New York Fashion Week may have wrapped, but there are still plenty of street style lessons to be gleaned. Our biggest takeaway from a week of icy sidewalks, endless subway rides, and late night dinners downtown? Statement outerwear always does the heavy lifting.
The NYFW Outerwear Check List
From celebrities to editors moving between shows, five brands consistently dominated the scene: Nour Hammour, Arma, Toteme, Khaite, and Yves Salomon. While each offers a wide range of winter classics, this season’s standouts were clear: plush shearling, buttery leathers, and bold animal prints that refused to blend in a sea of puffer coats.
The beauty of a great coat is its versatility. It can ground a look through quiet sophistication, or make a statement loud enough that the outerwear becomes the outfit. Take notes from Nordstrom’s fashion director Rickie De Sole who seemingly took a page from the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy style book when she stepped out in a leopard print topper from Arma alongside a black turtleneck, beige skirt, and black leather boots. It’s pared-back maximalism at it’s finest. Meanwhile, Lisa Aiken, Vogue’s own executive fashion director, stayed true to her signatures, opting for a sleek leather funnel-neck jacket from Khaite, light-wash jeans, and pointy black boots. The resulting look was minimalism with impact. What both these looks prove is that when the outer layer is strong, you need little more than a few essentials to make the ensemble sing.
Ahead, a closer look at the five outerwear brands that became the main character at NYFW—and the key pieces to investment from each.
Photo: Courtesy of Phil Oh
Arma
Defined as a modern leather house, Amsterdam label Arma has expanded its offerings since their founding in 1985. The brand focuses on simple, streamlined silhouettes crafted from elevated materials—resulting in timeless wardrobe essentials that feel current yet enduring. A recent favorite amount Vogue editors, Chloe Malle spotlighted the leopard print coat (as seen above on Nordstrom’s Rickie De Sole) in her most recent Malle Wear email send.