New York Fashion Week 2018 is coming to a close as all the runways have been walked and outfits worn. A time for showcasing the latest crazy couture and designer pieces, NYFW brought more to the table then just awesome attire. The week consisted of empowering runway shows complimented by artistic and creative pieces. Although each designer and brand deserved equal commendation for their collections, I went day by day and picked out my favorite collections of the week.
FEB 8
Starting the week of right, The Global Fashion collective brought an interesting twist to the opening day by creating a runway show combining collections of 7 different artists. Out of the 7, however, Kim Tiziana Rottmüller’s collection really caught my eye.
Her collection BITTERSWEET, was just that: a mixture of blacks and structured silhouettes with pale pinks and flowy ruffled material. Rottmüller really brought an artistic element and crafty structure to her work. When I first saw her pieces and their details, it brought me back to the days of arts and crafts and making streamers and shapes out of just simple paper and classroom tools.
Source//www.notjustalabel.com/designer/kim-tiziana-rottmuller
She even incorporated iron framing into her pieces to demonstrate the “Prison” aspect of her collection, representing a mental constriction placed on an individual. But she softened the looks with her take on a “Barbie” pink to demonstrate an innocence that wants to break free of that constriction, really playing on those bittersweet tones.
FEB 9
Day 2 hosted one of the most empowering and moving shows that the whole week had to offer. The front-runner was most definitely the #METOO Fashion Show organized by Myriam Chalek and American Wardrobe. Playing of the #MeToo movement that has taken the media by storm, these artists used a popular platform to spark change and acknowledge the horrors of sexual assault.
Toorganizer Chalek, it wasn’t even about the clothes and pieces. She said at her show that she didn’t want anyone walking out of the show saying that they liked the pieces or clothes, that it was much more than just that. It was about empowering women and raising awareness for sexual misconduct. Once each of the 7 models made their way down the runway, they stopped and gave a speech about their experience as a sexual assault victim and survivor.
They were walked down the runway handcuffed to men wearing pigs masks, showcasing the evil nature of the assaulters that had done these horrible things. Looking for social change, Chalek and American Wardrobe sparked a fire in the audience, and kept the movement alive in a place so highly dominated by women.
FEB 10
On Saturday, the world-renowned Alexander Wang showcased his Fall 2018 Ready to Wear collection, full of edgy, rocker pieces that somehow seemed professional in nature.
His line, though intended to evoke a “corporate” feel, was way too revealing and even too high fashion to ever be worn in a corporate office. However, his outfits did give off a professional vibe, even the ones with the least material. He played on the very popular skinny sunglass trend by pairing them with black leather pieces detailed with silver zippers and metallic accents and soft white shirts that gave looks a feminine touch.
(Source//Marcus Tondo/ indigital.tv)
He also introduced a puffer jacket with a silver detailed vest and took a high fashion approach on mixing comfort and fashion. Utilizing soft material that looked quite grunge, he even transformed the typical sweat suit into a fashion forward piece. His pieces embodied confidence and sexiness, and totally appealed to a strong woman. Keeping to the basic colors, his pieces were anything but boring and brought a whole new meaning to office couture.
FEB 11
On Day 4, Vivi Zubedi introduced her “Modest, but not Meek” collection. Her models donned traditional Muslim robes called abayas, as they made their way down the runway. To me, her show was extremely important because a lot of current fashion trends emphasize that less is better, when in actuality, that’s simply not realistic for most women.
To women that practice modesty due to values, ideals or religion, Zubedi’s design’s bring a new trend to fashion: modesty can be stylish. Representing the Muslim women in the fashion industry and those who just want to be acknowledged, her collection incorporated hijabs and modest attire in every piece.
(Source//Fashion Week Online)
FEB 12
On the 12th, the designer that stood out to me the most was Anna Sui, and not just because Gigi and Bella Hadid were featured models. This collection was an amalgam of florals and romantic colors with loose feminine materials. The patterns drew the eye to the center of the frame, incorporating pattern to emphasize the models curves and strong points.
Extremely floral and feminine, her pieces were delicate and heavily influenced by Asian designs. Most of the pieces resembled traditional Asian patterns, giving a sense of culture mixed with vogue. Each piece was modest and gave good coverage, but the loose see through materials gave each piece a dainty and sexy feel.
Her collection called Beloved, played on this idea of romance with soft materials and deep colors. Her lineup ranged from casual dresses to extreme high fashion pieces, showing her versatility in design.
(Source//Lucu tombolini/ indigital.tv)
FEB 13
My top pick for this day was not even about clothes, but rather because of an interactive app (technology these days!). Badgley Mischka, a designer shoe and dress brand, incorporated an interactive app so that attendees of the fashion show could either like or love an outfit that appeared on the runway. If you’re wondering how this hasn’t been done before, I’m right there with you.
On top of this, the designers created elegant yet still simple pieces within their collection, offering a more modern and ultra feminine approach to Fashion Week 2018.
FEB 14
And finally, to finish of Fashion Week 2018 with a bang, Michael Kors paid tribute to the hub of fashion itself, New York City with his 2018 Ready to Wear Collection. His collection was filled with street style pieces that maintain a vogue and chic essence. Michael Kors brought diversity and individuality with each of his pieces, offering something for everyone.
His pieces ranged from really feminine innocent floral loose fitting dresses to pea coats and pant suits with daring plaid patterns and bold colors. Each outfit was more playful than the last, ranging from grunge dresses to formal business wear with style. The outfits did have masculine accents, whether it was the tartan patterns or the shapes of the jackets, yet still played on feminine elements like scarves and heels. The mixing of patterns was what really made his show unique, combining tartan with camo or floral with stripes. His daring choices are what make him one of the best in the game.
(Source// Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv)
Although he included so many different tastes, styles and patterns, his pieces still had a very connected feel, which really brings me back to how he paid tribute to the diverse and fashion forward thinking city of New York.
words_kristin_mcgarvey.