It’s New York Fashion Week, which means the city’s bustling streets are currently filled with the fashion-forward who are flocking to a packed schedule of shows. And although fall is just around the corner, design houses are showing their spring and summer collections for 2025.
While the chic gowns, fitted sets, detailed handbags, and dazzling accessories are undoubtedly the stars of the show, it’s truly the makeup, hair, and nail looks that are the ultra-glamorous icing on the cake.
So far, many of the beauty looks have been very soft girl, with terracotta blush, pastel pigments, and ’70s-era tousled waves a runway mainstay. Similarly, the most-spotted manicures are definitively low-key. There were cool-toned taupes spotted at Monse, for example, and barely-there sheer pink at Proenza Schouler’s show.
Of course, you can’t have a fashion week without some statement-making nail art. This season’s shows have turned out vibrant blue florals that feel beautifully cottagecore, to name one standout example.
Here, find the best nail moments from NYFW’s Spring/Summer 2025 shows.
1. Cool-Toned Taupe At Monse
Monse sent models down the underway with decidedly understated manicures. Jin Soon Choi, the manicurist behind the look, used her namesake brand’s Demure Polish for the minimalist nail — a cool-toned, opaque taupe.
2. Cottagecore Florals At Alice + Olivia
Alice + Olivia’s collection was filled with feminine lace and ornate blue and white toile — and if you looked close enough, the almond-shaped nails perfectly matched.
Created by NY-based manicurist Miss Pop, each model wore two coats of Salon Perfect Pillow Talk Polish topped with blue floral nail stickers by the same brand.
3. Sheer Manis At Proenza Schouler
Proenza Schouler opted for a minimal mani, effortlessly complementing the color palette of its spring collection. Choi tapped the JINsoon Muse Polish, a shiny sheer pink, for the high-fashion event.
4. Modern Half Moons At Libertine
Given that Libertine’s collection featured vivid color, pop art florals, and sparkling denim, it makes sense that the designer would want something just as eye-catching for the models’ nails.
Celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec, who has worked with A-listers like Selena Gomez and Jessica Chastain, opted for a metallic silver chrome nail with neon yellow half moon details.
5. Marbled Tips At Prabal Gurung
Prabal Gurung’s runway was filled with playful fringe, red and pink color-blocking, and gauzy gowns. As for the manicures? They were simple — with a cool girl twist.
NYC-based manicurist Gina Edwards used the KISS Bare But Better Press-On Nails in Nude Drama, adding a customized flair by shaping them into sharp stiletto tips with marbled details.
6. Clean Gloss Nails At Phillip Lim
At Phillip Lim, Nailing Hollywood’s Mazz Hanna went with a timeless and understated manicure. Some models went down the runway in a nude lacquer — Dazzle Dry’s Textbook shade to be exact — while others rocked a “clean gloss” nail, which was achieved using Dazzle Dry’s base and top coats plus cuticle oil.
