As you might already know, New York is a nest of talented, fresh designers which emerge with new technologies, trends and mood. Through the perspective of AW14, I found eight labels that are going to be on everybody’s lips during the September’s New York Fashion Week. So let’s see who’s on the list!
Creatures of Comfort – Jade Lai’s label is created in the aim of total comfort. The clothes are slightly over-sized, worn in a slouchy, artsy way. For winter, Jade jumped into the beloved murder mystery board game Clue. The sinister atmosphere, solemn faces of models and the concept of hidden things echoed in many layered looks. Throughout the collection which had a lot of different prints and colours used, my standouts include the swingy coat in powder blue and the bottle green dress-cardigan combo (which slightly reminded me of Mrs. Marple, the character of Agatha Cristie).
Rodebjer – Carin Rodebjer creates a moody fashion of ethno-inspired clothing which have an edgy, minimalistic touch. But for fall, Carin went into the sensual side- the idea of sexual subjectivity, a wearable riff on Rita Mae Brown’s writing on sex and sensuality. In Rodebjer’s hands, “sexy” didn’t mean a skintight bandage dress; it meant a slouchy suit draped off the body, or a slinky silk robe with cherry-patterned embroidery, or crisp, quality shirting sized to suggest a woman trying on her boyfriend’s button-down. And when Lindesy Wixson closed the show in a over-sized, black suit, there wasn’t any need to read between the lines.
Suno – Erin Beatty and Max Osterweis starting point was Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert’s photographs of a gypsy camp outside Bucharest. Taken between 1990 and 2006, the pictures document the changes and wealth of gypsy tents and their horses for Porches. The collection started with raw cut ponchos, Jacquard skirts and ethno printed turtlenecks. Then the light was let in, making the closing gowns shine bright with golden threads and silver embroideries. Are these the modern day gypsy girls? Yes, but in a very techno vibe.
Edun – the designer of Edun, Danielle Sherman, has a strong collection behind her back. For AW14, she did a typical, normcore collection which is filled with cozy sweaters and sweatpants. This is Sherman’s second collection at this Bono-founded clothing line. Before she worked at T by Alexander Wang and The Row. And she already redirected the house codes! For Fall, Sherman focused on materials and texture-blocking, giving sporty silhouettes a fuzzy, earthy quality. “There was a lot of fabric manipulation,” she said of the way the wool and alpaca was often brushed upward to create a “hairy” effect. “Even though it’s Fall, I wanted to keep it light.” Sherman showed a ton of over-sized trousers in camel and grey (they look good with Stan Smiths) and knits which are must-haves this season. The teddy bear fun continues.
Tome – That was the most grown-up show Tome showed in it’s career. And, that was the runway debut for this small brand designed by Ryan Lobo and Ramon Martin. For the collection, they were interested in women- confident, cosmopolitan, polished yet unfussy in their sense of style. Her presence is strong and soft at once, said Lobo backstage. Red satin, camel coats, midi pencil skirts, flawless, sleek dresses- that was the collection, that is mature but also very clean and classy. Martin and Lobo really did a good job this time, and hopefully we will here more from them soon!
Organic by John Patrick – As the name suggests, it’s all aout the earth-obsessed designer. But this time, he turned his attention toward space. John’s latest collection found him doing astronaut jumpsuits and modernistic casual day wear. The fabric mix was intriguing—Patrick leaned hard on technical, in particular sheer materials with a plastic sheen, but he also integrated a lot of cozy textures, such as quilted cotton, felted wool, and fur. Who knows if that isn’t the perfect wardrobe for an American woman in 2050?
Wes Gordon – “I feel like my woman is becoming clear” said Wes Gordon backstage of his show. Gordon launched his collection four years ago right out of school, and it has taken him a while to find his footing. At first, his lady was a lady—the kind of icy blond who only orders clothes via trunk show. “Yet as Gordon has learned to tap into his own youth, she’s loosened up a bit: still upper-crust, but living in Tribeca” is a perfect way to describe the collection. V-neck dresses, cardigans, flawless skirts, lace trimmed tops and blue jackets with fur hoodie. How not be in love? It’s everything that a succesful woman needs!
Delpozo – This brand has quickly become a must-see show after last year’s NYFW debut. Under the direction of Josep Font, this Madrid label based in New York successfully repositioned itself for global audience. Font’s inspired, meticulously crafted clothes blur the lines between ready-to-wear and couture. Each collection is an elegant composition of contrasting themes, simultaneously structured and fluid, strong and ethereal. The AW14 collection was as usual elegant, but with a youthful edgy style. Long coats versus sequined mini dresses. Pastel blue worn with bright red. That was a show with contrasts, which made an overall harmony. And the picnic gingham… and the magical embroideries… aah!
That’s it of the list. Got any other talents from New York you want to observe? Write in comments!
Design & Culture by Ed 