Zero + Maria Cornejo: With a 20th anniversary to commemorate this year, Maria Cornejo delved into her archives to bring a fresh perspective to the organic silhouettes and bold graphic prints that have since become her signature. Opening with hits of fuchsia and closing with a myriad of stripes and crosshatch prints, the collection was easy proof for how Cornejo's aesthetic has remained evergreen for all these years.
Gabriela Hearst: Looking to the suits of George Best, the clashing animal prints of Keith Richards and the polka dot ties favoured by Winston Churchill, Hearst sent out an elegant assortment of day-to-evening looks that were inspired by men, but still championed femininity. From fitted double-breasted suits to printed knitwear that clung to the body, each element reiterated Hearst’s signature spin on understated luxury.
Ralph Lauren: It was an intimate affair for the brand’s A/W 2017 offering, with its founder inviting guests to a show held in the cavernous garage of his Bedford home. The collection- which featured a selection of see now buy now pieces-was presented against a backdrop of cars from Ralph Lauren’s private automobile collection, one of the most esteemed in the world. The mens’s and women’s offering featured elegant tweed and houndstooth tailoring, high gloss evening wear and tuxedos, plus a host of black-tie women's looks in yellows, reds, blues and blacks which complemented the tones of Lauren’s extravagant car collection.
3.1 Phillip Lim: A single line from the philosopher Marshall McLuhan served as a touchstone for the brand's latest collection: ‘When two seemingly disparate elements are imaginatively poised, put in opposition in new and unique ways, startling discoveries often result’. The mantra was certainly true for the designer’s newest creations. Mixing pinstripe suiting with athletic silhouettes, deconstructed androgynous tailoring and exaggerated ruffles, Lim’s S/S 2018 was fresh, unexpected, energetic and wearable – just what we want clothes to be.
Mansur Gavriel: For its first ready-to-wear collection, Mansur Gavriel remained close to the minimalist principles that have kept them in good stead. Oversized felt coats, skinny knits and classic trouser silhouettes took on a bold appeal in a bright palette of red, pink and lemon, offset against more neutral interpretations. The addition of sheer chiffon pieces, which included skirts, dresses and jackets provided that fashion-forward slant that the label has come to be known for. There were a bevvy of new accessory styles to match, including an oversized leather tote for the fans who already have everything.
Colovos: For S/S 2018, husband-and-wife Michael and Nicole Colovos took inspiration from ‘emergence theory’ – the idea of different interactions colliding to make complex patterns. One interaction that caught our eye was the brand’s collaboration with jeweller Fay Andrada, who we featured in our March 2017 issue. Andrada is renowned for her oversized disc-like creations, and she created organic curving earrings in silver and red metal, which complemented the hues used throughout the collection.
Narciso Rodriguez: For the brand’s 20th anniversary, Rodriguez subverted the traditional catwalk concept for an intimate selection of appointments at his showroom. The designer presented a collection in elegant red, white and black, which nodded to the evening wear desires of those with the most delectable taste. Body-hugging dresses were draped across the body, or finished with sensual V-neck strapped backs. Bra tops were layered over body skimming silhouettes, and off the shoulder tops with breezy straps were paired with perfectly trimmed tailored trousers.
Diane von Furstenberg: Inspired by Andy Warhol's experimental films and Factory Girl Jane Forth, chief creative officer Jonathan Saunders put on a stunning display to unveil DVF's latest collection. As models stalked past, donning 70s style bias cut dresses in psychedelic florals and aqueous prints, staggered projections of each girl trailed behind on translucent screens, giving the presentation a trippy, ephemeral quality. The combination of free-spirited nostalgia and digital innovation, which also carried though on custom-developed textiles, like screen-printed lurex and liquid-like sequin fabrics, was an elegant union of past and present - much like the brand itself.
reatures of the Wind: The brand embraced an art school vibe this season with nods to the Dutch masters and impressionism infused throughout its collection. Classical artworks were transformed into overblown prints and painted onto jacquard and paper-like fabrics to resemble canvases that were then cut into coats, trousers and dresses. Swarovski crystal appliques, sheer silk panels delicately printed with pencil drawn florals and hand-painted two-tone leather trenchcoats were combined with long, ladylike silhouettes. The collection’s psychedelic slant was enhanced by the debut of the label’s eyewear, made in collaboration with State Optical, based in Chicago. Inspired by shapes worn by musical icons, the graphic frames were an ideal finishing touch.
Birkenstock: We travelled to Berlin for the launch of Birkenstock Box at the renowned boutique Andreas Murkudis. The brand’s mobile retail content, envisaged as a travelling pop up space designed by Gonzalez Haase AAS, features an interior made up of the its renowned cork material. For its second journey, the stacked freight containers travelled to Barney’s New York. New York Fashion Week attendees marvelled at a range of exclusive product, from a natural skincare line to limited edition co-created footwear.
Rosetta Getty: The memorable, individual style of Georgia O'Keeffe was a major influence for Rosetta Getty’s S/S 2018 collection. Inspired by the artist’s approach to uniform dressing and her warm Western aesthetic, Getty worked with textured fabrics such as fluid shantung and moiré, crinkled satin and tweed gauze, to bring an artistic slant to her versatile silhouettes. The homage not only includes cape back shirts, wrap-panel trousers, pleated dresses and tunics, but also includes a poplin men’s style shirt and t-shirt printed with nude portraits of Georgia O'Keeffe, taken by her husband Alfred Stieglitz.
Public School: A narrow gritty arcade in the heart of Chinatown was the perfect backdrop for Public School's latest show. The collection tapped into the city's urban flavour with tongue in cheek references to takeaway menus and ubiquitous plastic carrier bags, which appeared as logos and slogans on the sportswear-inspired garments. The label played with athletic mainstays to give them an elevated edge. Belted windbreakers, layered nylon pants, wafting viscose jumpsuits and lace-up leather dresses were some of the highlights that got our heart rates up.
Eckhaus Latta: One of the most popular and powerful images surfacing on the Instagram feeds of New York Fashion Week attendees was a runway shot of a pregnant woman wearing a clingy ribbed jersey dress, unbuttoned to reveal her bump. Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta are burgeoning designers intent on celebrating the human form, not in a provocative sense, but through a desire to embrace the diverse reality of the human body. For the brand’s S/S 2018 show, which featured refreshingly wearable looks – from knitted trousers paired with nylon windbreakers to slip dressess and denim two pieces – the naked form was also prevalent. A range of naked breasts, visible under sheer tops and a powerful pregnancy bump bought a boom of body positivity to the week’s proceedings.
Tibi: Set against the historical backdrop of Fulton Market, Tibi’s show sought to capture the energy of 1980s New York in the best possible way. Elegantly exaggerated jacket silhouettes, subtly deconstructed jumpsuits and snug, ribbed bodysuits were paired with the label’s aptitude for voluminous tailoring, flowing dresses and subtle details that catch the eye. Paired with a palette of lavender, mustard, pastel blue and sienna, the collection was a sophisticated balance of city grit and femininity.
Paul Andrew: The renowned England-born New York-based shoemaker debuted his S/S 2018 collection on fuchsia plinths, surrounded by neon tubing. The shoes, which featured a range of stilettos and heeled boots, featured woodblock printed tropical blooms offset against slivers of sheer plastic. The combination of materials and patterns bought a futuristic romanticism to Andrew’s latest footwear.
Rag & Bone: The brand eschewed the traditional runway format this season, inviting guests to its New York HQ to experience its latest collection up close. Inspired by festival dressing, its spring/summer offering featured a generous dose of colour, plaids and florals – all distinct departures for the brand. To inaugurate the collection, the label also unveiled a special series of self-portraits, featuring friends of the brand, such as Carolyn Murphy, Bobby Cannavale and Maye Musk, donning its newest garb in a show of personality and style. Charitable donations were made to each subject's cause of choice – a sensitive gesture inspired by the current cultural climate around the world.
Area: As one of New York’s emerging fashion names, Area did not disappoint with its youthful, yet well-crafted collection. Staged on the rooftop of the New Design High School and set against a view of the city skyline, with walls decorated with graffiti, the label proved its mettle with an array of specially treated fabrics that included psychedelic watercolour prints and embossed foil finishes. The brand's vibrant pieces were inspired by ‘Kollektsia!'- an exhibition of Russian contemporary art at the Pompidou.
Jason Wu: The catwalk details of Wu’s S/S 2018 womenswear set – huge, poured concrete vases filled with a teeming array of blooms – offered a contemporary interpretation of floriculture. His collection too was an amalgamation of wardrobe essentials for the modern New York woman: striped dresses with sexy splices at the navel, waist cinching knits paired with sporty drawstring skirts, and tailored trouser suits with ruched sleeves. Bright floral prints – a Wu signature, evoked the tropical blooms seen along the catwalk, and were strewn across insouciant draped dresses or printed like pointillist artworks across across patchwork panels of sexy, slit-detail dresses.
Philipp Plein: The German designer’s maximalist attitude reached new heights at his second showing in New York City. Taking over the Hammerstein Ballroom and packing it with around 2,000 guests, the designer presented a scintillating collection that mixed studded black leather, black lace and crystal encrusted denim with major sex appeal. Kitsch cartoon prints were offset against fetishistic bondage details, in a denouement that blended the pretty with the provocative. In Plein’s usual theatrical show style, a host of A-list guests, from Dita Von Teese to Future, performed at the show. Should attendees have been envious of the flowing glass Teese performed in, they were treated to champagne and hamburgers from their seats.
Alexander Wang: Not satisfied with one runway show, the designer dolled out three guerilla-style catwalk spectacles across New York for S/S 2018. Two of the shows, on Lafayette and Astor Place were for the public – crowds were seen queueing for #WANGFEST wristbands throughout the day. The third and final for press was held on a gritty closed off street in Bushwick. Wang’s renowned blend of downtown drama was evoked in slinky stud detail dresses, twisted silk camisoles and sporty ripped tracksuit bottoms, paired with sheer lace bodysuits. Hybrid designs were also key, with trousers resembling tapered leather trousers paired under denim hot pants, spliced mini skirts – half leather and half trench-coat – and bra tops worn over cropped shirts.
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A friendly rivalry coloured by kinship: Wendy Maruyama and Tom Loeser on their two-artist show'I wanted to make furniture, just not traditional furniture, but weird furniture,' says Wendy Maruyama on ‘Colorama’, a two-artist show presented at design gallery Superhouse (until 11 January 2025)
