Right in the midst of New York Fashion Week, HOLD NYC showed its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Hustlers. The show blended the energy of Wall Street’s excess and Studio 54’s nightlife, turning them into garments that feel at home both in the boardroom and the ballroom. Banker shirts, trench coats, and barely-there shorts traced a line between power and pleasure.

We talked with HOLD NYC about how Hustlers redefines what it means to dress and to hustle today, with backstage photography by Mathew Dubord, courtesy of HOLD NYC.

The SS26 collection Hustlers has inspiration from the greed of Wall Street and the hedonism of Studio 54, two worlds that seem distant but are also linked. What drew you to use this as inspiration?

In our current dangerous and disconnected world, Hustlers inspired a longing for a time that seemed dazzling and hopeful, and let’s be honest, a constant party. What if Capitalism could be utopian? The late 70s/early 80s had that lavish, uninhibited feel to it. Studio 54 was a place where bankers, designers, artists, models, uptown meets downtown, would intermingle without social restraints. It was also a refuge for gay men and transgender people before the AIDS epidemic tore those communities to shreds. I dove into that story of office workers going from the boardroom to the darkroom in a nonfiction, playful way.

There’s an intertwining of formality through banker shirts, trench coats, ties, and eroticism in barely-there shorts and silk cardigans. How do you create balance between these two styles?

At HOLD NYC, I love playing with opposites — masc/femme, public/private, good boy/bad boy. Putting two things together that come from opposite ends of a spectrum can really have an explosive effect. We really looked at blending codes here, tailored was done playfully, sporty pieces were done up in silk, and ringer tees were reimagined as sweaters. Hustlers was the first time we really focused on suiting and business attire, but we did them in easy, sexy, unrestricted ways. The jackets were unlined, and the pants were cut more like denim than trousers. And when they styled them with their opposites (a wool double-breasted blazer paired with sequin shorts), it gave this great expression that balanced really nicely.

HOLD often uses queer codes in menswear. How do you translate a world of subcultures into a collection?

You know, it goes back to playing with those opposites. I think queer culture, which is so diverse and has so many cultures within it, lives in this in-between of what we show the world and what we keep for ourselves. I do that at HOLD NYC and try to elevate some of those ideas. For example, there are secret little stash pockets, typically found in circuit party clothes, hidden in some of our pieces. The fit of our trousers is more for a gay male gaze. Our notable Jock Bag really embodies how we elevate something that’s so queer coded, but when it’s made in Italy, out of Nappa leather, and worn over a shoulder, it transforms it into something more.

Studio 54 has previously been used as inspiration in fashion. What did you feel was missing from the way others were using it, and how did you want Hustlers to differentiate from them?

I thought it was amazing that so many people were referencing Studio 54 lately! As Manhattanites, we would love to see its return in some way, and I think the general “party” trend shows us itching for a night out. It’s also such a rich inspiration, both visually and conceptually. I feel like it winds up on every designer’s mood board at least once. I wanted Hustlers to be a true blend of what Studio 54 looked like, and I think having a smaller brand allowed me to play with and push that a bit more. While others might diffuse Studio 54 into something chic and glam, we tried to show the raunchy, sexier side of it. One of my favorite images on our mood board was from a Grace Jones performance there, where she was surrounded by men in thongs holding guns — how can you not reference that?

The collection has “behind the office desk” energy, while also feeling like it’s meant to be worn to dance all night long. Do you think the future of menswear is about blending the boundaries between work and party garments, or about exaggerating their contrast?

I don’t think the future of menswear is necessarily about blending boundaries in a single garment, but I do think that a man’s wardrobe is evolving. I think where the blending can occur, within a single garment, that’s really exciting to me, is when functionality is introduced in places that are unexpected. A pair of work trousers should be able to be worn to the club and have “party” functionality, like breathable fabrics or subtly sexy fits. I think keeping the codes obvious and then blending them in outfits is where the interest happens.

Hustlers is inspired by iconic times, such as Studio 54 and the height of Wall Street. How do you balance these past references to what’s happening in contemporary culture today?

One of my favorite things about fashion is that it can be both a mirror that reflects our current culture, while also being a projector to show us the reality we crave, simultaneously. With HOLD NYC, I always try to have my jumping-off point be rooted in today’s reality. From there, I try to create a narrative around an idealized moment in time as a comment on today, whether it’s escaping to a mountain lodge or letting loose at a disco. That’s where I can start to dig into the visual cues of what the collection will look like and start to mine references. There’s a bit of checking in throughout the process too, making sure it doesn’t lean any one way.

Lastly, what does “Fucking Young!” mean to you?

Fucking Young! is an optimistic, sexy expression of oneself. Everyone should be Fucking Young!