Negris LeBrum chose the rooftop of Rockefeller Center as the backdrop for his Spring/Summer 2027 runway show. Entitled Collection Negris, the show looked incredible against the iconic rooftop surroundings.
Designer Travis Hamilton built this collection around a concept he calls “western luxury,” however don’t expect fringe and cowboy hats. Instead, references appeared through details and attitude: gold embellishments, decorative trim and subtle nods to Western belt buckles were worked into sophisticated silhouettes. Brocade, lace and silk chiffon provided the luxury counterpart, giving the looks an opulence that felt rooted in a very specific place and history.
Burnt Orange as Identity
The color that defined everything was burnt orange. It appeared across tailored pantsuits, cropped jackets, mini dresses, flowing trousers and floor-length pleated gowns. For this collection, the shade had become less a color choice and more a signature.
Hamilton connected it directly to his upbringing in northwest Louisiana, where the red clay hills carry that same warm, earthy tone. The color was clearly an integral part of the collection.
Burnt orange read differently depending on the fabric. In structured pieces it had a tailored crispness. In flowing dresses and wide-leg trousers it softened into something more relaxed. One of the strongest moments came in a marbled brocade that swirled together orange, bronze and metallic gold that gave the collection its most opulent edge. Touches of burgundy, cream and gold provided contrast without breaking the story.
Structure Meets Ease
Hamilton moved fluidly between silhouettes throughout the show. Fitted jackets and sleek trousers appeared alongside cropped tops and minis. Softly draped dresses balanced longer, more fluid shapes.
There was also an interesting interplay between modesty and sensuality. A structured high-neck jacket might pair with a midriff-baring moment. A plunging neckline top was paired with wide, sweeping trousers. Short hemlines shared the runway with midi and floor-length silhouettes. The result felt glamorous showcasing clothes that make an entrance and still feel wearable.
The jewelry collaboration with gospel icon Yolanda Adams added another layer. Her pieces moved through the lineup in perfect alignment with each look, contributing a spiritual resonance that complemented Hamilton’s Southern roots without overpowering the clothes.
The Score That Told Two Stories
What photographs could not capture was the music. Rather than pulling from an existing soundtrack, Hamilton composed and arranged an entirely original score for the runway using AI. /thus was a first for the brand and an intriguing creative decision for this NYFW season.
Hamilton described the score as carrying two love stories simultaneously. On the surface it traced the enduring romance of Negris LeBrum. Underneath, it wove in his own more complicated relationship with the fashion industry — the ambition, the devotion and the heartbreak that comes with building something inside a demanding creative world.
“Music is very important, it helps set the stage,” Hamilton said. “I wanted something that would test the psyche as we told the love story. But this particular story was twofold.”
A Collection Rooted in Storytelling
Storytelling has always been central to Negris LeBrum. The brand takes its name from a Louisiana love story dating to 1940, a narrative Hamilton has carried forward through every collection since founding the label in 1999.
For Spring/Summer 2027, that heritage came through without overwhelming the clothes. The burnt orange connected the collection to Louisiana soil. The gold brought glamour. The silhouettes gave those references a thoroughly modern wardrobe. Set against the New York skyline, the show felt entirely fitting — a collection grounded in where its designer came from, reaching toward where fashion may be headed.
Negris Lebrum Runway Gallery
See Lebrum’s evolution. Here’s the 2019 collection
Photos courtesy of Negris Lebrum.
