As fashion week kicked off Thursday in New York City, one question seemed to be on every showgoer's mind: What's really the point? With everything readily accessible via social media and fast-fashion retailers drastically speeding up the production cycle for the industry, fashion week — erm, month — is going through an identity crisis. And in New York, where more designers have fallen off the official calendar than ever — moving their shows to other cities, opting for new and different formats, or just sitting it out all together — the focus is increasingly on what's happening outside the venues. Because while many contemplate whether or not fashion week is "dead," street style is very, very much alive.
Despite the cold and wind chill, New York Fashion Week is still causing a spectacle on the streets. Here, attendees aim to please — and their looks deserve just as much attention as (if not more than) the ones on the catwalk. So as the industry whispers about the lacklustre feeling fashion week seems to carry these days, we're looking to the streets to be reminded of why we fell in love with it all in the first place.
Vanessa Hong teams a Lærke Andersen jacket with a Boyy bag.
TK Wonder wears a Dion Lee orange, burgundy and green coat while twin sister Cipriana Quann complements her look in a vivid green jacket.
Refinery29's fashion editor-at-large Annie Greenberg pairs a patent coat with silver accessories.
Dress up denim and a black polo with a statement shearling jacket and bold boots.
Véronique Tristram, fashion director at Glamour Germany, nails a classic check coat.
Kerry Pieri is proof that all-black doesn't have to mean boring.
Those white boots, though!
Patent coats are still a mainstay on the streets of NYC.
Tamu McPherson wears a leopard print coat over a Tory Burch herringbone coat with Krizia white flares, a beret and Cult Gaia cage bag.
A masterclass in tonal dressing.
The red-to-toe trend is still going strong.
... And so are the skinny sunglasses.
White coats will see you through the last leg of cold this season.
Further proof it's the shade of your cover ups.
Halima Aden rocks winter florals with a patent skirt.
Nothing completes an outfit like some statement specs.
Pregnant Veronika Heilbrunner nails comfort and style in a Miu Miu jacket and jeans.
Can't go wrong with a structured, plaid coat.
It wouldn't be street style without a healthy dose of millennial pink.
Lainy Hedaya amps up her blazer with a structured Loewe belt.
We're seeing a colour scheme here.
Twins do it better. Another pair of strong looks from TK Wonder and Cipriana Quann.
White boots are the new black.
Spotting Saks Pots on the sidewalks of New York.
Refinery29 global editor-in-chief Christene Barberich wears a Miu Miu coat and carries a Longchamp bag.
Well-suited, complete with a graphic scarf and walkable kicks, a la Rachael Wang.
Elegant as can be.
A classic black and white look wins every time - see Maye Musk for inspiration.
The dad cap hasn't gone away.
Berets are the go-to for keeping your head warm while storming the shows.
The dad trainer prevails.
Rain-proof bags - this Staud number is top of our list.
Caroline Daur gives us a good lesson in pulling off a cropped jacket (vinyl, of course.)
Multitasking in style.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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