Tonight will not be Andrew Curwen’s first fashion show—he presented a collection of 11 looks last summer in Bushwick—but it will be the young designer’s first time joining the official calendar of New York Fashion Week. With a 9:00 p.m. slot tonight, the 30-year-old will show a collection called “Nocturnal Conditions” that explores the subcultures of the after-hours.
In joining the calendar, he elevates to the same platform as established names like Proenza Schouler, Khaite, and Altuzarra, but Curwen is fulfilling a very different fashion fantasy from those brands. He doesn’t really fit into the tropes of New York’s legacy of American sportswear—though he will be subverting archetypes of tailoring this season. Instead, the new designer would rather explore the artistry of fashion, an idea often (stereotypically) relegated to the fashion weeks of European cities like Milan and Paris. His first collection featured ultra-cinched corsetry, voluminous bustles, and exaggerated, almost floor-length sleeves. (Strip it down, though, and you can find some rather wearable pieces like wonkily tailored trousers and a red silk skirt trimmed with a white ruffle.) Fall 2026 promises to deliver more of the same.
We caught up with Curwen earlier this week to discuss finalizing the details of his fashion show—after the initial venue fell through a week out. But that hasn’t stopped him and his team. They’ve rallied to find something even better. Ahead, the designer-to-watch speaks to his desire to sit on this season’s fashion calendar, his sources of inspiration, and how he handles the pressure—when in doubt, call mom.
Andrew Curwen’s first collection
How is the lead-up going?
It’s going pretty well. It’s a really beautiful thing to see your team mobilize and come together. As stuff starts getting finalized and the vision starts coming to fruition, you’re like, “This is why we do the work.” The hardest moments are the most rewarding. We hit a little hiccup this weekend with the venue. We thought something was confirmed, but it fell through. At first I was like, “What are we going to do?” All I’ve been doing is reaching out, and everyone has leads. It’s not ideal, but at the same time, there’s hope, frankly at this point, for something better than we had originally anticipated. Moments like these make the chaos worth it.
What can you tease about your upcoming collection and presentation?
We’re going a lot darker with everything. I’m really obsessed with this incredibly deep green that, unless you’re in sunlight, looks like black. It’s like midnight green. I also spent so much money on shoulder pads this season.
What was the inspiration for that?
The shoulder pad is one of the simplest ways we can play with our silhouette. I’ve explored corsetry quite a bit—corsetry and tailoring are the two things that really made me fall in love with the design side of fashion. You throw on either a tailored jacket or a corset, and you immediately see yourself differently. You hold yourself in a different way. I wanted to push the tailoring aspect this season—and push it to an extreme in a few looks.
Andrew Curwen’s first collection
I know you’ve shown before, but why was it important to you to join the New York Fashion Week calendar?
I feel like it’s important for more young designers and more independent designers to be on the New York fashion calendar. I think globally, New York Fashion Week is very much seen as the heavy-hitting moneymakers. It doesn’t leave much room for a lot of the beautiful creativity that exists not just in New York City, but among brands that fly in to show here, the American creative voices. I think it’s really, really important to put it on that stage so other people can see themselves here versus feeling like they may need to go to another country to show. There is a hunger for that style of work here in New York.
New York has such a legacy of wearability. How do you either see yourself fitting into this city’s fashion conversation or see yourself in a group that challenges it?
To be fair, a little bit of both, but leaning towards challenging it. Shortly after the first show, I was wondering if I had anything that was super viable for wholesale. Within a month, I had my first custom commission order, and then those started coming at a really high rate. There is still desire, in that respect. Also, I do have a little bit of hesitation if we were to enter the wholesale market considering its state at the moment. I’m not sure how many people want to take a risk with a corset with horsehair sticking out of it. So, I see myself carving my own path in terms of sellability.
Andrew Curwen’s first collection
In putting together a fashion show, where do you look for inspiration?
My friends brought me to see a few contemporary dance groups this summer. One of them was the Young Boy Dancing Group. They usually have the audience surrounding them. You understand the caliber and the visceral nature of the performance you’re about to see, but you don’t exactly know where it’s going to go. So there’s this anticipation. There’s a slight discomfort to it. It’s like watching movies that are somewhat discomforting like The Night Porter. There’s a lot of sexual tension, fear even. That was a really long-winded way of saying it is that kind of cinematic experience that isn’t there just to be like, “Oh my God, this is beautiful.”
How is the pressure? How have you kept yourself sane?
A lot of it is about having a good support system. There’s probably about 10 minutes a day where I’ll forget that and start to panic about budgets or asking for too many favors. And then, in that moment, I’ll take a breath, walk around the block, and during that walk, I’ll usually call someone again, maybe designer and mentor Jane Wade to calm me down. But also the Hail Mary is to always call mom.