Camryn Renée’s NYFW Collection Inspired By Natural Hair
Meet Camryn Renée McClain, The 26-Year-Old Who Just Dropped A NYFW Collection Inspired By Natural Hair
- Camryn's collection Entwine draws from her upbringing in a cosmetology school, featuring natural hair and braiding techniques.
- The collection reframes romance as power through draped silhouettes and bias cuts, with braiding as a central motif.
- Camryn has dreamed of designing since age 7 and hopes to dress influential Black women like Rihanna, Doechii, and Ayra Starr.
New York Fashion Week always brings new names to watch, and Camryn Renée McClain is officially one of them. The 26-year-old designer presented her latest collection for her brand RENÉE on February 14 at an intimate Soho presentation, complete with drinks, music, fashionable people, and immaculate vibes.
I witnessed the collection – called Entwine – firsthand and quickly realized this was a designer using fashion to tell a deeper story.
A NYFW Collection Rooted In Beauty, Hair, And Culture
Renée’s work pulls directly from her upbringing and the beauty spaces that shaped her.
“A lot of the references are for hair — especially natural hair,” she shared. “I grew up in a cosmetology school in D.C. My mom owns one. There are a lot of braids, a lot of knotting, and a lot of hair details in the collection. Watching the students do everything really shaped how I think about design. It’s me taking those memories and redefining them through fashion.”
Live models posed around the room, displaying the collection that Camryn told me about. Each helped amplify her story and give attendees a close-up look at the detailing, fabrication, and storylines she was so passionate about.
An electric blue braided two-piece brought style, culture, and drama all at once. The fabric hugs the model, showing off her curves, small waist, and flirty midriff. The fit was perfect for a New York City rooftop or a night out dancing in the city.
Camryn continued, “Hair has always been part of my life, so it naturally became part of the collection.”
I also spotted a clear bubble crop top that immediately took me back to the bubble hair barrettes many of our moms used to put in our hair. You know the ones that made noise? Reimagining them as a funky crop top was chef’s kiss and such a bold statement. It’s the kind of piece you could wear with jeans, a mini skirt, or slouchy sweatpants.
Renée also played with fringe in dramatic ways, giving the girls a chance to show off their fierceness no matter how they style it.
According to the press release, Entwine “deepens RENÉE’s exploration of intimacy as both personal and cultural storytelling, reframing romance as power. Braiding serves as a central motif, symbolizing connection and lineage, while bias cuts and draped silhouettes express softness.”
Meet Camryn Renee McClain: From Dreaming At 7 To Showing At NYFW
Camryn is only 26, but she told me she’s wanted to design since she was seven. She started at Coach on their runway team after graduating from FIT. Now she works as a denim designer during her nine-to-five while building her own brand.
Her label, RENÉE, is a love letter to herself, her family, and her culture while being inspired by nightlife in the Big Apple.
When asked what celebs she would love to dress, she of course mentioned Black women. “Rihanna—absolutely. That would be incredible,” the DMV native said with a smile.
She added, “I love Doechii, Tyla, Ayra Starr, and Justin Skye.”
