New York Men’s Day Showcases Emerging and Established Designers
The change in dates, and smaller venue availability, prompted New York Men’s Day to reduce the number of brands it showcased this season, bringing the number down to six from the usual 10 to 12. Even so, the designers that were selected to participate offered a range of men’s and gender-neutral styles that included everything from sartorial suits to ski-related activewear.
Here are a few of the highlights from the showcase:
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A.Potts Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection
A.Potts designer Aaron Potts continued his affinity for gender-neutral clothing for fall 2025 and took inspiration from current affairs for his most recent offering.
“In terms of the collection, that started in a completely different place and that place started in a dark place — an election-related dark place,” he said. “I just knew that I had to find some joy and I knew that leaning into my work — my creativity — would be the light for me.”
This inspiration was seen through Potts’ use of color. The collection was primarily made in black, with sleek styles like his signature tunics and layered pieces making up the bulk of the lineup. Prints helped balance the darkness with styles like asymmetric striped shirts and graphic interpretations of leopard print.
The collection was rounded out by two women’s styles in bright colors: a wrapped white dress and a knot detail orange dress.
Potts introduced knitwear this season, highlighting the pieces created in 100 percent merino wool as key styles. He also noted the sustainable element of the collection.
“All of the printed items — the leopard print, the stripes, the print that we call grunge print — they’re all made and printed in a sustainable factory,” he said. “It’s only production on demand and they’re only using digital printing so it’s no dye runoff into the water table. We’re excited about that. I’ve wanted to do sustainable for a long time and this was the right set-up for me.”
Hold NYC Fall 2025 Men’s Ready-to-Wear Collection
Hold NYC’s designer Holden Akerley brought his own spin to skiwear for fall 2025, bringing new takes to cozy knitwear, technical styles and kitschy accessories.
“This is after the après ski,” he said. “You have your elegant après ski, so this is a little bit more broken down and cozy, but still really pretty elevated. Half of the collection is more technical, so they might still be out on the mountain and enjoying the outdoors, and then there are the chalet boys. They’re hanging out in the chalet still drinking and in the jacuzzi.”
This inspiration was seen through styles like technical snowboard pants, knitted vests, fleece jackets and rugbies. The designer used a neutral color palette centering on grays and browns, but added pops of color with cobalt blue and yellow.
Akerley added a playful note to the collection with kitschy accessories like a jockstrap-inspired handbag and a harness-style tweed set.
Peak Lapel Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection
Peak Lapel designers and Parsons School of Design students Jack Milkes and Brenna Genter showed their second collection at New York Men’s Day, bringing an air of nostalgia to classic menswear.
“Basically this collection was all about the feelings we don’t get to have at school, being sentimental with our family and that feeling of going home and being with the people that matter most,” Genter said. “We wanted to make it feel like you were being wrapped up in a hug of someone familiar or in a blanket at home. It was just something comfortable and something you could wear all of the time no matter what season if it’s fall or bringing it into spring.”
This coziness came through the collection’s wool outerwear, rich brown hues and layered separates. The designers tapped into traditional menswear with their blazers, fitted trousers and dress shirts, but brought in their own whimsical touch with the use of primary colors and mixed prints.
Max Esmail Fall 2025 Men’s Ready-to-Wear Collection
Max Esmail has been working in the fashion industry for 15 years but this is the first time he’s created a collection under his own name.
The Fashion Institute of Technology graduate, who operates a studio at 55 Bond St., said he’s had a longtime love affair with clothing — so long as it’s wearable, practical and luxurious.
He infused that passion — and those attributes — into his eponymous brand by offering a collection that focused on comfort in silhouettes that had a sleek, minimalistic aesthetic. That includes his distinct take on leather jackets, one of which was in a crackled finish, made from materials sourced from Morocco and Japan. Another version was soft and supple — the result of the skin being bonded over foam — with hardware details interspersed throughout.
Esmail also offered cashmere sweaters, T-shirts made from wool and a modern version of a suit created from Scabal cashmere.
“It’s wearable but modern and chic at the same time,” he said.
Sivan Fall 2025 Men’s Ready-to-Wear Collection
Jack Sivan made his return to New York Men’s Day and once again showed his skill in tailoring with a presentation he said was inspired by the fictitious Hotel Sivan, complete with staff, guests and late-night revelers decked out in formalwear.
Although the brand is primarily a custom house operating out of a studio in Brooklyn, Sivan has now launched a ready-to-wear collection as well. His mission is to explore what tailoring can mean in the modern wardrobe, a mission that showed in the three-piece pinstripe suits, traditional waistcoats, topcoats with contrast collars and even a couple of long pleated skirts.
Sivan’s love of tradition and craftsmanship was unmistakable and his collection will be a welcome addition to retail this fall.
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