From NYFW, With Love
New York Fashion Week has come to a close and we now have our sights set on London, so here’s a recap of some of the shows and events that were most impactful this season.
What Everyone Is Talking About
Helmut Lang was at the tip of everyone’s tongue this season. Peter Do unveiled his debut collection for the storied brand which defined cool 90s minimalism. The label was founded by Austrian fashion designer Helmut Lang in the late 1980s as an antidote to 80s maximalism. He elevated simple T-shirts, infused sharp tailoring to jeans and struck a chord with consumers thanks to his lean suiting. The designer walked away from his brand in 2005. Since then, the label had been passed between the hands of Prada and Fast Retailing, Uniqlo’s parent company, and had lost its initial vigor. What the brand needed was a young voice to revitalise the heritage label and Do was the obvious choice. Through his eponymous label, he has demonstrated that he has the knack for sharp tailoring and a distinct point of view. So, did he do it? Did he make Helmut Lang cool again? Well…
While I believe that Do’s debut was fantastic: the suiting was immaculate, the elevation of ordinary garments like T-shirts was well received, and the show felt like a religious experience, the overall collection felt too timid. In the 90s, minimalism was new and a breath of fresh air. In 2023, the year of the most overused phrase ‘quiet luxury,’ Helmut Lang didn’t quite hit the mark. Nevertheless, these were some of my favourite looks.
Ralph Lauren is back! The king of not-so-quiet luxury returned to NYFW after having not shown since September 2019. Ralph Lauren did what Helmut Lang was expected to do: elevate the basics, and dress New Yorkers. The collection cycled through chiffon- and tulle-lined denim, a sea of gold, and cargo pants I would give my first born child to have. The biggest treat from this show was Christy Turlington closing out the show in a one-shoulder golden confection.
What We Should Actually Be Talking About
While the marquee events of fashion were Peter Do’s debut for Helmut Lang and Ralph Lauren’s return, some of the standouts from this season were Palomo Spain, Willy Chavarria and Phillip Lim. I got to sneak in backstage at all three of these shows and had a chance to view the Phillip Lim collection on the runway. Here’s why we should all be paying more attention to these designers.
Palomo Spain left me gooped and gagged. Alejandro Gomez Palomo said “fuck quiet luxury, give me the grandeur!” The show was stage at The Plaza Hotel and in true Palomo Spain fashion was a bit too much. The designer honed in on roaring twenties with flapper dresses and feathered headdresses. In the Palomo universe, gender is a social construct. While Palomo is categorised as a menswear designer and primarily shows on male models, the corsets, laced shorts and skin tight bras are for everyone. The clothes offered a glimpse into a world where beauty is beauty and masculinity no longer relies on misogyny, aggression and conservatism. A world I want to live in.
Willy Chavarria brought us to the foot of the staircase that leads to heaven. The designer showed in the lobby of The Woolworth Building in TriBeCa — a gilded, stretch that was the perfect backdrop for his take on ‘college-prep.’ The oversized silhouettes fitted with a rose brooch the side of my head, made me consider digging through my grandmother’s old collection. The clothes were sturdy yet romantic, felt effortless yet commanded attention. This was, by far, a collection I can envision myself wearing come Spring.
3.1 Phillip Lim returned to New York Fashion week with a runway show in Chinatown. Having not showed for four years, this was Phillip Lim’s chance to reintroduce himself to New York with what his label does best: elegant sportswear. Alongside scarf dresses, styled leggings and denim jackets with fun cuts, the designer also showed evening dresses and sheer maxi skirts. Of the shows I attended, this one in particular seemed for steeped in reality. The model casting was diverse, not just in terms of race, but in terms of age as well. They have a long way to go in terms of size diversity. The clothes are also made for real life. Lim was able to capture the experience of being a New Yorker. The balance of elevated sportswear, with crystal embellished pyjama sets and a flurry of gowns, showed the audience that Philip Lim is not a one trick pony, but a staple in the New York scene.
What To Pay Even More Attention To
It is 2023, so of course, the week began with a labour rights protest. The Model Alliance in partnership with SAG-AFTRA and the Writer’s Guild of America, East met up in front of Spring Studios, one of the homes of fashion week, to drum up interest in the Fashion Worker’s Act. The Act is a piece of legislation would grant employee protections for models other creative workers in the industry, including content creators, and would regulate talent agencies. The bill recently passed in the New York State Senate, but has stalled in the assembly. This is a subject I’m following closely, so read some of my previous reporting here.
