5000 FW25 Brings "Bootsy" to Life

Taylor Thompson’s Oakland-bred 5000 is known to wear its Bay Area pride on its sleeve, last season paying tribute to San Francisco’s storied Mabuhay Gardens punk venue in its debut New York Fashion Week presentation. For its first-ever NYFW runway, the 2024 CFDA Fashion Fund finalist pays homage to his hometown once again, extrapolating and exploring the connotations and constraints of an unlikely Northern California colloquialism.

Entitled “Bootsy,” 5000’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection is centered around the Bay Area slang term. Also stylized “Bootsee,” the term is used to refer to someone or something uncool or awkward – greatly popularized by the E-40 song of the same name – or, in reference to funk legend Bootsy Collins, to signify something bold or eccentric. At its core, “bootsy” embraces individuality and unbridled authenticity; compared to “camp” in the show notes for its subversion and rebellion, it’s this exact sentiment that Thompson taps into to create his Fall/Winter 2025 range which, as the show notes indicate, looks to examine “bootsy” as more than just a slang term but a cultural artifact and “social study.”

Staged on the indoor rooftop of the Lower East Side’s Nine Orchard Hotel, 5000’s debut Fashion Week runway signaled immense growth from last season’s outdoor presentation. Backed by an aptly Bay Area soundtrack – foghorns, fireworks and BART sounds included – models donned a lineup of 29 looks down a white runway as the skyline surrounded an intimate group of guests.

Suiting remains a strong point in the collection, with classic double-lapelled grey, black, and pinstriped suits – stamped with a double pocket on one side of the jacket – juxtaposed against most statement bleach-dyed blazers and trousers. However, in the spirit of “bootsy,” seemingly simple suiting is finished of with ribbon ties.

Continuing to push the boundaries on contemporary menswear, 5000 offers up Oxford shirts lined with curved buttoning down the middle and a lineup of innovative layering options and mixing of textures.

Seeking to “prove that even something deemed uncool or coarse can be chic, tender and expressive,” the showcase saw a handful of models hold pleated capes over their heads – halfway down the runway, letting go, revealing them to be trains attached to the jackets.

Explore 5000’s Fall/Winter 2025 “Bootsy” collection in the runway images above and stay tuned to Hypebeast for continuing New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2025 coverage.