Coterie FW26 Spotlights Sustainability Initiatives Despite Blizzard Travel Ban

The FW26 New York edition of Coterie ran at the Javits Center from February 24-26, 2026, after exhibitor move-in on February 22-23, and weather posed a real test: “But Mother Nature had other plans: a blizzard swept through the city from Sunday evening into Monday afternoon, prompting a travel ban that remained in place until noon. By the afternoon of day two, however, the fair was up and running and for those unable to attend the show in person, there was a convenient digital option.” The Javits address at 655 W 34th St anchored the recovery on the show floor (coordinates 40.75792, -74.00243).

Organiser Informa PLC framed the programming with its long-running sustainability push: “In 2018, our fashion exhibitions business began a collaboration with the Conscious Fashion Campaign and the United Nations (UN) Office for Partnership in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The initiative, launched at COTERIE in September, aims to harness the power of retailers, media and celebrities to recognise fashion brands that are working to end poverty, protect the planet and practise sustainability– also known as ‘conscious consumerism’.” Informa highlighted a Conscious Collections program that celebrated 16 brands using tactics from creating economic growth for female weavers in India to zero-waste production and networks of African artisans making jewellery from reclaimed materials.

Programming on the floor reflected that institutional framing. “Kanji said Coterie New York emphasized intentional discovery and global storytelling through new activations this season designed to enhance both the exhibitor and buyer experiences. These included an Après Ski Meets Vintage installation, featuring a mix of brands blending nostalgia-driven dressing and winter lifestyle wardrobing, and an Incubator Program for emerging talent. In addition, a Fashion Institute of Technology installation highlighted the New York school’s next generation of design talents; the Sustainability Assessment Program reflected Coterie New York’s ‘ongoing commitment to responsible business practices,’ she added, and a new curated group of African designers through a partnership with Canex ‘underscores our focus on global representation and offers buyers [...]’”

That Canex-curated push put a socially ambitious label in front of buyers: Samasuwo-Nyawiri, selected for Coterie via the Canex Africa partnership, “sees Africa as a gold mine of inspiration. ‘We were so driven by an idea that fashion could actually change the trajectory of lives of people who didn’t consume or experience fashion like the rest of the world.’ Today the brand employs over 150 artisans in Zimbabwe, some ex-prisoners, ‘as our work has also become a tool for rehabilitation.’ The brand has shown in Paris and Tokyo, and was selected for Coterie this season to break into the U.S. retail market through a partnership between Canex Africa and Coterie.”

Retailers and vendors leaned into mixed sourcing on the sales floor. “This season Coterie partnered with the vintage marketplace Normal NYC to include upcycled vintage pieces curated by their vendors. It points to a growing trend for retailers to combine new and vintage styles together on the sales floor.” Organisers and exhibitors also pushed production-conscious materials on display: “Using deadstock fabric minimizes environmental impact” (Credits: Coterie by Informa).

Product-level signals were sharp and specific: the Italian label Seventy, listed as Seventy and Seventy Venezia in show notes, leaned into argyle knits, clean denim and separates in grey, camel and brown, with a FW26 standout described as “a plaid reversible coat with leopard trim.” Wholesale was listed at $150 - $200 (Credits: Seventy by FashionUnited).

Coterie’s trade-show posture remained that of an industry bridge: ExpoBeds and Informa slate Coterie as an annual, professionally curated event that embraces sustainability, technology and communities, and names Informa representatives on sustainability content such as Tom Nastos, Chief Commercial Officer, and Shawn M. Hazan, Commercial Director, Informa Markets New York. The calendar shows conflicting forward dates in trade listings - FashionUnited names September 9-11, 2026 as the next fall edition while ExpoBeds lists a Spring 2027 edition in its event metadata - but the show’s pivot during a travel ban and its simultaneous digital option made the main point plain.

Informa underlined that point in its own language about the fair’s role: “We are one of the leading event organisers in the fashion world, which gives us a unique perspective on where future trends are moving. We aim to work with our partners to reflect the trends in the industry but also recognise opportunities for the industry to act as a moral compass with the responsibility to promote sustainability.” Coterie FW26 may have been tested by a blizzard, but the programming — from Conscious Collections to Normal NYC edits and the Sustainability Assessment Program — shows Informa betting the trade-show format can still shape buying floors and supply-chain choices.