New York Fashion Week closed Tuesday with the revival of plaid inspired by Clueless as designers rolled out the fall 2025 iteration of the pattern. The look—made famous by Alicia Silverstone’s Cher Horowitz in the 1995 cult classic—moved from screen to runway and onto city sidewalks as the print recaptured attention this season.
Plaid was widely framed as one of fall 2025’s defining trends. Acne Studios, Diane von Furstenberg and Negris Lebrum featured plaid on the runway, while Trapstar London and Cynthia Rowley sent looks in the print down the catwalk. Priyanka Chopra attended the opening of Dior’s East 57th Street flagship on Sept. 10 in a plaid top, celebrating the store’s debut. Taylor Swift, not in town for NYFW but linked to the moment, wore a Cher Horowitz–style plaid set by Simkhai to celebrate Patrick Mahomes’ 30th birthday, amplifying chatter about the print on social media.
The fashion story isn’t limited to runways. The Clueless legacy helped push plaid into streetwear, with Silverstone saying the film’s outfit—a Dolce & Gabbana plaid skirt anchored by a high-fashion blouse—almost didn’t make the opening scene. The wardrobe decision became a touchstone for the look that followed.
Negris Lebrum gave plaid a starring role in its NYFW lineup, while Trapstar London added it as a playful finishing touch to runway looks on Tuesday. Cynthia Rowley’s display also leaned into the print, showcasing how plaid can oscillate between luxury couture and more rebellious streetwear. The trend lands amid a broader revival of premillennial fashion cues, including bra-over-shirts styling and baggy, wide-legged denim, as designers mine nostalgia to refresh fall wardrobes.
Street-style coverage from NYFW captured pedestrians and influencers embracing plaid as they moved between shows. Poppy Miles cut a figure in a plaid mini skirt paired with a pink cardigan, while Tamu McPherson mixed and matched plaid across several looks, prompting social-media chatter about how the print can be layered and color-blocked. Photos from the event also showed Lauren B. Brown and other street-style stars treating plaid as a go-to, mood-setting motif for the season. Choreographer Sean Bankhead arrived in an all-blue and brown plaid number ahead of Off-White’s spring 2026 debut, underscoring how quickly the pattern has become a versatile staple. Podcaster Tinx joined the plaid moment, echoing the trend’s reach across different audiences.
As the week closed, the industry’s message was clear: plaid is no longer a seasonal throwback but a durable feature of fall 2025, capable of powering looks from glossy runways to the sidewalk’s micro-stages. Designers say the print’s versatility—able to skew luxe with a tailored suit or edgy with oversized knits and denim—helps explain its staying power as fashion houses and celebrities continue to lean into nostalgia while pushing contemporary styling boundaries.