Clockwise from top: Shelcy Joseph as featured in The Molehill; the work of artist Camilla Carper, as featured by Articles of Interest; a photo from the Proenza Schouler Spring/Summer 2025 line, shared by Lindsay Sword; a NYFW look shared by Jalil Johnson

Fashion Month—which kicks off with New York Fashion Week before moving on to London, Milan, and, as of this week, Paris—is a flurry of shows, events, dinners, and parties (assuming you’re lucky enough to attend). Unfortunately, it’s rarely as riveting for those following from afar. These days, “reviews are mainly fluff pieces,” as designer and stylist Jolain Muller reports in What Looks Good . Traditional media coverage tends to focus more on the celebrities in the audience than on the clothes being shown. 

For fashion fans on Substack, however, there’s substance beneath the surface. Here, independent writers and creators revel in moments of transcendent beauty at one show, while others sound the industry’s death knell and consider where it all went wrong. A fashion journalist revisits history while unpacking the role WWII played in the creation of NYFW, as another looks to the future with a list of emerging designers. You can delve into now-classic looks from years past or see photos direct from today’s front row. It all converges in the Fashion Month tab, where standard-bearers like Leandra Medine Cohen, laura reilly, Jess Graves, Jenny Walton, Amy Odell, and Saveria Mendella share style notes alongside up-and-coming voices.

As Fashion Month winds down, here’s a look back at some of the most incisive and entertaining fashion coverage on Substack.

“When people ask me about what I saw at New York Fashion Week and if any of it was good, I usually reply that for someone in my position, it’s not really about the clothes; it’s a social occasion where there happens to be clothes.” — Emilia Petrarca, in Five NYFW Looks I’d Actually Wear

“When it comes to the shows I attend, I always try to wear something from the designer as a sign of respect. Since I was headed to the Area show, I knew I’d be wearing their structured blazer with shoulder pads sharp [enough to] pop [an] eye out.” —Jalil Johnson, in Heavy the head that wears the honking big hat

“[T]here is a magic about this weirdly specific and superficial grind that makes up a fashion week/fashion month, and I’d say there is an energy to it that is unmatched in any other industry. I can say what I want about it, but I certainly still partake, albeit in moderation these days.” —Khuyen Do, quoted in Nepo Babies and Condé Baddies

“[T]he more I write about fashion, the more I realize readers are incredibly diverse—and not everyone who ‘loves fashion’ necessarily wants to be plugged into fashion week.” —Viv Chen, in a note

“Today’s circus-like atmosphere surrounding the shows detracts from the professionalism of the industry.” —Jolain Muller, in Is New York Fashion Week Still Relevant?

“I was able to gossip with subscribers about the Row jelly sandal dupes (be careful, the soles are slippery) and hear from them what the Agnès B. store in Nice is like (it is, in fact, nice). I also confirmed that men read this newsletter too! (I knew it.)” —Emilia Petrarca, in What You Missed at “Shop Rat: Live!”

“Unfortunately, the financial crisis of 2008, the rise of social media, the pandemic, and the evolution of the retail industry all contributed to a present in which it feels like fashion has fallen out of fashion in New York.” —Lindsay Sword Writes, in Is New York Fashion Week running out of runway? 

“For their work, Cam mined their past and turned their memories into ‘new’ garments, further messing around with the continuum of fashion space/time.” —Articles Of Interest, in Fashion Week Time Travel 

“Women’s sports are growing exponentially, and fashion is quickly adapting by casting these women as ambassadors, runway models, and style icons.” —David Skilling, in Female Athletes Take Over New York Fashion Week

“[T]hey represent sexuality in a nascent form, just coming to terms with itself for the first time. This is precisely the type of sexuality our culture values most, and yet often sees as the biggest threat. It is our most precious yet volatile commodity. The OnlyFans sponsorship only makes that more apparent.” —Magdalene J. Taylor, in The State of Sexuality in Fashion Week

“For spring 2025, the collection is an exploration of the idea of lifting up the curtain, the moments between progress and perfection that lead up to the performance. The carnations replace the roses from last spring—a deliberate choice, as it’s the bloom of choice for men at formal events. They were tucked into tulle dresses, clutched in the arms as bouquets, and embroidered onto suiting. I especially loved the creative use of carnation petals as a mask on models’ faces.” —Diana Tsui, in London Fashion Week Is All About Simone

“A show might cost anything from €500k to €15 million… How do brands finance all of this? You, the customer, are paying for it.” —Alec Leach, in You’re paying for the runway show

“The chair serves as an extension of its office-culture-oriented aesthetic. But Rokh and other brands have undergone a strategic shift in positioning since March 2020. During Covid-19, advertising campaigns overrepresented the reclining pose, beds, and sofas. Inspired by the (not so) new myth of an urban exodus, the images evoked the great departure towards a life of telework and homemade bread in a recently renovated countryside.” —Saveria Mendella, translated from La mode nous met-elle dans une position inconfortable?

“On a personal note, the magic of fashion week never gets old for me… Artifice and all, there’s nothing quite like a beautiful runway show.” —Articles Of Interest, in Fashion Week Time Travel

This is just a sample of the vibrant stories, analyses, and discussions on Substack this month; you’ll find many more in the Fashion tab. Did we miss your favorite post? Share it in the comments!