Kim Shui unveiled her Fall/Winter 2026 runway collection comprising 41 looks aboard the Eternity Yacht as it moved through New York City’s waterways, welcoming over 200 guests and marking the opening chapter of the brand’s tenth year.
Arriving just two days before the Lunar calendar turns to the Year of the Fire Horse, the moment carried a distinct sense of forward momentum. Set against a shifting skyline and staged on water rather than land, the evening emphasized motion not only as concept, but as lived experience, reflecting Shui’s exploration of Qi, the animating current that holds intention, memory, and transformation within material and form.
Kim Shui
Photos: MOMENT DEPARTMENT
Inspired by the migratory history of Mongolia, the collection draws on a culture shaped by continual movement across vast and often unforgiving terrain, where knowledge, craft, and identity traveled far beyond their origins. Shui translated this lineage through a material language centered on transformation. Early silhouettes appeared insulated and protective, constructed in thick velvet, felt, suede, leather, and faux fur in warm tonal palettes. As the show progressed, they gave way to more opulent expressions rendered in gold and silver metallic finishes, saturated reds and greens, jewel toned silks, animal prints, and luminous surfaces accented with oversized metal jewelry and beaded detailing.
At the core of the collection was a focus on heritage as an active, evolving practice. Traditional Chinese knotting appeared not as ornament, but as structure. Select garments were constructed entirely from tensioned cord and handwork, reimagining an ancient decorative method as architectural form. Each knot acted as both connector and framework, binding craft tradition, cultural memory, and the human hand into a unified system. Exaggerated pankou closures appeared throughout, functioning simultaneously as fastening, embellishment, and structural spine.
Hair and makeup balanced precision with softness. Some looks featured lacquered styles shaped into folded ribbon-like forms, while others embraced voluminous curls, created a dynamic contrast complemented by diffused rose tones, luminous skin, and graphic liner accents. Beauty details further extended the collection’s dialogue with cultural lineage. Nails by Sojin Oh for Sojinails featured elongated, pointed silhouettes in deep reds and gold tones alongside nude lacquered finishes and striking liquid silver designs, inspired by zhijiatao, traditional Chinese royal nail ornamentation.
Movement remained central to the staging. The vessel itself became a contemporary counterpart to the horse, a symbol of mobility through which the garments unfolded in real time. As models walked, a live guzheng performance by Nico Huzella resonated across the space, its layered strings creating a rhythmic undercurrent that mirrored the collection’s themes of continuity and transformation. This was followed by “Angel” by Massive Attack, whose atmospheric bassline shifted the mood from meditative to cinematic as the show progressed. Attendees experienced the show from within this shifting environment, not as distant spectators, but as participants moving alongside it. The setting reinforced a central idea: progress does not require fixed ground. It is ongoing, fluid, and in constant motion. This spirit extended to the runway casting as well. Long recognized for championing representation, Shui brought together a diverse range of bodies, identities, and lived experiences this season, reinforcing her vision of femininity as multifaceted, inclusive, and constantly evolving.
Following the runway, guests continued to the W New York – Union Square, where the afterparty carried the evening’s celebratory energy late into the night.
Guests included Richie Shazam*, Nicole Miller, Meredith Mickelson (walked the show), Maja Sieroń (walked the show), Jake Dupont (walked the show), Jojo Tua, Amaya Espinal*, Leah Kateb*, Creepy Yeha, Lauren Chan, Amaya Crichton*, Jean Luc, Christina Paik*, Talia Restrepo, Tokyo Stylez, Young Emperors, Isabel Timmerman, Chloe Vero, Jess Xu, Nazlia Yunus*, Adrianne Ho, Yifan, Rox Brown, Juno Shen, Dylan Ali, Joey Bada$$ & Serayah*, Infinite Coles, Mei Kwok, A-Trak, Leaf, Brittany Sky, Lexi Wood*, Jorjiana*, skuzland, Ace Aroff, Victoria Ruiz, Clara Perlmutter, Baby Osamaa, Nimay Ndolo, Azzy Milan, Skylar Marshai, Myles Loftin, Bec Lauder, Chinese Kitty, Rayvin Huger, Lost Girl, Tatiana Elizabeth, Cyrus Vessi and more.
*Dressed guests
WHEN: Sunday, February 15th, 2026 at 8PM EST
WHERE: The Eternity Yacht at Pier 17, 89 South Street, New York, NY 10038
SHOW CREDITS:
Stylist: Briana Andalore
Show Production: Cardenas Productions
Hair: John Novoty for Cutler Redken
Makeup: Romero Jennings for MAC Cosmetics
Nails: Sojinails – Sojin Oh
Casting: Ella Cepeda Casting
Live Guzheng and Voice: Nico Huzella
Live Music Supervisor: Mike Bloom
Runway Music: Lucy Goodman
Shoes: Dolce Vita Shoes
Eyewear: Elisa Johnson
Tights: Swedish Stockings
Fashion Tape: CAKES body®
Intimates: Honey Birdette
Press: Gia Kuan Consulting
Location: NYC Water Cruises
Special Thank You to John Block
ABOUT KIM SHUI
Kim Shui was born in the United States and raised in Rome, Italy. She graduated from Duke University with a double major in Economics and French before pursuing fashion design. Her eponymous New York-based womenswear label has since dressed Beyoncé on her Cowboy Carter tour, Solange, Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and Mary J Blige. Kim Shui was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, is a CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Finalist, a Time Next Generation Leader, and most recently a finalist for the CFDA Genesis House AAPI Design and Innovation Grant. www.kimshui.net | @kimshuistudio
