Photos by MK Scott, Text by Reshma Allu, ONW Style Editor
Across two nights at the historic Angel Orensanz Foundation, Art Hearts Fashion curated a showcase of remarkable range and ambition, assembling twelve designers whose collective vision spanned Indian couture heritage, East Asian textile mastery, avant-garde conceptualism, rock-and-roll irreverence, and red-carpet opulence—a genuinely global cross-section of fashion’s many languages spoken under one roof.
The first night (Feb 12th) established an undeniable tone of grandeur, with Heritage India Fashions, Franklin Rowe, Giannina Azar, and Glaudi Bridal delivering collections of exceptional craftsmanship and theatrical scale, while Jingbo Yang and David Tupaz brought structural narrative and pure chromatic energy that kept the runway electric from start to finish.
Night two (Feb 13) matched that ambition with an entirely different register—Will Franco’s eveningwear mastery, Mister Triple X’s streetwear sophistication, and Kentaro Kameyama’s conceptual fearlessness were balanced by the visceral energy of Soid Studios, Bad Pink, and Haus of Harleen, each brand staking out its own distinct cultural territory with conviction.
What united all twelve presentations was an authenticity of vision—these were designers who know exactly who they are and who they dress—and it is precisely that quality which continues to make Art Hearts Fashion one of NYFW’s most compelling and culturally vital platforms.
Night 1: February 12
Group 1: Jingbo Yang
Jingbo Yang delivered one of the season’s most visually commanding collections, built around a striking three-act color narrative that moved from dramatic black-and-silver, through rich antique gold, and into a luminous teal—each chapter distinct yet bound together by a masterful command of textile and print. The black-and-silver opening looks established an unmistakably East Asian sensibility rendered with genuine couture confidence, while the gold brocade chapter demonstrated a designer equally at ease with maximalist glamour and sharply tailored suiting. The teal third act proved the collection’s most ambitious and rewarding, showcasing an impressive range of silhouettes—from oversized kimono-draped wraps to sleek brocade jumpsuits—before closing with joyful bursts of fuchsia- and purple-feather-trimmed gowns that left the audience wanting more.
Group 2: David Tupaz Couture
David Tupaz came out swinging with a high-voltage collection that turned the runway into a neon-lit playground, opening with fur-trimmed metallic purple ski suits and electric teal puffer vests before cascading through an unapologetically bold palette of fuchsia, acid green, canary yellow, and emerald—a chromatic riot that felt equal parts après-ski fantasy and urban streetwear. The mid-collection shift into colour-blocked separates, cropped quilted jackets, and form-fitting knit skirts showed a designer with a sharp commercial instinct, grounding the spectacle in genuinely wearable pieces before pivoting into a glamorous finale of gold and silver metallics—liquid mini dresses, mirror-bright puffer jackets, and head-to-toe metallic suiting for both men and women—that closed the show on a dazzling high. Fearless, fun, and thoroughly committed to its own maximalist vision, the collection announced Tupaz as a designer with infectious energy and a clear audience—one that dresses to be seen.
Group 3: Giannina Azar
Giannina Azar delivered arguably the most ambitious and opulent collection of the entire showcase—a sweeping couture presentation that moved through an extraordinary palette of silver crystal, champagne, blush, lavender, powder blue, crimson, burgundy, and molten gold, with each look more intricately embellished than the last. Standout moments included dramatic gold sculptural collar pieces, voluminous magenta tulle ballgowns, a breathtaking pale blue cape gown billowing with movement, opulent fur-trimmed separates, and a painterly Baroque-printed strapless ballgown adorned with cherubs and gold hardware—all executed at a level of craftsmanship that would hold its own on any couture runway in the world. Inclusive in its casting and utterly uncompromising in its pursuit of glamour, this was a collection that reminded audiences why fashion, at its most extravagant, can feel genuinely transcendent.
Group 4: Heritage India Fashions
Heritage India Fashions presented a collection that made a compelling case for Indian craftsmanship on the world stage, dressing a beautifully diverse cast in looks that spanned the full spectrum of modern luxury. From a lavender lehenga choli dripping in geometric mirror-work embroidery to a showstopping black-and-gold strapless gown trimmed with dramatic ostrich feathers, the collection demonstrated a house equally at home in tradition and transformation. Standout moments included a blush, draped one-shoulder gown with a striking shattered-mirror waist belt—effortlessly modern—and a deep crimson sequin gown with sheer mesh cutouts that spoke directly to the international red carpet. The consistent use of maang tikkas and hand jewelry across every look gave the presentation a cohesive cultural signature, ensuring that even the most Western-leaning silhouettes remained rooted in Indian identity—a celebration of heritage not as nostalgia, but as a living, evolving luxury language.
Group 5: Franklin Rowe Runway
Franklin Rowe opened with a statement of pure theatrical ambition—towering gold brocade wide-leg ensembles with dramatic trains set an immediate tone of grandeur, before transitioning into a crisp black-and-white chapter of sharp tailoring and sleek silhouettes that demonstrated confident command across both menswear and womenswear. The womenswear then unfolded across a rich emotional arc—draped olive and chocolate goddess gowns, a standout red chiffon strapless, a silver beaded column, and an array of fluid black evening looks punctuated by precise cutouts and gold hardware details—all showcasing a designer with a genuine gift for sensuous, body-conscious glamour. A breathtaking yellow feather-trimmed mermaid gown provided one of the collection’s most memorable moments, while the closing military-influenced menswear separates grounded the finale in a more understated, contemporary cool.
Group 6: Glaudi Bridal Collection
Glaudi presented a bridal collection of genuine breadth and romance, moving confidently between the classic and the contemporary—from a breathtaking ivory satin, cathedral-trained ballgown with an intricate lace-appliqué veil that served as the collection’s most regal moment, to playful off-the-shoulder structured mini dresses and a feather-trimmed hi-lo gown that offered modern brides a more spirited alternative. The silhouette range was impressive, spanning sculptural ballgowns, sleek fitted columns, feather-adorned corset bodices, and dramatic cathedral trains, all united by an unwavering commitment to white—pure, luminous, and confidently bridal. Throughout, the craftsmanship remained consistently impressive, executed with the precision and care of a house that understands the emotional significance of a wedding gown and delivers on that promise beautifully.
Night 2: February 13
Group 7: Will Franco Designs
Will Franco delivered a masterclass in eveningwear glamour, presenting a richly coloured collection of floor-sweeping gowns that moved through a bold and confident palette—dusty rose ruffled skirts paired with embellished crop tops, electric fuchsia halterneck columns, vibrant yellow draped satin, rich red bi-colour wrap gowns, and a stunning floral-print A-line—each look a celebration of femininity and colour without apology. The collection’s technical range was equally impressive, spanning delicate crystal-encrusted nude illusion gowns, a show-stopping all-over silver sequin column paired with dramatic voluminous sleeves, a one-shouldered red crystal-fringed mini with a feather hem, and a one-armed red sequin gown with a thigh-high slit—demonstrating a designer equally at home in red-carpet spectacle and cocktail-hour elegance. Consistently polished and unapologetically luxurious, Will Franco proved himself a designer with a sharp instinct for what women want to wear when they want to be truly seen.
Group 8: Kentaro Kameyama
Kentaro Kameyama delivered one of the season’s most conceptually daring presentations, opening with an arresting sheer white sculptural hood that immediately signaled a collection uninterested in conventional beauty—this was fashion as provocation, exploring themes of concealment, transparency, and the body’s relationship with material. The collection moved through a stark monochromatic vocabulary of black, white, and grey, deploying transparent PVC, sheer mesh, bold black-and-white stripes, and oversized draped silhouettes with an avant-garde confidence that recalled the downtown New York art world as much as the runway. Face-veiling, wide-brimmed black hats, and deliberately unfinished-looking layering added to the collection’s unsettling, otherworldly atmosphere. Closing with a series of voluminous sheer white floor-length robes topped with sculptural origami-like hoods—a mirror of the opening look—Kameyama demonstrated a designer with a fully realized, uncompromising creative vision that rewards those willing to meet it on its own terms.
Group 9: Soid Studios
Soid Studios staked out the darkest corner of the season with an uncompromisingly noir collection built entirely in black—a brooding, leather-drenched world of studded corsets, fringe-trimmed mini skirts, oversized moto jackets, and sleek harness detailing that drew equally from punk subculture, gothic fantasy, and high-fashion edge. The collection’s strength lay in its range within a single palette—moving from embellished metallic bralettes and micro-shorts to severe long leather trenches and sculptural black fur-trimmed coats, while confident gender-fluid casting kept the energy raw and inclusive throughout. Dark sunglasses, heavy boots, and dark lip styling completed a presentation fully committed to its menacing aesthetic—Soid Studios arrived at NYFW not to make friends, but to make a statement, and on that count it delivered emphatically.
Group 10: Bad Pink
Bad Pink delivered a ferociously energetic collection that channeled the spirit of rock and roll through a razor-sharp fashion lens, opening with paint-splattered oversized jackets, cropped fur, and distressed denim micro-shorts before exploding into a riot of animal prints—tiger stripes, leopard spots, and burnt orange velvet—that gave the collection its wild, untamed heart. The denim chapter was particularly inventive, featuring heavily worked patchwork strapless dresses, deconstructed off-the-shoulder silhouettes, and shredded treatments that elevated the fabric well beyond its everyday origins. A closing sequence of black leather separates, lace mini skirts, tartan co-ords, and a standout crystal-encrusted sheer bodysuit demonstrated a brand equally fluent in glamour and grit. With a diverse, tattooed, and unapologetically attitude-heavy cast that felt authentically aligned with the clothes, Bad Pink proved itself one of the season’s most exciting voices—a brand that knows exactly who it is and wears it without apology.
Group 11: Haus of Harleen
Haus of Harleen presented one of the season’s most exuberantly irreverent collections, mixing sheer white goddess drapery with bold red-and-black tartan, floral lace, powder pink ruffles, gold lamé, and graphic black-and-white stripes in a joyfully maximalist patchwork of references that felt simultaneously punk, romantic, and playfully chaotic. The collection’s deconstructed sensibility—mismatched fabrics, raw hems, layered textures, and deliberately clashing prints worn together with abandon—gave it the energy of a designer who revels in breaking rules. Standout moments included a gold cropped jacket paired with billowing pink skirts, plaid mini dresses with white corset underlays, and oversized striped separates that balanced volume with attitude. The theatrical finale, with the designer taking a bow amid a deliberately staged runway tableau, underscored what the collection made clear from the very first look—Haus of Harleen is fashion as performance, a brand that celebrates creative chaos with infectious confidence.
Group 12: Mister Triple X
Mister Triple X presented a sharply conceived gender-fluid collection built around a signature all-over print vocabulary—intricate eye motifs, celestial patterns, and dragon embroidery woven across fitted long-sleeve tops, open cropped jackets, quilted puffer coats, and structured mini dresses—giving the collection a strong and immediately recognizable visual identity. The range moved fluidly between menswear and womenswear with equal confidence, pairing utility cargo pants and relaxed wide-leg trousers with graphic printed tops, while a bold geometric wolf-motif bomber jacket, a sleek printed leather coat, and a standout black oversized tee with ornate dragon embellishment added moments of real design distinction. Accessorized throughout with leather gloves and studded belts, and grounded in a dark, moody palette of charcoal, slate, and black, Mister Triple X delivered a collection that felt coherent, wearable, and thoroughly contemporary—streetwear elevated to a genuine design statement.
Overall Review
From the opening look to the final bow, this edition of Art Hearts Fashion at NYFW Fall/Winter 2026 affirmed what the platform does best—giving designers with bold, distinct voices the stage they deserve. Across two landmark nights, the showcase demonstrated that compelling fashion thrives in diversity of vision, and that the most memorable runway moments are born not from conformity, but from the courage to be unapologetically oneself. With each season, the bar is raised, and this edition left no doubt that it has been cleared with distinction.
