Daniel Roseberry has completed his first New York City Marathon, finishing the 26.2-mile race in 4 hours and 24 minutes after beginning a focused training program just two months earlier.
The Schiaparelli creative director said the race was marked by ideal weather, the atmosphere along the route and the support of friends, family and spectators. He described the experience as overwhelming and said it would stay with him for a long time.
Roseberry began training in September while preparing his spring 2027 ready-to-wear collection. Working with his trainer of two years, Jonathan Fins, he built on a fitness routine based on strength training, mobility and calisthenics. His running schedule intensified quickly, with weekly distances reaching 33 kilometers before being reduced ahead of race day.
He started race day at 3:30 a.m. and took a 5:00 a.m. bus to Staten Island, where the marathon begins. As part of the final wave, he waited five hours before setting off at 11:30 a.m. The route crossed the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge before continuing through New York’s boroughs and ending in Central Park.
Roseberry said the crowds became especially meaningful after the opening climb. Spectators cheered for runners they did not know, creating what he viewed as a powerful expression of community. He completed the entire course without walking, although his initial goal had simply been to finish and remain able to walk afterward.
New York was a natural choice for Roseberry’s first marathon because he was already due to be in the city to accept the Leader in the Arts Award at the Hirshhorn Gala the following Monday. He also felt the Halloween weekend made the occasion particularly well suited to the city.
During training, Roseberry alternated between conversations with Fins and a playlist featuring Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and Rosalía. For the marathon itself, however, he listened to music for only about 15 minutes, choosing instead to remain present with the other runners and the spectators.
His running kit included Asics Gel-Kayano shoes, Nike socks, open-weave Sunspel cotton tank tops and wraparound sports sunglasses bought in several colors. The experience also influenced his perspective as a designer, prompting him to think differently about the body and about the value of work with a clear beginning and end.
Roseberry described the physical changes brought by the training as a reflection of an inner transformation. Rather than becoming someone new, he said, the process helped him recognize what his body had been capable of all along.
He is already considering a return. During the race, around miles four or five, he called a friend and said they should do it again the following year.
Sources: Vogue.