Story by Editor-at-Large Europe CAROLINA OGLIARO
SIMKHAI Fall/Winter 2025-2026: A Raw, Romantic Revolution at New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week just witnessed one of its most evocative moments yet, Jonathan Simkhai’s Fall/Winter 2025-2026 collection, an intoxicating fusion of structured elegance and deconstructed romance. Set against the backdrop of the city’s electrifying skyline, this collection was a love letter to contrasts: past and future, strength and softness, opulence and rawness.
From the very first look, it was clear. The collection is about a mood, a woman, a world where delicacy and rebellion coexist.
A Love Affair Between Vintage & Modernity
The heartbeat of this collection? A vintage soul wrapped in modern allure. Simkhai, known for his ability to make power feel poetic, took inspiration from a spontaneous morning at the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena. He unearthed forgotten treasures, antique brooches, distressed military jackets, and weathered leather pieces, then reimagined them for the woman who commands a room with quiet confidence.
And the execution? Flawless. There was an intentional rawness to the details, frayed edges, loose threads, and burnished metal embellishments that felt like relics of a past life, yet undeniably now.
A Masterclass in Textures & Silhouettes
This season, Simkhai sculpted emotions. The collection unfolded like a story, each look revealing a different chapter in this narrative of contrasts:
Distressed Luxe: Cashmere sweaters with purposefully frayed hems met oversized leather outerwear, embodying effortless rebellion.
Softly Tailored: Boxy blazers with unraveling seams were paired with deconstructed corset tops, balancing structure with sensuality.
Delicate Armor: Crystallized knitwear transformed cozy essentials into pieces of wearable art, proving that sparkle doesn’t have to scream to be heard.
Boots Made for Power Moves: Thigh-high motorcycle boots grounded the collection in Simkhai’s signature confidence, taking the romance of it all and giving it an edge.
The standout moment?
A finale of gowns adorned with brooch clusters, some sourced from Thailand, others handcrafted in-house, turning each model into a walking tapestry of history and modern craftsmanship.
A Collection for the Woman Who Doesn’t Follow Trends. She Creates Them
More than just fashion, Simkhai’s Fall/Winter 2025-2026 is an aesthetic manifesto. It’s for the woman who wears contradiction as her signature. She’s delicate but fierce. Nostalgic yet forward-thinking. A dreamer with steel in her spine.
In a world of fleeting trends, this collection is a reminder that true style is about substance, storytelling, and the magic of reinvention.
And Simkhai? He’s not just designing clothes. He’s defining an era. By launching as well his new menswear line.
