New York Fashion Week is back — and Blacker than ever

Maiysha Kai

September 8, 2022 at 11:16 AM·16 min read

With a star-studded kickoff and more than 28 Black designers showing this New York Fashion Week, Black talent is the centerpiece of the season.

Fashion lovers, assemble! We are just one day away from the start of another New York Fashion Week (NYFW), which kicks off on Friday with wall-to-wall style through Sept. 14.

New York Fashion Week 2022 — It’s New York Fashion Week, the Spring-Summer 2023 edition. Janet Jackson, left, models on the HFR runway and Issa Rae at Harlem’s Fashion Row’s 15th Annual Fashion Show and Style Awards on Sept. 6, 2022 in New York City. (Photos: Getty Images)

Aside from showing what will be trending for Spring-Summer 2023, NYFW will feature the collections of more than 28 Black designers this season, a record-breaking number in the 60 years since the founding of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) — the organization that produces the NYFW calendar in partnership with global management company, IMG.

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In addition to the CFDA’s official calendar (PDF), an expanded NYFW schedule includes highly anticipated presentations by fashion cult-favorite, Telfar, and the Black in Fashion Discovery Showrooms, a daily showcase of independent Black designers on display from Saturday through Sept. 14.

While the official action starts on Friday, the week’s unofficial kickoff was Tuesday night with the star-studded Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) Fashion Show and Style Awards in New York City. Celebrating its 15th year, the fashion advocacy group and agency that Brandice Daniel founded showed off the respect it has rightly earned in the industry, not only in partnering with LVMH for this year’s celebration, but drawing in-person appearances from honorees Janet Jackson (HFR’s Icon of the Year) and Issa Rae (inaugural winner of the Virgil Abloh Award).

Dapper Dan, Sherri Shepherd, supermodel Veronica Webb, Bevy Smith, celebrity stylists Misa Hylton and Ty Hunter, designer April Walker (Walkerwear) and many others were in attendance. Also joining them were HFR’s other honorees for the evening, veteran fashion journalist Robin Givhan, stylist Ade Samuel and womenswear designer Sergio Hudson. The latter will present his next collection on Saturday. And to illustrate who’s up next in the succession of talents HFR has mentored to success, designers Nicole Benefield, Johnathon Hayden (Deux Ex Machina) and Clarence Ruth of Cotte D’Armes presented their collections during the event’s runway show.

Issa Rae and Shannon Abloh

Issa Rae accepts HFR’s Virgil Abloh Award from Shannon Abloh (right) at Harlem’s Fashion Row Fashion Show celebrating their 15th Anniversary in partnership with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton on September 6, 2022 in New York City.

Harlem’s Fashion Row CEO and founder Brandice Daniel

Brandice Daniel at Harlem’s Fashion Row Fashion Show celebrating their 15th Anniversary in partnership with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Photo: Getty Images

Brandice Daniel, Janet Jackson

Brandice Daniel, Janet Jackson at Harlem’s Fashion Row Fashion Show celebrating their 15th Anniversary in partnership with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Photo: Getty Images

Raheem Devaughn

Raheem Devaughn attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Dapper Dan

Dapper Dan attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Jerome Lamar

Jerome Lamar attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Ty Hunter

Ty Hunter attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Teri Agins

Fashion journalist Teri Agins attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Caroline Wanga

Essence Communications CEO Caroline Wanga attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Julee Wilson

Julee Wilson attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Laya

Laya attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Wouri Vice

Wouri Vice attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Ebony Obsidian

Ebony Obsidian attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Randy Cousin

Randy Cousin attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Robin Givhan

Robin Givhan attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Ade Samuel

Ade Samuel attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Jawn Murray

Jawn Murray attends the Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards After Party on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Liris Crosse

Model Liris Crosse attends the Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards After Party on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Cam'ron

Cam’ron performs during the Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards After Party on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Bevy Smith

Bevy Smith attends Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Misa Hylton and April Walker

Misa Hylton and April Walker attend Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Raheem DeVaughn, Joi Starr and Erica Campbell

Raheem DeVaughn, Joi Starr and Erica Campbell attend Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Cotte D'Armes

A model walks the runway for Cotte D’Armes during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Nicole Benefield Collection

A model walks the runway for Nicole Benefield during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Nicole Benefield Collection

Nicole Benefield

Designer Nicole Benefield walks the runway for Nicole Benefield during Harlem’s Fashion Row 15th Anniversary Fashion Show And Style Awards on September 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Deus Ex Machina