New York Fashion Week introduced another name to watch this season. Camryn Renée McClain, a 26-year-old designer, presented her latest RENÉE collection on February 14, 2026.
The intimate Soho presentation featured drinks, music, fashionable attendees, and immaculate vibes. Her collection, called Entwine, tells a deeper story through fashion.
A Collection Rooted in Beauty School Memories
McClain’s work pulls directly from her upbringing in beauty spaces. Growing up shaped how she approaches design fundamentally.
“A lot of the references are for hair — especially natural hair,” she shared. Her mother owns a cosmetology school in Washington, D.C.
McClain spent significant time watching students practice their craft. “There are a lot of braids, a lot of knotting, and a lot of hair details in the collection,” she explained. “Watching the students do everything really shaped how I think about design.”
Transforming Childhood Memories Into High Fashion
The designer takes her beauty school memories and redefines them through fashion. Hair has always been part of her life experience.
“It naturally became part of the collection,” McClain noted simply. The connection feels organic rather than forced or conceptual.
Each piece in Entwine carries traces of those formative years. Braiding techniques become garment construction methods. Hair textures inspire fabric treatments and embellishments.
Live Models Bring the Story to Life
The presentation format allowed guests to experience the collection intimately. Live models posed around the room displaying each piece.
Attendees could examine detailing, fabrication, and storylines up close. This approach amplified McClain’s narrative effectively.
The static presentation gave guests time to appreciate craftsmanship. Traditional runway shows often move too quickly for such detailed observation.
Electric Blue Braided Two-Piece Steals the Show
One standout piece brought style, culture, and drama simultaneously. An electric blue braided two-piece hugged the model’s curves perfectly.
The outfit showed off her small waist and flirty midriff. The fit seemed perfect for New York City rooftops or nighttime dancing.
The braiding technique referenced natural hair while creating structural interest. Color choice added boldness and contemporary edge to traditional craftsmanship.
Bubble Barrettes Reimagined as Funky Crop Top
A clear bubble crop top immediately sparked nostalgic recognition. Many attendees remembered the bubble hair barrettes from childhood.
Those noisy accessories once adorned countless little girls’ hairstyles. Reimagining them as a funky crop top was brilliant and bold.
The piece works with jeans, mini skirts, or slouchy sweatpants. Its versatility matches its creativity perfectly. This type of cultural reference resonates deeply with Black women.
Fringe Adds Drama and Movement
McClain played with fringe in dramatic, unexpected ways. The embellishment gave wearers chances to show off their fierceness. Styling options remain wide open with these pieces. Movement and texture create visual interest from every angle.
Fringe references both hair movement and nightlife energy. The design choice bridges McClain’s dual inspirations seamlessly.
Reframing Romance as Power
According to the press release, Entwine explores intimacy as personal and cultural storytelling. The collection reframes romance as power rather than softness alone. Braiding serves as a central motif throughout the pieces. It symbolizes connection and lineage across generations.
Bias cuts and draped silhouettes express softness without weakness. The garments celebrate femininity while asserting strength. This duality defines McClain’s design philosophy.
From Seven-Year-Old Dreams to NYFW Reality
McClain is only 26 but has wanted to design since age seven. Her career path has been deliberately strategic.
After graduating from FIT, she started at Coach on their runway team. Currently, she works as a denim designer during traditional business hours.
She builds her own brand, RENÉE, outside her nine-to-five job. This hustle represents many young designers’ reality today.
RENÉE: A Love Letter to Self and Culture
McClain’s label carries personal significance beyond commercial ambitions. RENÉE is a love letter to herself, her family, and her culture. NYC nightlife inspires the brand’s aesthetic and energy. The city’s nocturnal rhythm influences silhouettes and styling.
The brand name itself—her middle name—signifies self-love and ownership. She’s building something deeply personal while commercially viable.
Dream Clients Include Rihanna and Doechii
When asked which celebrities she’d love to dress, McClain mentioned Black women exclusively. “Rihanna—absolutely. That would be incredible,” the DMV native said with a smile.
She added more names to her wish list enthusiastically. “I love Doechii, Tyla, Ayra Starr, and Justine Skye.” These choices reveal McClain’s aesthetic sensibilities clearly. She wants to dress women who push boundaries and embrace boldness.
Celebrating Natural Hair Through Fashion Design
Natural hair inspiration remains central to McClain’s design identity. She’s translating texture, technique, and cultural meaning into garments. This approach fills a gap in fashion representation. Natural hair rarely inspires high fashion collections so explicitly.
McClain’s work validates Black hair culture at fashion’s highest levels. She’s proving our beauty traditions deserve runway recognition.
Building a Brand While Working Full-Time
McClain represents a generation of designers hustling differently. She maintains stable employment while pursuing creative dreams.
This dual approach provides financial security and creative freedom. The nine-to-five funds the passion project sustainably.
Many young designers follow similar paths out of necessity. McClain’s success proves this model can work with dedication.
A New Name to Watch in Fashion
McClain’s NYFW debut signals the arrival of fresh creative talent. Her perspective brings needed cultural specificity to fashion.The Entwine collection demonstrates both technical skill and cultural literacy. She understands fashion history while creating something new.
At just 26, McClain has decades of design ahead. If this debut indicates her trajectory, fashion should pay close attention. She’s building something special that honors heritage while pushing forward.
