To the sounds of hip-hop performed live on the runway, Daniel’s Leather’s models strutted and danced at 601 West 48th St. last Tuesday. It was an amazing parade of beautiful people in wheelchairs, on crutches, holding canes and wearing prosthetics, and rolling & rocking on skates and strutting their stuff. The 150-piece collection consisted of luxurious fur, leather, suede, shearling coats, jackets, stoles, and vests. Furry pieces were superbly modeled by men, women, and children. You couldn’t tell what was real or faux fur, but you could acknowledge the designs, impeccable tailoring, and fabulous styles of the garments.
Daniel Waheed, designer and owner of Daniel’s Leather, located at 159 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002, created a fashion furor with two shows of absolute drama. The models were incredibly talented, inspirational, and quite entertaining.
Daniel’s Leather opened in 1995. As the story goes, a friend of his at a bar suggested he start creating furs on a small scale. With talent, hard work, and dedication, the business grew. His shop is well-stocked with every fur type you could imagine — mink, fox, chinchilla, plus fine leather coats and jackets. (We talked about a fur coat that I once owned in the 1970s, which featured 69 pieces of fur, and we both laughed.)
Renee Minus White/A Time to Style photos
His store offers fantastic fur selection in all colors and styles. In the show, sleeves were oversized, and most furs were long-haired. Hoods, especially for children and even infants, were in play. Surprisingly, entire families with mothers, fathers, and two to three children hit the runway at once. Some mothers carried toddlers on their hips, and yes, they both had matching furs. Other babies were in strollers.
For fall ’25, the most heartfelt models were the folks in wheelchairs and on crutches. As the audience cheered, they modeled fur jackets and danced to the music, expressing positive attitudes and body language. Folks were in awe to see wheelchairs spinning, and the models exhibited a happy, “nothing can stop me now” vibe while on the runway. “We are all beautiful people,” smiled Waheed.
During the Sunday afternoon interview, the show’s models were coming in and out of the shop for fitting and alterations. While Waheed originally wanted to be an engineer and holds a degree in engineering, he loves designing for all people, especially children. Along with dressing many celebrities, like Cardi B, he also does custom design work and rents his furs for shows and celebrity public appearances, but folks usually purchase his furs. “Fashion is no-longer dictated. People should wear what they want and what makes them feel comfortable,” said Waheed.
Daniel’s Leather is open every day of the week, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Prices range from $300 and up. For more info and to place orders, visit dl-nyc.com, email danielsleather06@yahoo.com, or call 212-674-8868.