While legacy names still hold court, a new wave of designers is capturing Gen Z&rsquo;s attention with authenticity and innovation.&nbsp;

Every <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/new-york-fashion-week-parties-spring-summer-2026">New York Fashion Week</a>, the schedule is anchored by the iconic houses&mdash;Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs&mdash;the brands that built their names on luxury and legacy. While Gen Z still respects these labels, they don&rsquo;t always spark the same excitement. True to form, this generation gravitates toward what feels new and cool, something that makes us feel different than everyone else; brands that break away from tradition and bring something fresh to the runway.
In an industry often accused of oversaturation, a handful of designers have managed to capture Gen Z&rsquo;s attention (at least for now&mdash;our attention spans are notoriously short nowadays). Whether it&rsquo;s an admirable commitment to authenticity, a transparent approach to sustainability, or simply the thrill of newness and some true edge, these are the names dominating the conversation among Gen Z this season.

Sandy Liang Fall/Winter 2025. Photography Filippo Fior.

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/sandy-liang-fall-winter-2025-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sandy Liang</a> is the campy favorite amongst Gen Z. It&rsquo;s colorful, it&rsquo;s fun, and most importantly, it feels fresh and authentic. Liang launched her namesake label in 2014, rooted in nostalgia, girlhood, and the cultural backdrop of her grandmother&rsquo;s Chinatown. That mix of personal history with tongue-in-cheek whimsy has become her signature, and a big reason she&rsquo;s cemented herself as one of the coolest designers in the downtown scene.
From micro-minis and bows to ballet flats and ribbon-trimmed cardigans, Sandy Liang has practically created the visual language of Gen Z&rsquo;s &ldquo;coquette&rdquo; era. Her pieces tap into the aesthetics that dominate TikTok and Instagram, while still managing to feel original rather than manufactured for the algorithm. Add in the fact that internet It girls and celebrities alike are constantly spotted in her designs, and it&rsquo;s easy to see why her brand is on everyone&rsquo;s lips from ages 18 to 24.
Sandy Liang is presenting her Spring/Summer 2026 collection on September 14.&nbsp;

Getty Images.

Although Tory Burch is often grouped with the NYFW mainstays&mdash;think Kors or Klein&mdash;the brand has managed to carve out a distinct space with Gen Z. What once read as classic and prep has been reintroduced with a fresher, cooler lens. Case in point: the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/tory-burch-claire-mccardell-ballet-flats-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Claire ballet flats</a>. Once considered a millennial status shoe, they&rsquo;ve now been fully adopted by Gen Z, who are styling them with everything from oversized jeans to slip dresses, making them a viral obsession all over again.
Beyond the products themselves, Burch has tapped into Gen Z&rsquo;s love for cultural cachet. The brand has built its front row into a who&rsquo;s-who of internet It girls, creators, and rising stars; the exact faces that younger audiences want to see wearing the clothes. That mix of legacy with relevance has helped Tory Burch feel less like a heritage brand stuck in tradition and more like a label that knows how to evolve with the moment.
Tory Burch is presenting its Spring/Summer 2026 collection on September 15.&nbsp;

Grace Ling Spring/Summer 2025. Courtesy of Grace Ling.

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/grace-ling-nyc-store-opening-alex-consani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grace Ling</a> is one of the emerging names on the NYFW calendar that has Gen Z excited. The Singaporean-born, New York&ndash;based designer launched her label in 2020 and has already built a reputation for turning clothing into wearable art. What sets her apart is her innovative blend of cutting-edge 3D technology with traditional craftsmanship, resulting in zero-waste, 3D-printed metal pieces, sculptural silhouettes, and her now-signature chrome finish.
Her work is often described as &ldquo;essentialist&rdquo; rather than minimalist, which feels key to her appeal. Instead of stripping fashion down to basics, Ling creates a new kind of timeless uniform&mdash;pieces that are futuristic yet grounded, dramatic yet wearable. It&rsquo;s fashion that feels like it belongs in a gallery as much as it does on the street. For a generation that prizes both innovation and authenticity, Ling&rsquo;s designs feel like the future
Grace Ling is presenting her Spring/Summer 2026 collection on September 11.&nbsp;

Collina Strada Spring/Summer 2025. Getty Images.

Collina Strada is the ultimate cool-girl favorite among NYFW shows to get excited about. Founded by Hillary Taymour, the New York&ndash;based label has grown far beyond being just a fashion brand&mdash;it&rsquo;s a platform for social and climate awareness. With a mission built on radical transparency, sustainability, and unapologetic self-expression, Collina Strada speaks directly to Gen Z&rsquo;s values while never sacrificing creativity.
The collections are instantly recognizable for their playful, vibrant aesthetic: clashing prints, painterly florals, and silhouettes that are as easy to wear as they are attention-grabbing. Everything is made with a conscience, from eco-conscious textiles and deadstock fabrics to circular production methods, all handmade locally in New York City. It&rsquo;s fashion with a purpose, but also with an infectious sense of humor&mdash;runways often feel more like performance art, complete with whimsical styling and unexpected moments that go viral the second they hit TikTok.
<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/collina-strada-fall-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Collina Strada</a> is presenting its Spring/Summer 2026 collection on September 11.&nbsp;

Luar Fall/Winter 2025. Getty Images.

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/daniel-julez-j-smith-jr-solange-son-fashion-week-luar-new-york-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Luar</a> is the grunge brand of our Gen Z dreams. Founded in 2011 by Brooklyn-born designer Raul Lopez, the label bridges luxury with accessibility, channeling the energy of New York&rsquo;s streetwear culture while weaving in Lopez&rsquo;s Dominican heritage. The result is a brand that feels authentic to its core&mdash;one that&rsquo;s stylish, yes, but also deeply rooted in community, representation, and storytelling.
For Gen Z, Luar checks all the boxes. It&rsquo;s unapologetically bold, rebellious, and willing to challenge fashion&rsquo;s old guard, while still delivering pieces that feel wearable and covetable. The brand has also become known for its statement-making accessories, especially the Ana bag, which has reached cult status thanks to its structured, futuristic silhouette and celebrity fans ranging from Dua Lipa to Kylie Jenner.
Luar is presenting its Spring/Summer 2026 collection on September 15.&nbsp;

All the NYFW Spring/Summer 2026 Shows Gen Z Is Most Excited For

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