It was finally here, the “new” New York Fashion Week.
New venues replaced Lincoln Center, which, a few years ago, replaced Bryant Park, my favorite locale. This time around, three main locations hosted the shows in the official calendar; such places competed with private shows hosted in many areas around Manhattan’s West Side.
Again, it was extremely hectic going back and forth on the West Side — or sometimes crossing over from west to east. Let’s not mention the after-parties that most designers planned once their models did the final walk on their runways. Oh, mon Dieu, but we are used to it, because that’s how it goes. The new format allowed a certain relaxed attitude with less in-your-face product placement behavior by the event sponsors. For sure, there was less hanging around in the lobby areas by “attendees” who, in the past, clearly could be a visual description of fashion victims.
Fashion Week in the Big Apple started and ended with two mega-bashes. The kickoff party was produced and hosted by Marc Jacobs to honor the book “GLOSS: The Work of Chris van Wangenheim” by authors and brothers Mauricio and Roger Padilha. Indeed, a mix of celebrities, socialites, models, fashion editors, bloggers, drag queens — all in their best Studio 54 ensembles — filled the club Tunnel.
The FIT exhibit “Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch” opening-night reception was a true confirmation that Susanne, the queen of New York nightlife, still has it … if anyone had any doubt about it. From Calvin Klein and Norma Kamali to RuPaul and Stephen Jones, it was a mad, glamorous, insane event to celebrate this stylish impresario who has been producing the most outlandish parties since 1986. This exhibit, which features about 80 looks, runs until Dec. 5.
For Spring/Summer 2016, designers took a calmer approach to their collections. There was sensuality, visual poetry (sometimes gimmicky) transparency and earthy influences — where the orange color became the pastel ruler, and poppies definitely will be the flower star of the next season. Fringes, still a fighting lasting trend, are still present, although ruffles are entering the style arena. Stripes — all kinds and on everything — will be everywhere. Off-shoulder looks were very present in almost every designer’s show, so be ready to show off skin. And for the tired moods, no worries — pajama looks will be major in S/S 16.
On New York Magazine’s fashion site The Cut, fashion journalist Cathy Horyn announced she was embarrassed to find herself running up Tenth Avenue to watch Kanye West’s Yeezy show presentation, concluding afterward that . Ouch!! Alexander Wang celebrated 10 years in fashion with a very urban show followed by a video reaffirming his brand vision and why he is so successful, indeed.
There were several designers debuting their label in New York as well. MONSE, by former Oscar de La Renta designers Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, definitely caused a solid and strong first impression with their sophisticated and modern collection that was inspired by “boyfriend shirts” and presented to a chic audience.
There is no doubt the most-anticipated show debut during this year’s Fashion Week was Givenchy. Performance artist Marina Abramovic art directed the grandiose and expensive show that had a most-powerful front row that, according to Givenchy Creative Director Riccardo Tisci, was a celebration of family and love. It was a very well-thought-out presentation, with 84 models and 84 looks, that dealt with strong 9/11 references, carefully looking at important emotional details, even if Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s late arrival delayed the show one hour (really!!).
Impeccable white and black clothes — with sublime layered lace work — entered the runway at a steady speed. Tisci also showed his take on men’s suit and tuxedos for women. Hands down, a beautiful event from start to end! Both models Candice Swanepoel and Pooja Moor fell hard on the catwalk; this metaphorically took me back to when, sadly, the two World Trade Center towers collapsed in one of the most horrifying events of human kind, but we all survived that massive fall, we all got up and moved on. Life goes on, and so did those two models after that little fall.
Gazelle Paulo is a contributing journalist for TheBlot Magazine. Follow him on Twitter and Freak Chic.
