As the dust settles across New York City and the fashion insiders head to Europe for the month, I (a lowly fashion assistant) am finally coming up for air to think, "What the hell was that?" Although its ranking among the other Fashion Weeks is hotly debated, in my mind NYFW is the one to watch for the ones to watch. There will always be the big names, but I get especially excited for the younger brands to get their flowers. Here are some of my favs from the week:
Jane Wade
I have a special affinity for a fashion girl's interpretation of workwear (aka "corpcore"). Maybe it's because I'm still in the corporate world, or because I love an edgy, masculine interpretation of women's fashion. Whatever the reason, Jane Wade draws me in with her boundary-pushing interpretation of the traditionally limited office dress code. Her latest collection, "The Merger," introduces us to chicly-dressed models representing characters within the corporate hierarchy and business dealings. The looks were topped off with headsets, reading glasses, and keycards to bring us further into the world. The show culminated with big-boss CEO Lisa Rinna closing the show (I cheered out loud while watching the live stream on the subway platform). While some of these looks may be more office-appropriate than others, I would die to wear any one of them in the real world.
Images courtesy of Vogue Runway
Calvin Klein
This was the show that I (and probably the entire fashion world) was most excited for this season. Veronica Leoni's debut and Calvin Klein's return to the runway -- both brand & person (Mr. Klein himself was in attendance). This collection felt like an ode to the brand's glory days in the 90s. Leoni said in Vogue's "The Rundown" podcast that she didn't intend to directly reference the archive but was pleasantly surprised when she went in after the collection was completed to find many pieces that would have fit seamlessly into her interpretation of the brand. That integration -- and the looks themselves -- was effortless.
And can we talk about the COATS!?
Images courtesy of Vogue Runway
Brandon Maxwell
If Colin Jones is opening the show, I am SAT. If it weren't her powerful strut that grabbed my attention, it was the striking silhouettes and prints that followed. In recent years, Brandon Maxwell has been dressing for the everyday woman (rather than the red carpet moment). Each look from this collection could've walked off the runway and onto the New York City streets, making the woman wearing it the best dressed in the entire city. Brandon stayed true to the bold textures and prints that were a hallmark of his earlier collections, but the current interpretation aligns with the broader maturation of the brand. They're more refined, more subtle as if to say "I know what I'm doing."
Images courtesy of Vogue Runway
You can clearly see the influence of my own personal style through my top 3 choices; however, as a stylist and a lover of fashion I know that a show doesn't have to fit in perfectly within my own aesthetic for me to appreciate it. I love out-of-the-box creativity and there was plenty of it on the New York runways this season. I'd die to wear any one of these looks from the next shows too (just maybe not for the everyday occasion).
Sandy Liang
This collection evoked a strong sense of nostalgia from the very first look that stepped out onto the runway. With Girlhood cited as a major inspiration, there were a lot of 90's childhood references. A lot of the looks reminded me of ones I would put on my Barbies or Polly Pockets, wishing they were life-sized (both the clothes and the dolls). Sandy seems to summon this idea with mini-versions of an item attached to the life-sized version.
My absolute favorite pieces in the collection were the printed skirts (for me to wear, not my Polly Pockets).
Images courtesy of Vogue Runway
Selkie
Sometimes, the most inspired shows are held outside of the official CFDA calendar. Perhaps liberated from the pressures of being the main event, I often find that these off-calendar collections are going for artistry rather than commercial success. Selkie's latest collection, aptly named "Libertine," was inspired by the opulence of the Marie-Antoinette era and called upon the strong similarities between the political environments of past and present. The garments clearly conjured the 1700s with their full tiered skirts and tight corsetry, but what really caught my eye was the hair. Snatched to the gods and embellished with seemingly anything (shells, jewels, eggs, dolls) the wigs brought us deeper into Selkie's world and gave the Bridgerton wigs a run for their money! My favorite moment (maybe of all of fashion week) was the homage to Kate Moss' 1994 walk for Vivienne Westwood as she strolled down the runway with an ice cream cone but sans top. Selkie's modern take brought a huge smile to my face -- I think I prefer their version.
Images courtesy of Fashion Daily Mag & Fashion Network
While some consider NYFW to be at the bottom of the ranks among the other fashion weeks, it has a very special place in my heart. I grew up idolizing it, thinking of the events as the very pinnacle of the fashion world. To cite Vogue's great article quoting fashion insider's thoughts on the season, "I have the feeling that only American journalists complain about NYFW; the rest of the world is very excited by what’s going on there. New York is always energetic, and this season particularly" (Lucien Pages, Vogue). I'd have to agree -- No NYFW slander here!
Comments