New York SS16 Womenswear: The Shows
The long awaited Ready to Wear SS16 Womenswear season is in full swing, with New York Fashion Week: The Shows (NYFW) bringing a blend of theatrical drama, street style and classic simplicity.
By far, the major highlight from New York was the highly anticipated Givenchy presentation, which formed somewhat of a centrepiece. This was the first time the house was presenting in New York, and with it came the arrival of a spectacular show. Focused on paying tribute to 9/11, the presentation took place at a Hudson River pier with the World Trade Center’s Freedom Tower in view. In an unusual move, the fashion house distributed 820 tickets to the public, opening up the opportunity for increased involvement and tuning down the restricted exclusivity, which usually surrounds fashion weeks.
Combining fashion with art and design, Givenchy collaborated with Marina Abramovic in the show’s art direction. A surreal environment, complete with live performances and eccentric happenings was created. An industrial-feel installation of recycled materials was created by Abramovic, which spanned the length of the pier and was complimented by performance pieces intended to evoke the cycle of life and love. The installation included a range of surreal occurrences with women climbing ladders, llamas, and the involvement of grand pianos. Performances and music from six various cultures and religions were presented across the space. Multimedia installation artist Marco Brambilla was commissioned by Abramovic to capture every inch of the magic unrolling, using virtual reality technology never applied to document a fashion presentation before. The presentation set the bar high not only for NYFW but for public events as a whole.
The collection presented in these spectacular settings took on a soft and delicate aesthetic with a mood that was meditative and calm. Lace was prevalent and Tisci mixed in riffs was seen on couture pieces as well as some menswear. The colour palette of the collection was mainly black and white with touches of gold included. Models also wore elaborate, decorative masks.
Givenchy’s first appearance at NYFW was highly applauded by New York’s top critics. Cathy Horyn at The Cut, New York Magazine’s fashion blog noted that “the spiritual symbolism was handled with deftness and care”, while Tim Blanks, now at Business of Fashion, declared it “as trenchant as anything else we are likely to see this season.” Vanessa Friedman of the New York Times praised Givenchy for demonstrating “as gracefully as anything I have ever witnessed, the power of fashion to reflect history and shared experience; to weave it, literally, into the garments we all wear.”
Other notable presentations include that of Alexander Wang who celebrated the brand’s 10th anniversary. Wang who recently concluded his time as Creative Director for Balenciaga in Paris after three years, has now turned the focus on his own brand, which was evident as within his SS16 collection which saw him return to his roots of hard-edged street wear worn by males and females – the style that initially brought him into the spotlight. Oversized white t-shirts were seen across the collection together with hoodies, mesh tanks, low-slung striped trousers, bomber jackets, black leather bustiers and a mass of denim, large sweaters and fringe.
Hood by Air brought in an aspect to the runway that was a first for the label. Nudity and gender bending characterised the collection by Shayne Oliver inspired school uniforms. “I’m obsessed with uniforms. I really like the principal aspect of it too. That’s the kinky part of it to me”, the designer noted backstage after the show. According to the designer this fascination stems from his West Indian background and the uniforms used in schools despite poor conditions. The designer deconstructed ideas of discipline creating his signature avant-garde style in a collection that played with the relationship of clothing to the body, concealing and revealing it at a whim. The colours ranged from white, cream, beige to black incorporating a little denim into the mix.
Balancing the theatrical eccentricity seen at NYFW, Derek Lam presented a collection focusing on simplicity. His pieces were worthy of attention for being simple and effortless in a refreshing manner, designed for women who appreciate comfort and non-formality. The collection featured a variety of accessories and styles including, pantsuits, knit dresses, trench coats, and leather foot wear. Inspired by the documentary film What Happened, Miss Simone? it illustrated American singer and activist Nina Simone’s strong and independent life with a range of fresh pieces. Simone was known for her exceptional ability to disguise her femininity in situations focused on the struggle for independence and freedom and reveal it to the fullest in musical settings.
As New York Fashion Week: The Shows SS16 has concluded, we wait in anticipation to see what London Fashion Week will bring, commencing on Friday 18 September 2015.
—
