NYFW Review: For Fall 2025, Khaite Channels Dark Feminine Energy
Last season, Catherine Holstein surprised us with a sweeter, lighter take on the DNA of her hit line Khaite. But for fall/winter 2025, the designer was squarely back on the dark side. Her models looped around a giant, circular track of a runway at the Park Avenue Armory, the lighting resembling an eclipse. With Meghann Fahy, Chase Sui Wonders, and ultimate cool girl Sky Ferreira in attendance and Smashing Pumpkins on the soundtrack, Holstein prepared to do what she does best: set fire to our New Year’s no-buy resolutions.
With four consecutive CFDA Award wins under her belt, Holstein is nothing if not confident. She knows exactly what her Khaite girl wants for the chilly temps ahead: slick leather skirts, sheaths and bombers, exaggerated knits (a cream skirt with a bow belt and a scarlet dress with an exaggerated cowl neck were standouts), and high-shine noir-heroine trenches. Armed for the cold, her models sported black, grey, neutrals, and the rich oxblood hue she’s made her own. Even the styling choices will likely prove influential, since everything that happens on a Khaite runway has a seismic ripple effect—apparently, we’re tucking our jeans into boots again.
transparent sweaters, a Khaite favorite, and leopard prints kept the mood just louche enough. Holstein also incorporated argyle, managing to not make it feel like a preppy cliché, and newsboy caps, which seem prime for an unexpected return.
Meanwhile, her accessories continue to be A+. There were plenty of over-the-knee boots, opera gloves, and ladylike top-handle bags. As Abbey Lee Kershaw closed the show in an off-kilter leather trench, you could almost hear the sound of a thousand pre-orders falling into place.
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