New York Fashion Week has seen plenty of showstoppers, but Zero Waste Daniel’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection raised the bar with a drag-fueled celebration of fashion, performance, and queer artistry. Instead of a traditional runway, the Brooklyn-based brand staged a one-night-only extravaganza where drag icons and ballroom legends transformed sustainable couture into performance art.
Couture Meets Cabaret
Creative director Daniel Silverstein invited drag artists not just to wear the collection, but to help shape it. Each handmade look drew inspiration from The Harlequin Boy, a childhood story about a Venetian boy who creates a costume from scraps. That resourceful, patchwork spirit became the DNA of Zero Waste Daniel, and on Monday night, it exploded into color and movement onstage.
From mosaic florals to balloon silks, every piece told its own story. Yvie Oddly stunned in a gown stitched from a retired hot air balloon with a train so long it swallowed the stage. As she swept across the floor to Shirley Bassey’s “Over the Rainbow,” the crowd erupted. Raja Gemini also turned couture into theater, serving pure diva energy in Silverstein’s upcycled designs.
A Star-Studded Lineup
The night was stacked with talent. Hosts Kiki Ball-Change and Selma Nilla kept the energy high, while performances came from Plasma, the House of Xtravaganza, King Molasses, Julie J, Essa Noche, Hanukah Lewinsky, Chelsea Piers, and Kizha Carr, who holds the title of New York’s Entertainer of the Year. Jasmine Rice LaBeija brought the house down with a live rendition of Andrea Bocelli’s “Time to Say Goodbye,” while nightlife legend Lady Bunny set the tone behind the DJ booth.
Queer Joy on the Runway
For Silverstein, the show was more than fashion, it was political.
“As a queer person running this business with my husband, I cannot ignore what is happening around us,” he said. “Right now, marriage equality, trans rights, and basic protections are openly under attack. Drag has always shown me what joy in the face of adversity looks like. This collection is about honoring that resilience.”
The statement was underscored by the presence of allies and supporters in the crowd, including J. Harrison Ghee, Nymphia Wind, Laganja Estranja, Tayce, Hannah Solow, Alex Wong, and Dawn Gallagher.
Fashion With a Future
Zero Waste Daniel has long been celebrated for turning textile scraps into wearable art, and this collection doubled down on that ethos. The patchwork and floral designs debuted onstage will soon inspire a ready-to-wear line, available on the brand’s website.
By merging drag’s unapologetic creativity with sustainable design, Zero Waste Daniel reminded New York Fashion Week that couture doesn’t just strut, it can leave a 20-foot train in its wake.
