The Coolest Manicures Spotted At New York Fashion Week F/W 2025

Whether watching from an Instagram Reel or sitting front row, chances are your fashion week focus has been the luxe garments and artistic hair and makeup on the models as they walk the runway.

Pro tip from a beauty editor? Take a second to look at the model’s hands, because the catwalk offers the best mani inspo that ends up setting nail trends for the rest of the year.

In the past, there were lots of plain neutrals (think mannequin nails) and simple French tips to match barely-there makeup or glass skin glam, but the theme for New York Fashion Week’s Fall/Winter 2025 shows? Bigger, bolder, and beaming. Designers have allowed their creative visions to flow all the way down to the fingertips.

Luar designer Raul Lopez, for instance, celebrated queerness in an extravagant display of feathers and gems, contrasting the elegance of MONSE’s brick-brown tones. Meanwhile, over at The Blonds, razor-sharp stiletto nails were decked out in sparkly crystals and jewels.

Read on for a look at the most innovative and interesting manicures of NYFW F/W ‘25.

1. Dark Feminine

At Meruert Tolegen, celebrity nail artist Naomi Yasuda partnered with Addiction Tokyo to bring the designer’s dark humanity aesthetic to life. The goal was to create a contrast between shadows and the idea of sweetness, and this was achieved with a deep burgundy polish featuring pearl-lined cuticles. Yasuda used Addiction Tokyo’s The Nail Polish in Bloody Merlot for the moody grunge base and glued pearls outside the cuticle to return to the glamour element. The overall vibe? Dark femininity at its finest.

2. Extravagant Romance

Alice + Olivia will always be known for its flirty, feminine collection of dresses and everyday wear, so it’s no surprise the designer amplified that energy with enchanting and romantic nail looks for their NYFW show. NYC-based nail artist Miss Pop worked with Salon Perfect to create several sets of majorly bedazzled manis that oozed extra-ness and felt ultra-feminine. Starting with the Salon Perfect Magnetic Silver Press On Nails as the base, the “Baroque” look included an array of pearlescent or rhinestone jewelry placed around the perimeter of the nail and cuticle.

In the same vein, the “heavy metal platinum chrome” nails used Salon Perfect’s Heavy Metal Solid Chrome Press Ons encrusted with a mix of black and silver rhinestones.

3. Mermaidcore Iridescence

To match the sparkles and shiny fabrics of its collection, Lapointe collaborated with Dear Sundays on an iridescent shimmering manicure. To get the look, the team applied a coat of B.01 - Hydrating Base Coat before going in with one layer of Tara Stiles: Ease and another of MIZHSE Nail Polish in Aurora Green Effect for the reflective, mermaid-esque shine.

4. Extra Embellishments

At The Blonds, manicures were anything but subtle. CND created several versions of coffin and stiletto-shaped nails covered in gems and lace overlays to match the dark fantasy-like jewel tones of the gowns. In particular, the black lace covering of the “Nude Veil” look by nail artist Valerie Ducharme and the emerald green serpent pattern of the “Jeweled Serpentine” mani by nail artist Giselle Caballero stole the show. Calling it now: lace nails and extra-long extensions will be the top requests at salons in 2025.

5. Flamboyant Feathers

Serving as a reclamation of the word “pato,” which translates to duck in Spanish but is also used as a gay slur in many Latin American countries, Laur designer Raul Lopez wanted his collection to be an unapologetic celebration of queerness, honoring the creativity that these communities have always poured into culture. So, taking note of the duck inspo and exuberant energy of the clothing, nail artist Yasuda opted for a feathered finish on 3-inch-long tips.

The nail artist used either OPI’s Black Onyx, Alpine Snow, or Livin' La Vida Mocha for the base, then added a mix of gemstones and black feathers to cover the extensions. The result was an ostentatious show of pride that translated beautifully on the runway.

6. Earthy Undertones

Although MONSE’s nail look is the definition of simplicity, the rusty clay color worn by all the models still packed a punch. Editorial manicurist Jin Soon Choi used her namesake brand and chose the earthy terracotta shade Fire Clay to harmonize with the chic yet chill loungewear-inspired collection. Plus, the color was universally complementary on every model.

7. 3D Cowboy Prints

If you were one of the few people able to snag a ticket for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour, this is the perfect mani for you. At Kim Shui, OPI brand ambassador and nail artist Coca Michelle constructed a silver chrome “Western Belt” manicure featuring a reflective base and 3D western print that mimicked a western-style belt buckle. She used OPI gel in Brown to Earth under a chrome powder for the base and a mix of the Super Gloss No Wipe Top Coat and Black Onyx to paint the print. This look perfectly matched some of the Western themes in the designer’s show, like the use of fringe and bolo ties.

Sticking with the motif, Michelle also created a hyper-realistic crocodile print. She used OPI Blinded by the Ring Light & Cliffside Karaoke for the base before going back in with Cliffside Karaoke to paint the scales.