Sept. Fashion Month 2025
Today kicks off fashion month, my favorite creative season. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is the noise around it. Between government turnover, tariffs, and a thousand hot takes about “luxury being exposed,” it’s been… a lot. So let’s ground ourselves before the shows start rolling.
A quick myth to dispel
You’ve seen the headlines: “Luxury is over, some brands manufacture in China!” Here’s the truth. Where something is made is only one line in a much longer story. True luxury is standards, materials, finishings, time, quality control, and aftercare. Not just a zip code on a care tag.
What most of the mass market calls “luxury” is often accessible trend product dressed up in a premium costume. It’s cosplay luxury. Real connoisseurs (not just consumers) buy differently. They’re investing in construction, permanence, and heritage; often in ways that never show up on social media. Different audience, different product, different expectations.
Can you build a wardrobe from secondhand alone?
Yes. Absolutely yes. If you treat thrifting like curation, not chaos, you can dress beautifully, season after season. A few rules I live by:
Adopt the three-store strategy. Keep two or three reliable shops in rotation. Each store tends to excel in certain categories (outerwear at one, denim at another, tailoring at a third).
Prioritize fabric and construction. Wool, cashmere, silk, linen, sturdy cotton, real hardware. Read the textile before you read the label.
Fit is everything (and the tailor is your best friend). A $12 blazer plus a $35 alteration can outshine a brand-new, mid-tier jacket off the rack.
Think in systems, not outfits. Build around a core palette and silhouette so pieces snap together without effort.
Care is part of the cost. Steamers, cedar blocks, proper storage, and a good cobbler extend life, and elevate the look.
Secondhand isn’t a consolation prize; it’s a competitive advantage. It keeps you original, sustainable, and surprisingly luxe.
Evolve your signature scent
New season, new energy. If it’s been a few years, consider refreshing your signature fragrance to match who you are now. A few quick tips:
Test in real life. Wear samples for a day. Skin chemistry tells the truth.
Build a two-scent wardrobe. One intimate skin scent for close spaces; one with a trail for evenings and events.
Explore seasonal notes. Early fall loves cedar, fig, bergamot, incense, amber, and tonka. They layer beautifully over knits and wool.
Fashion is how you enter the room; fragrance is the whisper you leave behind.
Where we’re headed this month
I’m excited. The runways will do what they do: surprise, polarize, inspire. My plan is simple: tune out the panic, tune into the craft. Invest where quality lives, on the rack, on the resale floor, and in the details most people overlook.
Here’s to a season of intentional choices, excellent textiles, and a wardrobe that’s uniquely yours, whether it was found under bright retail lights or on a perfectly dusty thrift aisle. See you at the shows… and at the racks.