinking, ‘It’s done, thank God. It’s done and it’s done well.’ To be honest, what’s running through my mind is how thankful I am for my team. It takes a whole village, and there are just so many behind [the show and the collection], and everybody works so hard.”
Jane Wade
“I’m actually a pretty shy person when it comes to large crowds. So I would prefer to be the person that’s just hiding in the back and pops out with a little wave. But my whole team always pushes me to go out and do a clap and I like to bring my team out as well so that way they can feel celebrated for all the hard work they contributed as well.”
Kim Shui
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I’m just like, ‘I can’t believe we did this.’ When I was backstage, everybody started crying, so that got me more emotional.”
Amy Smilovic of Tibi
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I just want to get in and get out. This is not for me to run out there and take the accolades.”
Jonathan Simkhai of Simkhai
“I can’t believe that all these people are here to see my collection and I hope they like it.”
Aisling Camps
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I can sleep tonight.”
Tyler McGillivary
“I was thinking relief, relief. It’s such a very stressful show to coordinate with all the animations and stuff, but I was also just thinking how proud I am of my team, and just amazed at how far we’ve come from ‘Date Night’ to here in a couple of seasons.”
Olivia Cheng of Dauphinette
Photo: Moment Dept/Courtesy of Dauphinette
“You’re so mortified, personally, embarrassed and not a model. You’re not used to all the big lights, and you’re not used to other people. My desire is always to sprint away. But I tried not to jog this time, because I’m not a runner. It’s better to keep it moving at a medium pace. So, I was thinking about not running.”
Rachel Comey
Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
“I’m thinking when I take my post show bow, how quickly and fast can I do it.”
Fletcher Kasell of Tanner Fletcher
“I’m probably blacked out by that time. I can hardly get words out of my mouth. It’s very exhausting, but it’s very rewarding. It’s kind of like a crazy emotional arc.”
Tanner Richie of Tanner Fletcher
“I think doing this together….we feel like we kind of just, I always say it’s like having a baby. You’re putting something out there into the world that we did together and that is a really special moment.”
Kimberley Gordon of Selkie
Photo: Courtesy of Selkie
“I’m thinking about my daughter because I’m worried about what she’s thinking. I’m looking at the room because we don’t see the room until we come out, so it’s insane to see all the outfits and all the people. You lose all thought, honestly.”
Reporting by Dhani Mau, Steph Saltzman, Elizabeth Denton, Janelle Sessoms, Catie Pusateri and Neia Dizon.
