Year after year, New York Fashion Week showcases the breadth of American fashion. One category that continues to grow at retail is the contemporary market, with a range of brands aiming to wardrobe customers for work, weekend and beyond, in pieces mostly priced less than $1000. After several years of taking a backseat to headlining designer names with bigger budgets, contemporary designers are receiving renewed attention from both fashion retailers and consumers looking to spend less amidst the economic slowdown.
Here, WWD rounds up the new collections for spring 2025 from some of the key brands.
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Vince Goes to the Garden and Beach for Spring 2025
Image Credit: Courtesy of Vince Vince chief creative officer Caroline Belhumeur looked to the utility of gardening with a dash of ’60s Italian beach chic as her jumping off point for spring 2025.
The look: Minimal modern wardrobing with utility and sporty elements and special design touches. Blehumeur’s muse is a “cool woman.”
Quote of note: “Looking at some of our looks here, we love continuing with suede, with little rivets and a stitch through pocket — a nod to utility,” she said, highlighting her simple yet effective design updates.
Standout pieces: Italian prewashed denim, sweater sets, supple leathers, plaid separates, satin slipdresses, oversized yet sharp outerwear, and new scarves and belts to round out the assortments.
Takeaway: Belhumer’s Vince stands out without shouting with an easy modern polish.
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Maisie Wilen’s Spring 2025 Collection Steps Away From the Computer
Image Credit: Courtesy of Maisie Wilen After ten seasons designing exclusively digitally, designer Maisie Wilen stepped away to work with her hands.
The look: Texture (a big spring trend) achieved through unique materials. She created a collection with a vintage feel but modern edge full o fher signature perforated knits and more.
Quote of note: “I think I literally just got fatigued of sitting in front of a computer. So, I really turned my process on its head. I started by sourcing materials, going to deadstock suppliers around L.A. and just finding things. I just figured out what it would be from there.”
Standout pieces: Perforated knits now in new asymmetrical shapes, cycling jerseys (designed in collaboration with Human Powered Health’s Tour de France Femmes cycling team), a skirt with colorful glass beads.
Takeaway: Wilen has had her finger on the pulse of Gen Z dressing through technology, but adding new fabrications and updating her process shows she is maturing while maintaining her cool girl edge.
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10 Crosby Derek Lam Spring 2025 Strikes a Painterly Balance
Image Credit: Courtesy of Derek Lam 10 Crosby A collaboration with painter Jill Moser was the starting point for 10 Crosby Derek Lam.
The look: Colorful, modern sportswear with an arty edge grounded in reality and wearability. “We came into the partnership not knowing exactly how we wanted to execute the collaboration,” Yana Popov, 10 Crosby Derek Lam’s design director, said of the open-ended creativity of working with Moser.
Quote of note: “She explores the female form through curved lines and color. The way that we use that in our silhouettes is exaggerating the female form through cinch waist peplum shapes with hourglassy moments, A-line skirts, and puff sleeves,” Popov explained.
Standout pieces: Mixed-media dresses and cotton skirts in compact knit with hardware details; peplum jackets; soft wash denim; sailor pants with crest buttons.
Takeaway: Classic pieces need updates, too. “It’s always with a twist; that was core to what Derek did,” Popov said of evolving the brand now that she has taken over from the founder. She is keeping the DNA while pushing the brand forward.