Text by Editor-in-Chief, Maya Davila. Photography by Executive Editor, Adriana Bolaños.

FOR this fall, FANTASY IS all the rage. PRESENTing: VENUS in TOKYO & Markette NYC’s “CARNIVAL” extravaganza.

Published October 13, 2025

New York Fashion Week—where a mecca of independent artists took center stage this past September.

Much discourse has arisen in the fashion community—‘big’ names have moved elsewhere (hello, Paris!), there’s a growing distaste for the oversaturation of influencer culture, a ‘clout-forward’ mindset taking the online creative community by storm…perhaps we are tired of being fed the same, repackaged narrative season after season.

For artists who continuously strive to uphold the New York tradition of exploring what strikes their curiosity, one may discover there is momentum this time of year brings. Those who expressed their highest embodiment of self-expression were the highlight this season.

During fashion week, 2LATE captured Venus in Tokyo’s collaborative one-day event, co-hosted with Markette NYC. Venus in Tokyo, founded by Jess Parsons and Jordan Figueroa, is a Brooklyn-based curatorial boutique with a neo-etheral theme across jewelry, art, and fashion. Markette, founded by Katrina Taeza, curates pop-up events across NYC, highlighting POC, queer, and femme artists. Truly, the perfect marriage of fun, interactive community-building through the lens of fashion!

Fantasy transforms. It transcends, creates pockets of imagination, and feeds one's desire to become part of a world that invokes the momentary escape from our reality.

Fantasy truly was the word on everyone’s lips.

Katie wears: @mydearestworld jewelry, @synph17 top, @_faeble_ and @nausicaa_nyc skirts, and @doublestandard.nyc shoes.

ChiChi wears: @dollydearboutique jewelry and a curation of Venus in Tokyo boutique items

The day began with a performance by ChiChi (above right), a Lower Manhattan native whose influence comes from her bi-cultural Japanese and Irish heritage. Her aura screams a true, rising pop princess and is a testament to who the Carnival girl is—fierce, unapologetic, and bold.

Carnival continued to bless our senses with a transcendental styling spectacle. Models were adorned head-to-toe with boutique-curated items styled by the owners themselves, with hair done by @mari4l3jandra, makeup by @mulletxbarbie and @imdaddydoll, and nails provided by Tokyo-based artist @risakoarai_. Models could be spotted throughout the venue, dancing with one another, interacting with guests, and creating cotton candy, as they lured us down the rabbit hole of Carnival’s wonderland.

Carnival was a labor of love. A love for untraditional artists, a love for the freedom of self-expression, and a love for the creativity that this beautiful city has to offer.

New York offers a revolving door of inspiration; it pushes us to create, to show up for our friends, and to never stop dreaming. Carnival brought energy, playfulness, and magic, which reminded us of our truest intentions for fashion week: to support our community!