What you need to know going into the final fashion week of the season.

After winding its way through London, Florence, Milan and Paris – and then taking a quick, much-needed breather – the last leg of men’s Fashion Week relay sees New York pick up the baton this week. Because it brings up the rear, New York can feel slightly like Fashion Week’s dessert (ie, not the main event, often skipped). This season, however, the addition of some marquee names to the schedule and the fact that the men’s shows transition directly into the women’s (while some brands just present everything together on one runway, perhaps foreshadowing the end of separate fashion weeks altogether), has added an extra spring in New York’s step. Here are five things to look out for over the course of the next week or so.

**Mr Todd Snyder, leader of #TeamNewYork **

Mr Todd Snyder has been a faithful founding father of New York Fashion Week: Men’s since it was launched as its own stand-alone event in July 2015. “New York is the coolest city on the planet. I don’t know why more American menswear designers aren’t showing here,” he said last year, a swipe at some of his colleagues who have decamped to show abroad. Mr Snyder’s loyalty makes sense: despite the current mania for slouchy streetwear, the designer represents the essence of American style – a mix of breezy, clean sportswear with a hints of college quad prep, track-and-field athleticism, and old Hollywood glamour.

**Mr Tom Ford’s guide to the good life **

With his reflective aviators, sleek black tailoring and shirts unbuttoned down to there, Mr Tom Ford is the living embodiment of his brand’s jet-setting glamour. The designer and award-winning director tends to show when and where he likes, but this season he is bringing his show back to New York and presenting his men’s line on its own at the Park Avenue Armory, which will no doubt be a hotbed of A-listers looking for distinctive red-carpet attire (the Oscars are still four weeks away). Few have stronger opinions about matters of style than Mr Ford, but his discerning eye and sense of playfulness have proven that said opinions are always worth listening to.

Mr Raf Simons’ European élan

From hypebeasts to erudite fashion critics, few designers have a broader fan base than Mr Raf Simons. So it’s a special treat that the designer presents not one but two collections here in New York. First up is his namesake menswear label (his show for Calvin Klein will debut later in the month), which was shown last season to a standing-room-only crowd in Chinatown, tapping the gritty spirit of the streets. One thing is for certain: whatever he does and however he shows it, Mr Simons’ seasonal outing will be one of the week’s most talked-about moments.

**Mr John Elliott goes co-ed **

Los Angeles-based Mr John Elliott — he who arguably made sweatpants acceptable to wear outside of your home — is expanding his athleticwear empire beyond the guys with the debut of his women’s collection, taking place Monday 12 February. Expect his deft mix of casual easiness and laid-back vibes (a nod to his Cali roots) to make an effortless transition to her side of the closet. The benefit? Now your girlfriend has no excuse for stealing your favourite John Elliott sweatshirt.

**The art of looking good **

Dazzling colours, stunning use of silhouette, and an unmistakable SoCal nonchalance — no, we’re not talking about the hottest new designer, we’re talking about Mr David Hockney’s show at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on New York’s Upper East Side. Art and fashion have always been deeply intertwined and Mr Hockney has long been a source of inspiration to designers, so don’t be surprised if some fashionable faces take a break from the runways to take a whirl around this blockbuster retrospective that demonstrates why, exactly, Mr Hockney is considered an style icon, both in his work and life.

Keep up to date with The Daily by signing up for our weekly email roundup. Click here to update your preferences.