Fantasy, Femininity and Craftsmanship Defined Barshai’s “Pennies from Heaven” SS25 Collection

Every other day, an unattributed quote makes the rounds on social media, “You can tell [by his creations] when a designer loves women.” The posts are generally accompanied by images of dreamy fashion creations that embody femininity and speak to women’s style sensibilities. Erik Barshai, founder of the eponymous New York-based fashion brand, easily fits this description. 

A Pratt Institute graduate, Barshai has been in the fashion industry for about a decade. Going from designer roles at established fashion labels such as Calvin Klein and Jill Stuart to founding his namesake brand was something akin to a leap of faith. The trust paid off, he says. In just a few seasons, Barshai has grown to be recognized for narrative-driven creations that merge reverie, meticulous craftsmanship and a profound — and very evident — love for women. These elements were at the core of Barshai’s “Pennies from Heaven” Spring Summer 2025 collection, unveiled at New York Fashion Week on September 10. 

Endless Love for Womenswear

“I have so much love and respect for women, everything I am today is thanks to women,” Barshai tells EnVi a few days ahead of his collection presentation at St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, an East Village landmark in Manhattan. As the designer explains, the collection and show are a follow-up of his debut Resort 2025 collection “House of Barshai,” where he explored the beauty and mystique of an abandoned house, with his creations taking the role of sleeping beauties — hidden treasures of sorts — revived for the runway. 

Exploring the line between antiquity and modernity through top-notch craftsmanship and designs rooted in femininity, Barshai’s latest collection merges Victorian and Art Deco influences. “Pennies from Heaven” also revisits twentieth-century design codes, referencing the image of “The New Woman” — the name coined for 1920s women navigating a changing social and political landscape. 

“I find the history of womenswear endlessly fascinating because even though women’s lives have changed, the essential goal of all clothing is that [when] women have to be dressed, they need to be supported,” Barshai explains. “That history is so fascinating that I’m always going back into it.”

Pennies from Heaven

Finding inspiration in women and thinking about their clothing needs have been foundational for Barshai’s creative universe. When asked about the type of women he creates for — and after some natural musing — he concludes: “I design for women who are looking for a dream.” 

Catering to those who appreciate craftsmanship and crave fantasy, Barshai’s one-of-a-kind pieces have indeed brought back old American couture and breathed new life into a fashion industry oftentimes fixated on commercial success. In his latest presentation at New York Fashion Week, the designer reimagined 1920s womenswear for the modern woman. Streamlined silhouettes, flapper-reminiscent forms and doll-like faces came together in a lineup of 12 evening looks that referenced Consuelo Vanderbilt.

The show unfolded in three stages, reenacting Vandelbilt’s life from childhood to her later years. The first set of outfits — including a crying bride —  represented Vanderbilt under parental constraints. Act two embraced tailoring with a color palette ranging from umber to sage green. The show came full circle in the last stage, where a corseted bodice made out of pennies literally embodied the collection’s name. A masterpiece of artistry, craft and theatrics, “Pennies from Heaven” was, in the words of EnVi’s creative director Niamh Murphy, “not your standard cookie-cutter runway presentation.”

It’s All About Femininity

For a designer who can’t think of a higher compliment than women appreciating his work, Barshai is, of course, all about femininity and womenswear. When asked about the future and potentially expanding to menswear, the designer emphasizes that even if he were to create clothing for men — which he hasn’t really thought about — his designs would still find inspiration in women. “Everything I design comes, as much as I can, from a feminine perspective, so even if it’s menswear, it would still [retain a] womenswear [quality].”

Though Barshai jokingly asks me to repeat the question in a couple of years, he also makes it clear that he designs for anyone looking to embrace femininity, regardless of their gender. “I think that anyone can wear my clothing,” Barshai says. “One thing about the show — that I’m really proud of — [is that] everyone in the show identified as a woman. There were nonbinary models and trans models and cis models. The way I work, I don’t want a single person to feel different from the other group. I think the phrase nonbinary is very much in my clothing. Anyone can wear it and we could fit it to a lot of people. It [channels] this true line of romantic and mysterious femininity that, I think, exists in everyone. If you want to engage with it, my clothes are for you.”

Reinvigorating American Couture 

Led by a creative whose passion for design has never wavered — “I’ve always known I wanted to be a designer,” he tells EnVi — Barshai is revitalizing the American fashion scene. At the latest New York Fashion Week edition, Barshai’s authentically whimsical creations and rarified craftsmanship stood alone among the minimalism prevailing on the runways. 

In an era where microtrends and fleeting fads dominate fashion, Barshai’s commitment to exploring the “art of womenswear” and elevating the craft is perpetuating the legacy of couturiers like Charles James. Barshai is also paving the way for a new generation of designers and fabricating a dreamy wardrobe for couture-loving individuals. 

If there were any doubts about the future of American couture, the world can rest assured. American couture is in good hands.

Interested in more New York Fashion Week content? Check out the best dressed stars at the six-day event here.