The new Venue Collective launches this September to simplify show logistics and support brands.
A NEW BLUEPRINT FOR NYFW
This September, New York Fashion Week is getting a long-overdue upgrade.
KFN, a newly formed organization created to improve the NYFW experience, is launching the Venue Collective — a new multi-venue concept designed to bring shows closer together and streamline production. The idea is simple: less time running across the city, more time actually experiencing fashion.
Instead of shows scattered across Brooklyn and uptown, the Venue Collective will focus on a central Manhattan campus, located below 34th Street. It will feature three types of locations: full runway venues for larger productions, boutique venues for smaller brands to share resources, and showroom spaces for appointment-only showings.
“We wanted to create a perimeter that made [NYFW] logistically easier,” says Leslie Russo, founder of The Culture Shop, who co-leads the initiative with Imad Izemrane of N4XT Experiences. While final venue details will stay under wraps until August, the footprint covers Lower Manhattan and the Lower East Side.
RELIEF FOR DESIGNERS
Thirty brands are on board for the debut season of the Venue Collective, including Off-White, Altuzarra, Tibi, Brandon Maxwell, Sergio Hudson, Fforme, Kallmeyer and Simkhai.
The appeal? KFN is covering the back-of-house operations — permitting, floor plans, equipment, and install — leaving designers to focus on PR, models, glam, and show production. For many brands, especially independents, this kind of support is rare.
“It’s really the new blood and independent brands who are reshaping the landscape,” says Daniella Kallmeyer, who launched her label in 2012 and only recently made her runway debut.
For Joey Laurenti, CEO of Fforme, it’s the right move at the right time: “At a time when the industry is actively seeking meaningful support for brands, this initiative feels both timely and essential.”
KFN is also working closely with the CFDA, who oversee the official NYFW schedule. Every designer involved in this first phase is also part of the on-schedule lineup.
A PILOT SEASON WITH BIG PLANS
Over 100 designers applied to participate in KFN’s first season, but between scheduling issues and pre-booked venues, the final roster narrowed itself down. For those who couldn’t make it work, KFN offered alternative venues or helped find spaces outside their network.
“This season is really a test run,” says Russo. “We’re learning in real time and getting ready to scale in 2026.”
That growth will include a new venue category: the Editor Salon Series — appointment-based presentations in gallery-style rooms geared toward editors and buyers. KFN also plans to introduce consumer-facing events, expand its digital platform, and continue building out its network of centralized spaces.
If this pilot works, NYFW could finally become less chaotic, more collaborative — and actually enjoyable. “I think we could easily double the number of designers next year,” Russo says.
