The weather



If the weather forecast predicted persistent rain, NYFW didn’t get the memo. After a balmy start, the deluge of rain from late Thursday onwards became the main talking point, particularly as so many designers had opted to show outside. But the shows went on for Rodarte, Telfar, Tory Burch and 3.1 Phillip Lim, all of which stuck to their guns. Special shout out to the models at Rodarte, who still managed to look exquisitely ethereal as they navigated slippery cemetery flagstones in sky-high stilettos during a downpour.

Bright colours from Escada. Photograph: Pixelformula/SIPA/Rex/Shutterstock

The colour



As the first of four spring/summer 2019 fashion weeks, overarching trends are yet to trickle through, but a leaning towards optimistic palettes is the strongest thread so far. Kate Spade, Carolina Herrera, Sies Marjan, Boss, Tibi and Escada all went big on pastel hues and punchy primary brights. Think fewer florals (for spring, they are never groundbreaking) and more bold block colour.

Kanye West arrives for the Ralph Lauren show. Photograph: Stephen Lovekin/WWD/Rex/Shutterstock

The starriest front row



It was left to Ralph Lauren’s 50th anniversary bash to pull in the A-list. Boy did it deliver: Kanye West, Robert De Niro, Tony Bennett, Pierce Brosnan, Jessica Chastain, Martha Stewart, Anne Hathaway and Michael Kors were just some of the famous faces who turned out to show their support. Oprah delivered a heartfelt post-show, pre-dinner speech that was seated open-air in Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, telling the designer: “We’re here to celebrate you releasing our dreams.” Birthday goals right there.

Cardi B, with a bump on her forehead, leaving the Harper’s Bazaar party. Photograph: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

The gossip



One of the most talked-about events did not happen on the catwalk. On Friday night at the Harper’s Bazaar Icons party, rappers Nicki Minaj and Cardi B clashed in cataclysmic style after the former reportedly made disparaging comments about the latter’s mothering skills. Insults flew, as did Cardi B’s shoe, which was batted off by a member of Minaj’s security entourage. Cardi B, who left the party with a bump on her forehead (said to be the result of being elbowed away) took to Instagram shortly after to accuse Minaj of a sustained character attack. Minaj isn’t filing charges against her musical rival, says TMZ. We say TBC.

Bang on trend: former Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Elaine Welteroth in a trouser suit. Photograph: Matthew Sperzel/Getty Images

The streetstyle trend



The fashion crowd resorts to a trenchcoat quicker than they hail a taxi when it rains. Not unlike the comfort provided by a Sunday roast after a night out on the tiles, the trench is a reliably feel-good, look-good solution to puddle hopping show to show – and it was as constant a presence as the grey sky. The same went for another sartorial Manhattan stalwart: the trouser suit. Double-breasted, oversized or tightly tailored, plaid, with power shoulders or with pull-string waists, it came in myriad form; femininity via Savile Row.

Singing in the rain: FAKA performing for Telfar during New York fashion week. Photograph: Adela Loconte/WWD/Rex/Shutterstock

The soundtrack



Designers didn’t limit creativity to the clothes, they also got ambitious with their soundtracks. Telfar teamed with South African performance artists FAKA and Ian Isiah to create a spectacular multi-artist “vocal collage”; Ralph Lauren enlisted Steven Spielberg to create an epic cinematic soundtrack to his show; and the Brooklyn-based designer Eckhaus Latta enlisted the Young People Orchestra – comprising babies and children – to play a live improvised acoustic set. Upside-down buckets became drums, while bells, tambourines and triangles were banged, bashed and tinged as the kids were let loose. “We had no idea what it was going to sound like, which was actually really freeing,” Latta said.