Montemaré Returns to New York Fashion Week
Behind the Scenes: Montemaré at New York Fashion Week 2026
This season took us back to New York Fashion Week — this time to the rooftop terrace of 335 Madison Avenue, with Grand Central Station stretched out below us. Curated once again by Flying Solo, we were proud to stand among 100 designers from around the world — the UK, India, Germany, Mexico, the US, and beyond — all gathered in one of the most iconic backdrops New York has to offer.
Fitting Day
Fitting day happened the day before the show, and it was every bit as fast-paced as I remembered from our debut. As one of 20 accessory designers in the lineup, we spent the day in a compact styling room, working piece by piece to pair our bags with each finished model look.
We collaborated closely with shoe designer Nina B from Uruguay and jewelry designer Raw Hibiscus from South Africa, making sure every detail — from the shoes to the jewelry to our bags — came together into one balanced, striking look. I'll admit, a few styling choices weren't quite what I'd envisioned, and I would have tweaked them if I could — but honestly, it's okay. Everyone still looked amazing, and so did the bags ;)
Two pieces became instant favorites of mine that day: the Sedona Work Tote in Black, styled in its classic structured form, and the Vienna Mini Crossbody in Latte, reimagined as a belt. Seeing that kind of unexpected styling come to life is one of my favorite parts of runway — it reminds you how much range a well-designed piece can have.
It also meant so much to have my mom and my best friends, Sarah and Alicia, in the room helping with styling choices, alongside the returning models and the whole Flying Solo team. Backstage, Rayvin from Luminarc Productions was capturing it all.
Show Day
We arrived at 9:30 AM for our 10:00 AM showcase, running on nerves and coffee. Our models were placed toward the end of the lineup — looks 11 and 12 — which meant we had to move fast backstage in the final stretch: bags stuffed, zipped, tag-free, and handed off to the right model for the right look.
We'd prepped and prepped for how each bag should be held and oriented on the runway — and, well, live shows are live shows. With our set toward the end of the lineup, our models had to run backstage, change in a flash, and get right back out there. Running on that adrenaline, a couple of them forgot to hold their bag just right or pose with it at the end — but honestly, that's part of what makes runway day feel so real. I was just glad they made it down the runway at all, let alone in the heavy rain that had picked up by then. Major props to them — not one complaint out of any of them. We closed out by stepping onto the runway ourselves to take in the crowd, soaked and smiling.
What meant the most to me personally was looking out and seeing both of my best friends there, cheering me on, in the rain. They'd taken time away from their own families just to show up for me, and that kind of support stays with you. And its these moments that I cherish most!
Thank You
None of this happens without an incredible group of people. Thank you to our models, the Flying Solo team, Luminarc Productions, and every photographer and videographer who stayed out in the rain to capture it all. And a special thank you to Sarah and Alicia, who were there every step of the way.
Another New York moment for Montemaré — rooftop views, rain and all!
Thank you for following along on our journey! I'm so thankful also for your support and I hope we can continue to make timeless and functional designs that you will love!
Signing off for now, but wishing you all the best,
Kate
