New York Fashion Week: What you missed...
In what usually tends to feel like the longest 'week' of all the international fashion weeks on the circuit, New York AW16 has come and gone in the blink of an eye. And I've gotta say, I'm sorry. I've been super slack and barely covered any of it, but I promise I'll make it up to you in this post. We'll cover everything that happened (well maybe not everything) but the major stuff you need to know about, despite the general consensus from the big wigs being that it was quite a boring and predictable week...
Australians in New York
It would be remiss of me not to mention Dion Lee, TOME and Zimmermann when talking about NYFW. They are after all, three of our biggest fashion exports.Dion Lee presented a calm collection that seemed much more understated that usual. He seems to have relaxed in his designs and this collection looks effortless and is filled to the brim with chic pieces you could actually wear everyday. On the other hand over at Zimmerman, it was all glitz and glamour. A subtle nod to the seventies saw zipped up sports jackets paired with embellished pants and sheer iridescent lace skirts. The real highlight for me though was definitely in the details - the jewellery was on point and already has me wondering when it will arrive in stores. The TOME boys continued their experiments with volume and shape and their collection seemed a little hectic but when dissected, it was really an incredibly strong batch of staples that we'd all be lucky to have sitting in our wardrobes.
Dion Lee AW16
Zimmermann AW16
TOME AW16
Yeezy 3
Kanye chose Madison Square Gardens to present his third Yeezy collection and turnined the stadium into a 'listening party' as he also used the opportunity to debut his new album. A mob of models were unveiled, in a post-apocalyptic gathering, all standing transfixed with solemn gazes - the reoccurring Yeezy trademark. If this wasn't enough, Naomi Campbell walked (or stood, more accurately) and the entire Kardashian clan, including Lamar & North, were in attendance. Just on this for a sec, they need to chill a bit because their matching wardrobe was not ok. I don't care if they're all wearing Balmain - it was like a sequined snowball nightmare and honestly, they looked comical. Soz to be so negative, and I'm usually about the K clan, but this was ridiculous. Anyway, as you can tell, it was hard to keep the eye trained on Kanye's collection - deliberate distraction? Who could say?
Marc Jacobs
The one designer you can always rely on to take some risks and have some fun didn't disappoint. Models were treated to dramatic goth like makeup with whitened faces & brows, black eyes and even blacker lips. There was nothing 'pretty' about this - it was all volume, layers, oversized pieces that deliberately swamped and of course platform shoes. What makes Jacobs so great is his complete disregard for the social norm, so while other designers (Diane Von Furstenberg) were still showcasing orchestrated #girlsquads and rehashes of sports inspired pieces from last season, Jacobs was venturing into uncharted territory, and brought Lady Gaga along for the ride to walk in his show.
My Favourite Collections
Jonathan Simkhai
The one to watch this year. The 2015 CFDA/Vogue Award co-winner presented one of the best collections of the entire week.
Alexander Wang
Called on his street roots for this collection and went back to what he does best - risky street.
Rodarte
One of the few brands to really experiment, Rodarte have nailed this collection. Romantic edge.
all images via Vogue.com