The Nippliest Looks From NYFW Were So Cool-Girl-Coded

Here’s the one biggest trend from New York Fashion Week, hot off the press: bare skin is still in — particularly, bare breasts.

It’s not that long ago that freeing the nipple was deemed controversial. In 2022, for example, Florence Pugh wore a nip-forward dress to a fashion show. You’d think that would be the one safe space where people are expected to be daring, but, unfortunately, the look was derided by sexist keyboard warriors.

Thankfully, each fashion week gets much nipplier than the last, in turn normalizing and destigmatizing women’s bodies and the political act of embracing them. That’s exactly what went down at New York Fashion Week’s Spring/Summer 2026 season. Veteran designers such as Anna Sui and Tory Burch sent models strutting in see-through fabrics, evoking boudoir dressing with a vintage flair and sophisticated romance, respectively.

Contemporary designers, who typically teeter on the more daring side of fashion, also featured a slew of pieces that embraced the female form. Luar, Dauphinette, and Vettese are a few examples of those who all interpreted naked dressing in their own unique style DNAs.

So, yes, just like the designers on the runway, and the brave style stars who took to New York’s streets in barely there clothing, we will be celebrating nipply moments every Fashion Week. Ahead, some of the best ones.

Tory Burch

Tory Burch’s Spring/Summer 2026 show focused on bringing out the different facets of a woman’s style, particularly the delicate balance between femininity and strength. That was evident in one LBD, which featured an elegant boat neck and midi length, paired with a bold necklace and leather flats.

Luar

At Luar, Raul Lopez paid tribute to the Dominican Republic and its Carnival, particularly, the grotesque elements of the Carnival’s “diablos cojuelos.” The resulting collection, therefore, featured feathery headdresses and spiky details, plus an extravaganza of textures and colors. A lot of them, too, were sheer, including bodysuits paired with sculptural skirts and thigh-high sheer footwear.

Vettese

At Vettese, dressing like a doll was a theme. (Or dressing with one — a few models clutched dollies instead of bags.) One look, for instance, featured a near-translucent strapless dress paired with gray trousers and topped with a lacy bonnet. It gave coquette, but spicy.

AKNVAS

AKNVAS’ show was naked dressing done right. Denim undies with tiered ruffles, shirred bloomers, and fun sheer looks traipsed down the runway. One in particular, which featured a school project-inspired tie-dye in black-and-white, included a see-through tank with baggy (opaque) trousers. It’s cool-girl dressing at its finest.

Anna Sui

No one evokes playful vintage-inspired dressing quite like Anna Sui, who brought her signature pattern play and layering to her Spring/Summer 2026 show. Amidst whimsical looks (see: a bag in the likeness of a fish), Sui showed a see-through knitted ombré top with floral-laced jeans.

Tibi

Tibi elevated the naked look by pairing timeless tanks in sophisticated knits with posh bottoms. Case in point: this cream top and chartreuse in a flowy, satin-esque skirt.

Kim Shui

Kim Shui redefined the party girl at her show, which featured flowy, romantic pieces, and fringed tailoring, styled with her trademark risqué flair. Peep a brown asymmetrical set with a one-shoulder top and a layered mini that looked haphazardly distressed.

Lapointe

“Naked dressing” doesn’t necessarily mean a boring sheer dress. It could also be utterly maximalist, as proven by Lapointe. One silver number featured a sparkly net top with a sheer mesh skirt that was feather-encrusted and bedazzled.

Dauphinette

After a three-season NYFW break, Dauphinette returned with a vengeance. Designer Olivia Cheng gave mermaidcore an enchanting twist by incorporating seashells and beetles into several numbers. A personal favorite look, however, was also the most Y2K-inspired. Jeans styled with folded waistband for a low-rise effect also featured upcycled yellow tablecloths sewn atop the legs. It was paired with a vintage lace top that was oh-so-see-through.