New York Fashion Week is as much about what happens after the shows as what happens on the runway, and Net-a-Porter added one of the week’s most polished gatherings to the calendar with its first ever “Incredible Women” party.
Held at Straker’s new SoHo restaurant, the evening brought together a mix of fashion insiders, actors, athletes and longtime friends of the retailer, with Serena Williams, Cindy Crawford, Katie Holmes and Emmy Rossum among the guests. The event extended Net-a-Porter’s Incredible Women podcast and editorial franchise into a live celebration, turning the idea into a room full of women who have shaped fashion, culture and entertainment in very different ways.
A Fashion Week Party With a Point of View
The setting helped the night feel intimate rather than overly staged. Guests gathered over Champagne and caviar while Mia Moretti handled the music, giving the evening the energy of a proper fashion week party without losing the sense of occasion.
There was also a timely editorial connection. Cindy Crawford, Net-a-Porter’s September cover star, featured prominently in the brand’s debut printed zine, which was displayed during the event. It gave the party a stronger identity than a standard seasonal cocktail, linking the guest list back to the women the platform is actively celebrating.
Cindy Crawford Brings Supermodel Polish
Crawford’s presence felt especially fitting. Decades into her career, she still carries the kind of effortless authority that fashion parties often try very hard to manufacture. Her appearance also reinforced the evening’s focus on longevity and influence rather than simply whoever happens to be having a moment.
Serena Williams Adds a Different Kind of Star Power
Serena Williams brought another dimension to the guest list. Her growing presence in fashion has moved well beyond front row appearances, and she continues to blur the line between sport, business and style in a way that feels completely natural.
At an event built around women with impact, her inclusion made perfect sense.
Katie Holmes and Jason Bard Keep Things Understated
Katie Holmes and Jason Bard brought a quieter kind of polish to the evening. Both have become reliable fashion presences in New York, with personal styles that lean more toward considered dressing than obvious red carpet drama.
That balance suited the mood of the party, which felt more like a meeting of strong individual style than a parade of heavily coordinated celebrity looks.
More Than Another NYFW Cocktail
Net-a-Porter has long used New York Fashion Week as a moment to bring together designers, editors, stylists and clients, but the Incredible Women concept gave this edition a clearer reason for existing.
The guest list was glamorous, certainly, but the real appeal came from seeing women from different worlds gathered under one idea rather than one dress code.
For a week built around what is new, the evening was also a reminder that influence is not always about novelty. Sometimes it is about staying relevant, evolving and continuing to have something to say.
