Batsheva Hay might be the most popular designer in New York fashion right now. Over the course of NYFW, almost a dozen people reached out to me about Hay’s presentation, knowing I would meet her for this review. “Is it a show?” “What time is it?” “Can we shoot street style?” The truth was Hay and I met in her Garment District studio, just us two and her small team, to check out her wares in a personal, intimate ceremony.

The next question: What’s with the figure skaters? Hay and her husband had conspired to shoot this collection guerrilla style in the American Dream mall, and stumbled upon a figure skating competition on the day they went to scout locations. “Part of what I’m always trying to prove is the wearability of my clothes,” she said, “and athletic movement is the definitive wearability test.” The skaters spin, twirl and jump in Hay’s chiffons, cottons, and custom flower pot embroideries, frozen mid-gesture by the camera. It’s not glamorous, and with some of the kookiest styling ever offered from a Batsheva lookbook—and that’s saying a lot—the images of the clothes are impressively bizarre.

Don’t let that be a deterrent. Hay’s current mission is to expand her world, bringing in evening-worthy sparkles (a category buyers have told her performs best), vintage flocked wool trenches and even a red bustier “going out” top. It’s proper hot, which is fully funny coming from Batsheva “death of sexy” Hay. For prairie girls not ready to give up their pastoral vibes, Hay offers ruffle V-front dresses and smocks, as well as velvet leopard with a wider, less Victorian neckline. She’s making bags, belts and headbands too. As Hay becomes more and more popular, so must she become more things to more people and service more markets. That’s the cost of doing business, but Hay must be careful to not push her expansions too far. Being the most-buzzed about, most popular designer in New York puts her at risk of losing her special shine.