Amy Fine Collins

A whole fashion show full of women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond: that’s a meaningful statement. This phenomenal Batsheva outing was opened with Molly Ringwald in a black velvet shift dress and a short hooded cape, her hands held in front of her inside a lace trim muff. Then came Amy Fine Collins in another black velvet shift with a scoop neck and lace trim, a bit like a French maid uniform, but on Fine Collins it was the chicest little dress on this planet. Though Batsheva Hay said she simply wanted to see women like herself on the runway, the effect it had on her clothes was remarkable – not just because of the diversity of their body types but because of the way they carried themselves; the lives they brought to her dresses. It was especially interesting, given that Hay broke onto the scene with little girl-inspired dresses. The intarsia knitted sweater with the word HAG emblazoned on the chest, modeled by one of New York’s OG cool female designers Victoria Bartlett, was another unapologetic F-U towards fashion industry’s ageism. Although many models were friends of Hay, a good number were also street cast and on at least one occasion the designer and her team checked out dance classes. “When I stopped people, the one reaction they all had was like, ‘Why would you ever want me?’, so that actually made it more exciting. Like they don’t even feel visible.” Now we just need the rest of the industry to catch on.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Batsheva Hay‘s brand is a great example of New York-based label that’s both small and big. The production isn’t huge, sustainable way of doing things is at heart, and there are no fancy runway events taking place each season. But the influence of a Batsheva dress is seismic, both in women’s everyday wardrobes and red carpet events, and the cult following of clients, who are looking forward to small drops of prairie gowns in one-of-a-kind vintage textiles or cute crotchet knitwear, would make a number of “big” brands quite jealous. This time, the designer is continuing the cookbook look book recipe she started for pre-fall 2021. The task of photographing people cooking in their own kitchens has taken her and her husband, the photographer Alexei Hay, into homes of various Batsheva wearers. Once they arrive, the goal is simple: photograph each person wearing Batsheva, cooking their favorite meal. This season the cast of model muses includes such individuals as Ego Nwodim, Nicky Hilton, Amy Fine Collins, and Maude Apatow, each offering a different take on clothing and cooking. As Hay recounts over Zoom to Vogue, some take hours to get ready – the designer-photographer duo don’t bring hair or makeup – others require their own accessories, and some have such specific recipes they take a whole day to produce. At the core, Hay offers clothing for women to live their lives in. It’s hard to predict what tomorrow might bring, especially now, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a garment that did it all: looked pretty on Zoom, was comfortable to wear, and could be dressed up enough to simply feel good? Hay’s roomy dresses offer that option, with sweet ruffles, crushed velvet, and bow ties to make the proposition all the sweeter. But for those without a sweet tooth, Hay is also expanding her traditional ready-to-wear. She has made jeans for the first time, two pairs with ruffle trim and elastic waists, and continues to expand her knitwear offering. Corsets and cummerbund details are built into her dresses, offering a smart styling solution.