Five Ones to Watch at NYFW for Spring 2027

Before the spring 2027 season of New York Fashion Week officially began Thursday, WWD takes a closer look at five first-timers on the CFDA calendar.

Grey’s

The color gray evokes a sense of timelessness, luxury, serenity and chic — all things you’d associate with Emily Grey’s brand.

The Central Saint Martins alum founded the label in 2024, reimagining outerwear with 12 jackets and coats — all knitted. She’s since relocated from London to New York and expanded the collection to include tactile materials like leather and moleskin. Still, the designer hasn’t lost sight of the aesthetic of Grey’s, which she described as a juxtaposition of ease, informed by her California roots, and structure, informed by her obsession with menswear tailoring and mid-century couture.

Grey’s currently sells direct-to-consumer online as well as in a handful of specialty shops across Japan and North America. “From the start, I wanted to focus on stores that have a loyal and trusted clientele, where I feel the collection can be seen up close,” Grey explained.

Her desire for intimacy will extend to her first NYFW presentation Friday. “We’ll be having a preview in a more built-out environment,” she said. “I’m looking forward to people having the opportunity to touch and feel the clothes in a more personal way.”

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Patrick Taylor

Born in London, Patrick Taylor experienced a peripatetic childhood, moving with his parents and three siblings to Dubai and Singapore, cities as culturally far apart as they are geographically. But wherever Taylor went, his family’s athletic pursuits remained constant, instilling in him a passion for sailing and ski racing.

Ultimately it sparked his interest in how performance wear can boost one’s competitive edge, leading Taylor to relocate again to New York, where he graduated from Parsons and trained under Thom Browne before starting his own label last year.

Known primarily for tongue-in-cheek knitwear, Taylor’s signature motif is the “Skiing Guardsman,” Royal Foot Guards dressed for hitting the slopes, which decorate cashmere sweaters, tassel hats and even couch cushions.

Taylor, who was recognized by Pitti Immagine with the Tutoring and Consulting Prize for his haute-sportif menswear, will debut womenswear during NYFW for “the girl who brings the same optimistic energy, passion and sense of adventure to the way she lives as the way she dresses,” he said.

Dubbed “High Water,” Taylor’s spring collection was inspired by his memories of summertime sailing off the English coast. Hence, more guards, this time of the rash variety, will be shown alongside windbreakers, knitted “denim” and bias-cut dresses, all in his favorite Crayola colors.

Taylor will get an early start to fashion week with a presentation on the first official day. And giving him even more of a leg-up, his immersive installation will be sponsored by Nike.

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Juju Vera

If the name Juju Vera sounds familiar, it’s likely because Ryan Kleman, vice president of nonapparel at Moda Operandi, has been singing its praises in WWD over the last few seasons for the brand’s accessories.

Founder Julia Ferentinos draws on her Greco-Roman heritage to create fashion jewelry as well as belts and evening bags that feel at once heirloom-worthy and completely of-the-moment — and not just because “The Odyssey,” released this summer, made her a go-to for those copying the film’s neoclassical goddess look.

Previously a VIC developer at Khaite, Ferentinos dealt in antiques on the side, sourcing all sorts of rare objects for private clients. “I’m also a painter and sculptor and started the brand a little over two years ago as a small creative project and it grew very organically into the world it is today,” she said.

The world of Juju will continue to grow this season with the introduction of fine jewelry. Featuring a necklace, bracelet, and ear cuff crafted from 18-karat yellow gold with diamonds, the capsule highlights a lattice-work motif, “pairing the romance of another era with modern engineering that allows the pieces to transform and be worn in unexpected ways,” Ferentinos said.

For her presentation Saturday, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund nominee will open the doors to Juju’s new showroom in the heart of SoHo. As a harbinger of good luck (or, better yet, good juju), Ferentinos modeled the interiors after Hellenistic floor mosaics known as “Asàrotos Òikos,” depicting the dirty remnants of a banquet to symbolize abundance.

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High Sport

High Sport, founded by Alissa Zachary in 2021, has become an IYKYK favorite among fashion editors who collect its Kick pants, essentially flared ponte leggings cropped to ankle-length, in just about every color of the rainbow.

Recently celebrities have too caught wind of the brand, as it has been spotted on the likes of Julianne Moore, Tina Fey and Greta Lee at the U.K. premiere of “Toy Story 5” last May. Lee’s body-con red halter dress with a celestial motif came from High Sport’s fall collection, waking many up to the fact that Zachary can do more than just elevated loungewear.

“While our iconic pants remain a pillar of the brand, we continue to expand across categories with the same focus on fit, fabrication and ease,” she said.

For spring, Zachary will propose new materials including lightweight jacquards, printed nylon and 3D floral quilting, sure to pop against her streamlined, Mod-leaning silhouettes.

In place of showroom appointments, High Sport’s look book will launch digitally on Sept. 15, the last day of fashion week. And, who knows, Zachary may just launch another cult item in the process.

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Jamie Haller

With more than two decades of experience helming West Coast brands like NSF, Wet Seal and Guess, Jamie Haller is by no means new to fashion. But she was new to footwear when she introduced her first shoe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quick to the low-profile trend that’s now taking over, Haller’s interpretation of a bedroom slipper-meets-office loafer was a hit just as work-from-home was blurring the line between the two. Capitalizing on that initial success, Haller expanded into ready-to-wear in 2024, more recently adding handbags, jewelry and men’s penny loafers, to round-out her lifestyle concept.

It comprises a wardrobe of smart essentials, which Haller will push further this season with more “architectural shapes and off-kilter lines,” she said. “I’ve been experimenting with rich colors inspired by my travels through the California, Arizona and Utah deserts, like maroons, mustards, funky greens, even lavender.”

One piece Haller is particularly excited about is “The Frock Shirt,” a draped party top cut from menswear fabric worn over satin cargos. As with everything else in the collection, Haller fitted these on herself because, “ultimately, my customer is me,” she said.

Haller is leaving behind her home and boutique in Montecito, Calif., to take part in NYFW as a nominee for this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. “I’ve never had this experience before and I’m so curious how to see how it all plays out.”