The NYFW low ponytail surfaced repeatedly during the Spring/Summer 2027 shows in New York, with Cult Gaia, Tory Burch, TWP and Maria McManus each using a low placement while changing the finish. The repetition matters because the looks ranged from loose and romantic to sleek and folded, giving one familiar silhouette several distinct runway interpretations.
Key Takeaways
- The official New York Fashion Week calendar ran Sept. 10 through Sept. 15, 2026, while Cult Gaia presented on Sept. 9, the eve of the official schedule.
- Cult Gaia hairstylist Karim Belghiran created an “Infinite Knot,” combining a low ponytail shape with a looped, wispy finish.
- Tory Burch used a sleeker low ponytail, while TWP hairstylist Joey George created “The Fold” with a bronze clip.
- Maria McManus paired its Spring 2027 collection with a natural, knotted low style by Antoinette Beenders.
Low Placement Becomes a Repeated NYFW Beauty Detail
The NYFW low ponytail appeared in several forms during New York Fashion Week, but the clearest connection was not a single styling technique. It was placement. Hair sat close to the nape or lower back of the head, while stylists adjusted tension, texture and structure to suit each collection.
That distinction keeps the trend from becoming a claim that every runway used the same look. Cult Gaia leaned into looseness. Tory Burch chose a cleaner silhouette. TWP turned the ponytail into a folded shape, while Maria McManus kept the hair natural and knotted.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America scheduled the official Spring/Summer 2027 New York Fashion Week from Sept. 10 through Sept. 15, with 70 runway shows and designer presentations listed on its preliminary calendar. Cult Gaia presented on Sept. 9 alongside several shows held before the official opening.
The attention to low placement also fits a wider beauty conversation in which relatively small runway beauty details can influence how a complete runway look reads. In these Spring 2027 examples, the ponytail worked less as a dramatic centerpiece and more as a controlled styling choice that shifted with the clothing around it.
Cult Gaia and Tory Burch Favor Softer Ponytail Finishes
Cult Gaia provided one of the clearest examples on Sept. 9. Hairstylist Karim Belghiran created the “Infinite Knot” for the Spring/Summer 2027 runway, forming the hair into a loose, elongated loop near the nape while leaving visible texture and movement through the lengths.
Belghiran described his inspiration as “a dreamlike woman in a dream world.” The finished style used wispy texture and a looped construction rather than a tightly secured, high-gloss ponytail.
Beauty coverage of the show documented related treatments, including a straighter infinity-knot shape and a softer version with waves. Fingers were used during portions of the styling process to help preserve texture rather than flatten the hair into a uniformly polished finish.
The result accompanied Cult Gaia’s Spring 2027 collection, titled “Behesht,” which moved between darker and lighter moods. The hair maintained softness throughout those shifts without becoming a separate visual statement.
Tory Burch approached the same low-placement idea with more restraint. At the brand’s Sept. 10 show, hairstylist Guido Palau used a sleek ponytail positioned around the middle-to-lower back of the head.
The styling accompanied a collection that Burch discussed in terms of joy and optimism, combining what she called “opulent femininity” with utilitarian sportswear. The controlled hairstyle provided a contrast to the collection’s embroidery, beading, tailoring and color without competing with those elements.
The softer approach also sits alongside broader interest in soft glam beauty trends that retain visible polish without depending on a heavily constructed finish. At Tory Burch, the hair remained controlled, but it did not rely on the height or severe tension associated with a tightly pulled high ponytail.
TWP and Maria McManus Expand the Same Silhouette
TWP showed how the low ponytail could move from relaxed to architectural.
Hairstylist Joey George created a style called “The Fold,” using Oribe products before pulling the hair back with a bronze clip. Runway beauty reporting described the result as an exceptionally low and loose ponytail, with the folded construction becoming its defining element.
The style drew inspiration from Georgia O’Keeffe. Instead of creating volume at the crown or forming a conventional hanging tail, George concentrated the shape near the nape.
The bronze hardware gave the hairstyle a visible structural point while maintaining the low profile seen elsewhere during the week. That distinction placed TWP’s version closer to a sculptural fold than Cult Gaia’s loose knot, even as the two styles shared a similar position on the head.
Maria McManus offered another variation during its Spring 2027 presentation on Sept. 14.
Antoinette Beenders used a natural-looking knotted style that could be formed with the hair itself or secured with a clip. The approach complemented a collection that drew from McManus’s Irish background, memories of 1990s youth culture and literary references from the 1960s.
Across the four shows, the differences are as significant as the similarity. None depended on an identical part, texture or fastening method.
The recurring element was the decision to keep the hair low and close to the neck, then allow texture, clips, knots or folds to establish the individual character of each look.
The NYFW Low Ponytail Finds Its Wearable Edge
The NYFW low ponytail stands out partly because the runway versions do not depend on a new haircut, dramatic color change or one exact hair texture. Each interpretation starts with a familiar action, pulling the hair back, then changes the result through placement and finish.
That makes “wearable” a description of the construction rather than a prediction about how broadly the hairstyle will spread.
Cult Gaia’s knot is more elaborate than an everyday ponytail, while TWP’s folded shape depends on deliberate placement and hardware. Still, the underlying silhouette remains recognizable.
The Spring 2027 examples also move away from treating the ponytail primarily as a high, taut styling statement. Placement dropped lower and, in several cases, the tension eased. Wisps, bends and loose ends remained visible rather than being completely smoothed away.
That variation is central to the trend’s relevance. A romantic loop at Cult Gaia, a restrained ponytail at Tory Burch, a clipped fold at TWP and a natural knot at Maria McManus all began from roughly the same low position.
The evidence from the New York shows therefore supports a narrow but visible development. The NYFW low ponytail became a recurring Spring/Summer 2027 runway detail, with hairstylists using different textures, knots and structures instead of repeating one standardized beauty look.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NYFW low ponytail trend?
The NYFW low ponytail refers to several Spring/Summer 2027 runway hairstyles positioned close to the nape or lower back of the head. Cult Gaia, Tory Burch, TWP and Maria McManus each presented different versions rather than one identical hairstyle.
Which NYFW shows featured low ponytails?
Low or low-ponytail-like styles appeared at Cult Gaia, Tory Burch, TWP and Maria McManus during the September 2026 fashion week period. Their interpretations ranged from loose knots and sleek ponytails to folded and clipped constructions.
Who created Cult Gaia’s Infinite Knot hairstyle?
Hairstylist Karim Belghiran created Cult Gaia’s “Infinite Knot” for the Spring/Summer 2027 show on Sept. 9. The style placed a loose, looped shape near the nape and retained wispy texture and movement.
How was TWP’s low ponytail different?
TWP hairstylist Joey George created “The Fold,” a low hairstyle secured with a bronze clip. Its folded construction gave the ponytail a more architectural appearance than the looser treatment used at Cult Gaia.
Is the low ponytail replacing slicked-back hair?
The Spring 2027 runways show increased interest in lower, softer ponytail variations, but the available examples do not establish that slicked-back hairstyles have disappeared. The documented shift is more specific: several New York shows favored lower placement and less rigid finishes.
