For her Fall 2026 runway, Kim Shui set out to choose a venue that was representative of “iconic New York,” she told Fashionista in a backstage interview. And how better to do that than to take guests on a scenic boat ride along the Hudson River? “Set against New York City’s surrounding waterways, the show repositions the city as a modern terrain of migration and transformation,” read the collection notes. “Presented aboard a moving vessel, the runway becomes a living metaphor, the boat acting as a contemporary counterpart to the horse, an instrument of mobility, while the skyline shifts with the evolving landscape.”Once guests had shuffled onto the swaying ship and anchored themselves in their seats, the show began: Models with slicked back, ribbon-like updos and fluffy, brushed out curls made their way from the main platform to the top deck, each one walking with an individually specific and dramatic ’90s-style strut.The collection’s color palette draws on mossy greens, rich ruby reds and burnt oranges. “I was thinking about some of my favorite colors,” Shui said of the tonal choices. “But also, Lunar New Year is coming up, how can I not have red? We’ve got to come out with power.”A Tang-style jacket is reimagined in a vivid jacquard, with multicolored fur trimming along the front, back, collar and cuffs, while an ultra-mini bodycon cut-out dress pulls inspiration from traditional a Chinese technique. “It’s all hand-done. It’s Pang Chang knotting that is typically just one button, but it’s made into dresses. It’s time-consuming,” Shui explained.The work that went into this collection was evident on the runway: Every piece fit its model impeccably, and each embroidered or knotted detail amplified the already dynamic shapes and silhouettes, ultimately making the garments feel like the most refined offerings from the brand thus far.”[This collection] felt like a mature Kim. Because it’s sexy, but not, in the same way,” the designer said. “We worked really hard on a lot of features. A lot of it is kind of like demi-couture.”Though these artistic elements are deeply personal to Shui and integral to this collection, the designer made sure to include variations of each look to keep her brand commercially accessible. “Some of [the pieces have certain details] and some of them don’t, like the jacket, for example. There are some [more intricately-made buttons], but they’re not all the buttons. There’s also [detachable] fur,” she said. “We also maybe explore dresses that are in a higher price point.”See every look from Kim Shui’s Fall 2026 collection below.
Kim Shui Fall 2026. Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
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