NYFW Sends a Message

If the world feels a bit upside down to you, you're not alone. As we continue to examine what's happening in fashion as each new city puts it all on display, we've come to something of a conclusion—all the maximalism we've been seeing champions individuality and fashion as self-expression. And it's exactly that self-expression that is so important in times like these, allowing us to express things that are going unsaid in our tumultuous times.

"There is something to saying what you mean, in all caps, at a time when things are dire, as they always are in America," remarked Eckhaus Latta's publicist, Kaitlin Phillips, of the brand's latest line. It was a sentiment referenced, though less overtly, in the Mad Hatter-esque collection from Anna Sui (by the way, plaid is going to be huge this fall). Or the edgy, out-in-Manhattan-at-3 a.m.-with-a-hint-of-feminine-rage looks from Collina Strada, who dubbed her FW25 lineup the "Fempire." Similarly, Ulla Johnson championed self-adornment with rich textures and charms, while Sandy Liang channeled '90s childhood nostalgia.

The most universally talked-about fashion moment of the weekend was Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show. (Let's just say it's a great time to be a pair of bell-bottom jeans.) But aside from the denim, the set was infused with deeper meaning and commentary about division and revolution in a chaotic climate.

Using fashion as a form of self-expression elevates getting dressed into an art form, and some of last week's most interesting sartorial scenes did precisely that. Discover our favorite moments below.