You First Heard It Here: These 5 NYFW Nail Trends Will Shape Your Manicures for the Coming Year

      New York Fashion Week is one of the year’s most impactful and trend-setting events. From the stunning runways to the energetic backstage areas, there's a flurry of buzz surrounding the latest from beloved designers throughout this hectic week. As beauty editors, we carefully observe the hair, makeup, and nail selections, bringing together the collections before the shows, and this year’s nails showcased some of the most eye-catching moments yet. At Who What Wear, we take pride in our nail culture, and the spring and summer 2026 offerings quenched our thirst for fresh trends. While there were classic styles that will always be in vogue (hello, classic French tips), there were also remarkable designs inspired by each collection that captivated us all week. Below are five trends that charmed our nail-loving team of beauty editors during fashion week.

      **Fine Lines**

      This season, we witnessed an unprecedented level of creativity in linework backstage at the S/S 2026 runway shows. Although each designer's styles are vastly different—comparing Off-White’s scholarly streetwear to Sandy Liang’s nostalgia-filled doll-like creations wouldn’t be quite right—there was a notable commonality that unified the manicures across these shows.

      **Off-White's Nostalgic Negative Space**

      Celebrity nail artist Coca Michelle embraced negative space for spring during Off-White’s S/S 26 show. This all-OPI nail set featured unpainted accents and delicate double French tips that allowed the ’70s streetwear-inspired designs to take center stage. “Off-White and I simplified it to create a more wearable look because the collection is quite busy,” Michelle shared with WWW. She noted that a nostalgic and black influence inspired the show’s “Pop Romance” theme, while also hinting at a 2016 chevron nail comeback reflected in these designs. Combining a fashionable French tip with her vintage styles, she described the look as “tying in what’s relevant” while creating “a nostalgic feel.”

      **Sandy Liang's Baby French Tips**

      An ultra-feminine manicure is essential for any Sandy Liang look, and these simple baby French tips are perhaps the easiest to recreate. Celebrity manicurist Holly Falcone painted each model’s nails in diverse shades of soft pinks and whites from her upcoming brand, Celisse Nails, creating looks that are friendly for shorter nails. The key here is to keep things light (so the French tip is merely a sliver on the edge) to achieve the refined fine line that designers favored this season. While you can't yet find her exact colors, we have discovered similar alternatives below.

      **Kim Shui's Fishnet Set**

      To align with Kim Shui’s S/S 26 collection, which featured layering elements, pioneering nail artist Sojin Oh (known for intricate designs for Blackpink’s Lisa and Rosalia) mirrored the theme of sheer fabrics with naked nails and white fishnet-inspired lines. You can recreate a similar effect with precision and a thin brush of polish, but if you're uncertain about your linework, you can acquire an authentic Shui look with semi-cured gel nail strips from Oh’s K-beauty brand, Kijibae.

      **Nail Jewelry**

      We have often sung the praises of nail jewelry. Whether featuring gemstone-dipped tips, molten metal accents, or 3D charms, we’ve covered each variation that has reached our attention. This fashion week reaffirmed that this trend is here to stay and is gaining increased popularity.

      **Grace Ling's Pierced Claws**

      Michelle adapted her signature cyberpunk aesthetic for Grace Ling’s “Future Relics” spring collection without much alteration. To complement the designer’s tech-inspired range, Michelle played with materials such as builder gel, dangling charms, and nail “piercings,” adding extra flair to each design. The foundation for this “pierced bone” appearance involved OPI shades and the Intelli-Gel Super Matte Top Coat, plus metallic details for added impact. If you lack a gel-curing lamp, fear not—we offer some DIY-friendly options below.

      **Kim Shui's Nail Charms**

      Oh continued to explore Shui’s layered style for this collection by crafting a delicately charmed set. The nail artist and brand creator utilized Kijibae semi-cured gel nail strips to create a solid base, then punched small holes in the extensions on accent nails to attach thin chains with dangling “K”-initial charms—representing both Kijibae and Kim Shui. To replicate the same aesthetic (without the charms, though these initial stickers make a great substitute), add Kijibae’s Midnight Butterfly Gel Nail Strips to your cart.

      **Metallic Mania**

      Celebrity nail artist Patti Yankee previously expressed to WWW that she anticipates the continued success of metallics this fall, and we received confirmation through shiny manicures backstage. However, when we mention metallics, we refer to alloy-like, shimmering finishes reminiscent of nostalgic DIY nail sessions—not