Text by Editorial Director, Josefina Lopez de Romaña. Photography by Tessa Young.

7 INDEPENDENT DESIGNERS TOOK THE RUNWAY BY STORM THIS NYFW. PRESENTING: HEAVENSGATE NYC’S ‘THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.’

Published October 26th, 2025

From blinding headlights to a full-on EDM DJ set, Heavensgate NYC made its NYFW debut with The Elephant in the Room, a group runway and after-party that showcased seven insanely talented up-and-coming designers.

Set at Brooklyn’s Bogart House, producers Ella Xu and Ni Ouyang perfectly curated the atmosphere. From the moment the elevator doors opened, Tessa and I stepped into flashing headlights, camera bursts, and the pulse of EDM shaking the walls. It instantly set the tone for what ended up being one of my favorite nights of fashion week.

Each designer presented their own world to the runway, but together it felt cohesive, loud, experimental, and unapologetically fresh. While NYFW may not hold the same power it had in the 90s when big fashion houses ruled, its evolution has made space for a new wave of talent. Now, the spotlight belongs to smaller and independent designers who are close enough to their craft to be unfiltered and fearless in their creativity.

I can’t stop thinking about Alexandra Dayton’s debut of her ENTOMODE collection. She served us with six looks that fused 19th-century fashion with insect-inspired motifs, exploring humanity’s impact on biodiversity through whimsical yet precise design. The result was a series of pieces that felt alive, where delicate silhouettes met sharp craftsmanship in a story of transformation and renewal.

And of course, we have to shout out one of our Issue 001 stylists, Ashi Simona, who pulled Dayton’s recycled leather fencing tops with silver snaps and a coin purse pocket, for the article (UN)HOLY DEVOTION. So fierce!

Phoebe wears: @alydayton fencing top, @vellum.ltx undershirt, @jadeellisart crown, @maya.davila chainmail, and @markgong_official shoes.

I absolutely adored Ava Wilson’s designs. Her collection unpacked the expectations placed on Black women in white dominated spaces, merging historical references with a modern twist to create something that felt simultaneously soft and powerful in its celebration of Black femininity. Kimily Jiang’s designs also stood out, with architectural shapes and loud colors. And DUOMO, I loved the sculptural leather pieces that had just the right amount of red throughout.

The Elephant in the Room wasn’t just another NYFW event…it captured the essence of what the new era of New York Fashion Week will bring to the table: collections that are raw, unpredictable, and completely alive. Something that is encouraging to see after years of what feels like we’ve been digesting the same pieces over and over.