Sergio Hudson and Esor Marie Collaboration Debuts at NYFW Fall ’26

If not for Sergio Hudson’s mother, Esor Marie might not be making its New York Fashion Week collaboration debut this season.

Hudson tapped the luxury women’s footwear brand for a new shoe collaboration — a first for Esor Marie. The collection will launch during the womenswear designer’s fall 2026 show on Friday. The two brands first collaborated on the spring 2026 NYFW show, when Hudson featured Esor Marie mules on the runway.

The two connected when Esor Marie was working on scaling the business and appearing in an NYFW show. Hudson’s team saw how Esor Marie’s values aligned with their own, but it was Hudson’s mother who really sold the partnership after trying out the heels.

“What was told from Sergio and from his mother was that when she tried the shoes on, she knew this was a perfect match and it fit, and she fell in love with our brand,” said Lamar Williams, Esor Marie’s founder and creative director. “This is someone I hadn’t even spoken to.”

“It stemmed from her and her confirmation of saying, ‘I don’t know what it is, but this is the brand that you should collaborate with and this is the brand that should showcase the footwear for your show.’”

It didn’t take long for Hudson to get on board as well, and take the footwear brand to the runway. The partnership was a pivotal moment for Williams and his brand.

“It’s so surreal,” Williams said about being part of NYFW. “Honestly, I don’t even see the brand in the position it is in currently. I don’t see how big it is and how far I’ve come.”

The idea for Esor Marie started in a more humble fashion. Seven years ago, Williams was sitting in his bed in his New York studio apartment, eating pizza out of the box and pondering where to take his career. The young designer had switched his focus from medicine to working in the fashion industry, following his creative passions. After working in visual merchandising in retail, Williams landed on footwear design in 2019 and launched his brand shortly after. 

In the first year, Williams worked on creating a patent on his heel and finding a manufacturer, before the pandemic hit. Over time, the brand grew and celebrities like Marsai Martin, Coco Jones and Doechii were seen wearing the styles. The steady growth and dedication to uplifting strong women ultimately led to the partnership with Sergio Hudson, who consistently designs for empowering, confident women.

“Our brands were meant to be,” Williams said. “It reflects each other and it embodies that woman.”

The first show turned out to be a successful endeavor for both brands. A few weeks after the show wrapped, Hudson’s team reached out to Williams again, asking to work together on the fall 2026 line. There was a twist this time around, though; Hudson wanted to collaborate with Williams on new designs for the upcoming show rather than use preexisting models.

“Having two creatives come together and be pleased with the outcome, that can be a situation where that group may not be able to mesh,” Williams said. “That didn’t happen. [Sergio] suggested minor tweaks…but it was nothing so off-putting that it changed the identity of my brand, so it made the process easy.”

For the upcoming collection, Sergio Hudson x Esor Marie is debuting five new shoe styles. The line features one pair of knee-high boots covered in a black crocodile leather material and rounded off with a sharp pointed toe. Two pairs of pumps, one covered in the same crocodile print as the boots, and one embossed in smooth black leather, are also included in the lineup. Finally, a strappy sandal in both materials will be seen down the runway.

Esor Marie’s signature patented two-pronged heel is seen on each design, with sky-high heights reaching nearly five inches.

“Scaling the brand and being invited to New York Fashion Week, I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone else but Sergio and his team,” Williams said. “This experience we’ve had from him, his team, his mother, it’s been priceless, and it’s a dream come true.”