Romeo Hunte isn’t interested in being placed inside a box.

Coming off the latest Romeo Hunte presentation during New York Fashion Week, the Brooklyn-born designer is looking beyond the labels that have followed his career and toward the continued evolution of the fashion house he has spent years building.

His latest collection, Ivy Noir, brings that evolution to the forefront.

Rooted in the Americana influences, statement outerwear, denim and sharp tailoring that have become signatures of the Romeo Hunte brand, Ivy Noir introduces a new layer to the designer’s world. Romanticism and femininity meet collegiate references, American prep and a darker Gotham City-inspired sensibility, creating a collection that looks toward the future without abandoning the foundation of the house.

For Hunte, that distinction matters.

While his Brooklyn roots and connection to New York culture remain embedded in his work, the designer pushes back against being defined strictly through the lens of streetwear. At the center of Romeo Hunte, he says, is something much broader: American luxury.

It’s an approach that has helped his designs find their way onto some of the biggest names across entertainment, fashion, sports and culture, including Beyoncé, former First Lady Michelle Obama and Colman Domingo.

But Hunte is thinking beyond individual celebrity moments and runway presentations. He’s focused on longevity—creating clothing his clientele can return to years from now while continuing to expand Romeo Hunte into a fashion house with a recognizable identity of its own.

In an exclusive conversation with Prince Carter for Its Only Entertainment, Hunte opens up about the creative vision behind Ivy Noir, why he doesn’t consider himself simply a streetwear designer, the cultural impact of seeing major figures wear his designs, the partners who helped bring his latest NYFW presentation to life and what comes next for the Romeo Hunte fashion house.

Coming off your latest NYFW presentation, what story did you want this collection to tell, and what did this particular moment represent for you creatively?

Romeo Hunte: Honestly, I wanted to remind people that I’ve been here and that the Romeo Hunte brand continues to evolve. I’ve always been known for my outerwear, denim and tailoring, but this season felt like the right moment to really explore the evolution of both the Romeo Hunte woman and man.

I wanted to stay true to my Americana aesthetic while introducing a more romantic and feminine side of the RH woman. You saw that through the lace, pleating, softer fabrications and more refined, romantic details, while still maintaining the structure and tailoring that are part of our DNA.

For the men, I really leaned into tailored suiting and those preppy, wearable American classics—the double-breasted blazer, elevated denim and collegiate references. I was inspired by Harry Potter and that scholastic world as well, and I wanted to take some of those traditional prep elements and bring them into the Romeo Hunte universe.

There’s still that Gotham City darkness underneath it all, which is where Ivy Noir really came together. Creatively, this collection represents growth. It shows that I can continue evolving the house without abandoning what people originally fell in love with.

Your work has developed such a recognizable identity, blending luxury, Americana influences and unexpected construction. How has your creative vision evolved as the Romeo Hunte brand has grown?

Romeo Hunte: You know, when people refer to me strictly as a streetwear designer, I always feel like that’s inaccurate. Of course, I’m from Brooklyn, so there will always be an element of the street and New York energy in what I do. That’s naturally part of who I am. But embedded in the Romeo Hunte DNA is American luxury.

When you see Romeo Hunte, you’re going to get exquisite tailoring. You’re going to get wearable classics, statement denim, strong outerwear and familiar American pieces interpreted in unexpected ways. My vision has always been about making people feel beautiful and confident and allowing the clothing to speak for itself.

But I’ve also evolved personally as a designer. As my clientele has grown, I’ve grown with them. I’m thinking more about what people actually want to live in—not just what makes an incredible runway moment, but what someone is going to put on five or ten years from now and still feel special wearing.

For me, that’s part of building a fashion house. It’s about creating a recognizable language while continuing to challenge yourself enough that the story never becomes predictable.

You’ve built a brand that has been embraced by major figures across fashion, music, entertainment and sports. What does it mean to see your designs become part of these larger cultural moments?

Romeo Hunte: Romeo Hunte is for the people. I’m always elated when the culture wants to incorporate my work into these major moments. Whether it’s Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Colman Domingo or an athlete wearing Romeo Hunte, I never take that support for granted.

To me, it’s a testament to what we’ve built and to the way the clothing makes people feel. I want you to put on Romeo Hunte and feel beautiful, confident and powerful. This is my passion, so I take it very seriously.

Creating those custom moments is honestly one of my happy places because you’re working with someone to create something that becomes part of their story. To have people trust me with those moments means the world.

I’m grateful for the support, the grace and the trust people have given me to continue creating pieces that will hopefully become iconic in their own right.

Bringing a runway show of this scale to life takes a community. How important were your partners, MIZANI, Saint and CITZEN, and The Models Resource in helping bring the Ivy Noirexperience together?

Romeo Hunte: Fashion is collaborative. People see the final looks walking down the runway, but there are so many people behind the scenes who help bring that vision to life.

Having partners like MIZANI, Saint and CITZEN, and The Models Resource support Ivy Noir was extremely important to me because each partner contributed to creating the full experience. From beauty and casting to production, hospitality and bringing people together, everybody played a role.

I’m very intentional about partnerships. I want to work with people and brands that understand what we’re building and genuinely want to be part of the journey. A runway show isn’t just about the clothes—it’s the hair, the casting, the environment, the energy in the room and, ultimately, how people experience the collection.

I’m incredibly appreciative of our partners for believing in the vision and helping us bring Ivy Noir to life during New York Fashion Week. MIZANI truly executed my vision.

As you look beyond this latest collection, what is the next chapter for Romeo Hunte, both creatively and for the brand as a whole?

Romeo Hunte: We definitely have some exciting things on the horizon. I’m not going to give everything away just yet, but let’s just say expansion and more opportunities for people to experience Romeo Hunte face-to-face and really understand the DNA of the brand.

I’m always thinking about what’s next. I never want to get too comfortable creatively or as a businessman because there’s still so much I want to accomplish. Right now, I’m excited about continuing to push myself, expanding the world of Romeo Hunte and reaching the full potential of what this house can become.

More than anything, I’m grateful to still be here, still creating and still evolving. The goal is bigger than one collection or one runway show. I’m building a fashion house that people can believe in, grow with, love and continue to support for years to come.

Hunte’s vision for what comes next may remain under wraps for now, but one thing is clear: Ivy Noir represents another chapter in a much larger story.

From Brooklyn to New York Fashion Week and some of culture’s biggest names, Romeo Hunte continues to expand the language of his brand while keeping American luxury, craftsmanship and individuality at its core.

And as Hunte makes clear, the goal isn’t simply to create the next talked-about collection. It’s to build something capable of lasting.

The Prince Report