The Most Iconic and Unexpected NYFW Front Rows of All Time
In Europe, the largest luxury houses keep their own roster of celebrities on retainer to fill their front rows. But during New York Fashion Week, labels often hustle to fill seats with available VIP butts.
Many American brands are quite adept at curating surprising, delightfully unexpected front-row parings. Where else would you see A$AP Rocky sitting next to Isabelle Huppert or Fran Lebowitz chatting with Dita Von Teese but New York Fashion Week? Other labels are happy to go all out with the kind of celebrity chaos that seems directly out of Andy Warhol’s wet dreams. We’re talking doyennes of the arts next to D-listers, contemporary artists beside reality TV icons, and club kids rubbing shoulders with classically trained actors. Here, a look back at some of NYFW’s most unlikely front-row groupings.
Anne Hathaway and Jessica Simpson
One didn’t know if tuna was a type of chicken, the other didn’t know that cerulean is a kind of blue. Here’s Anne Hathaway and Jessica Simpson front row at Luca Luca’s spring 2005 show.
Lizzie Grubman, Miss Piggy, and George Whipple
Heatherette’s fall 2005 show brought together infamous publicist Lizzie Grubman, longtime NY1 personality George Whipple, and Miss Piggy.
Chloë Sevigny, Maya Rudolph, and Mary-Kate Olsen
If you’re a young fashion fan and weren’t aware of how cool Tara Subkoff’s Imitation of Christ was at its peak, just know that she got Chloë Sevigny, Maya Rudolph, and Mary-Kate Olsen in the front row of her fall 2005 show.
Juliette Lewis, Kelly Osbourne, and Zendaya
A young Zendaya looked on as Kelly Osbourne and Juliette Lewis practiced their sitting technique at Christian Siriano’s fall 2015 show.
Tyga, Kylie Jenner, and Madonna
Madonna meeting Kylie Jenner was not even the most chaotic thing that happened at Philipp Plein’s infamous fall 2017 show at the New York Public Library.
Rihanna, Laurie Anderson, and Bono
Surely someone has wondered if Rihanna has ever met legendary avant-garde musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson. Well, she did, at Edun’s spring 2015 show.
Martha Stewart, Joan Rivers, and Star Jones
To be fair, Martha Stewart, Joan Rivers, and Star Jones are exactly who you’d expect at a Dennis Basso show. This grouping occurred at the brand’s fall 2013 runway show.
Jared Leto and Larry David
By all accounts, Larry David did not enjoy himself at this one-and-only appearance front row at a fashion show (even if he was sat next to a masked Jared Leto). That’s no insult to Staud (this was their spring 2022 runway). Would you expect him to enjoy himself at any public event?
Fran Lebowitz and Dita Von Teese
Fran Lebowitz and Dita Von Teese at Carolina Herrera’s fall 2014 show really could only happen at NYFW.
Shawn Mendes, Kate Moss, Kourtney Kardashian, and Travis Barker
Anything can happen at Tommy Hilfiger.
Lindsay Lohan and Taylor Momsen
G Star’s spring 2010 fashion show brought together Millennial icons Lindsay Lohan and Taylor Momsen.
Isabelle Huppert, A$AP Rocky, and Millie Bobby Brown
This one actually makes sense, once you realize it was during the brief time Raf Simons was creative director of Calvin Klein.
Bella Thorne, Orville Peck, Teyana Taylor, Lil Nas X, and Sam Smith
The headpiece Lil Nas X wore to Christian Cowan’s fall 2023 show was so big that technically he was sitting in the 1.5th row.
Katie Couric and Bai Ling
Lloyd Klein’s spring 2005 show brought together a news anchor and a vaunted pioneer of the “not really sure why she’s famous” arts.
Wendy Williams and Jill Zarin
Wendy Williams and Jill Zarin at Betsey Johnson spring 2013 is what a millennial gay man with 14 hours of screen time a day sees when he closes his eyes to go to bed at night.
Maria Menounos, Usher, and Hilary Duff
Michael Kors’s spring 2007 show brought together this unlikely trio.
Lil’ Kim and Susanne Bartsch
Rap legend Lil’ Kim and nightlife maven Susanne Bartsch took in The Blonds’s spring 2026 show together.
Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Lopez
Marc Jacobs’s spring 2009 show brought together Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Lopez.
Amanda Lepore, Miss J, and Lisa Rinna
Kimora Lee Simons’s spring 2010 Baby Phat show brought together these icons.
Kim Petras, Slayyyter, and Christine Quinn
This grouping at Christian Siriano’s spring 2022 show produced a tweet that instantly became part of stan lore.
Molly Shannon and Kelly Killoren Bensimon
Who’s more iconically reprsentative of New York City: the women of SNL or the women of Real Housewives? Badgley Mischka decided they were equally as important when the label placed Shannon next to Bensimon at its fall 2019 show.
Sabrina Carpenter, Emma Roberts, and Charli xcx
Seven years before “Espresso” and Brat, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli xcx sat near each other at Coach’s spring 2018 show. Emma Roberts served as their joint seat mate.
Bryan Boy and Jocelyn Wildenstein
Pioneering influencer Bryan Boy and pioneering plastic surgery patient Jocelyn Wildenstein took in Fendi’s trip to New York together during the spring 2023 season.
Caitlyn Jenner and Alec Baldwin
Caitlyn Jenner and Alec Baldwin at Badgley Mischka’s spring 2019 show? Well, we guess Jenner’s daughters and Baldwin’s niece are friends.
Tiffany Haddish, Lil’ Kim, and Cyndi Lauper
Christian Siriano’s spring 2025 show brought together two gay icons and Tiffany Haddish.
T-Boz and Liza Minnelli
TLC’s T-Boz and Liza Minnelli ran into each other at Heatherette’s spring 2004 show.
Laverne Cox, Whoopi Goldberg, Meg Ryan, Molly Shannon, and Cardi B
During her very first New York Fashion Week, Cardi B took her place alongside a random yet unforgettable front row for Christian Siriano’s fall 2018 show.
Zoë Kravitz, Debbie Harry, and Alia Shawkat
Zoë Kravitz, Debbie Harry, and Alia Shawkat are all very cool, but each in their own distinct, separate way. You might not expect them to be in the same place at the same time—except, we guess, at Coach’s spring 2016 show.
Beyoncé, North West, and Anna Wintour (and Kim K)
North West accompanied by guest at YEEZY Season 1 in 2015.
