10 Things We Learned During New York Fashion Week
As New York City marked the beginning of the global myriad of Ready-To-Wear collections for Spring/Summer 2014, there were a few points that became poignant from the jump: Justin Bieber is trying to salvage his almost-tarnished image by popping up on the front row, the Jonas Brothers are desperate to stay relevant, and Kanye West is, well, Kanye West.
But once you got past the circus that NYFW is known to be, there was an endless portfolio of designers who showcased some of the most beautiful and well-made pieces of the season. This is an exciting time for American fashion as it’s going through a renaissance.
Music and art are merging into the fashion landscape, streetwear is now high-end, rappers are being embraced by Vogue-worthy cloth-cutters and Anna Wintour, as Hood by Air’s Shayne Oliver has learned, still has the power to thrust a burgeoning designer’s career in a stratospheric direction. Here, we zoom-in on 10 things we learned during New York Fashion Week. —Safra Ducreay
Photo Credit: Style.com
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1) Clothes will be simple for spring/summer 14.
While there are a lot of fashionistas out there who think “making a statement” means exaggerated shoulders, studs and over-the-top bells and whistles, this season, designers proved that less is considerably more. American fashion is known for clean, minimal silhouettes and sports-inspired designs, but the most important thing to come away with after reviewing the collections is that simplicity and quality reigns supreme.
Photo Credit: Style.com
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2) Pastels are still poppin'.
That doesn’t mean go crazy in a head-to-heel pastel get-up. It simply means softer palettes go hand-in-hand with spring’s budding blooms.
Photo Credit: Style.com
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3) Women’s clothing will be loose and boxy.
Some of you with a closet full of body-clinging garbs are probably wondering what this means. Androgyny owned the runways last season, but SS14 means that whilst clothing will be looser, there’s more of a structural element to the garment’s shape. However, the pieces are still relatively feminine.
Photo Credit: Style.com
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4) Shayne Oliver is officially a fashion superstar.
Hood by Air made its runway debut in February of this year and suddenly became this omnipresence in the high-fashion and hip hop worlds. Oliver’s pieces sold-out instantly and A-listers were queuing up to pay up to five figures to get their hands on this coveted high-fashion streetwear line. The label really was simply a collection of branded tees, but has since become a full-fledged luxury lifestyle brand. Oliver’s trajectory is reminiscent of the late Willi Smith – here’s hoping he carries the torch for young black high-end designers.
Photo Credit: Style.com
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5) Alexander Wang is all grown up.
Wang’s clothes always spoke to the girl who aspired to be cool, and they still do, but since the Parsons alum’s talents are split between his namesake and the historical French brand Balenciaga, the designer’s hand has matured considerably. SS14 saw the designer hint at his generation with Parental Advisory motifs throughout the collection, but overall, his collection has moved from off-duty model to the sophisticated woman.
Photo Credit: Style.com
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6) More Asian-American designers are getting shine.
There has always been a quiet roster of designers of Asian descent who cut the freshest collections. From Derek Lam to Phillip Lim, Joseph Altuzzara to Jason Wu, and Alexander Wang to Opening Ceremony’s Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, is this handful of undeniable talent that is keeping American fashion alive.
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7) Clover Canyon is the name to know
Iggy Azalea and Solange Knowles are a few of the celebrities to champion the Greek-born, British-based Mary Katrantzou’s Trompe-l'œil prints, but they completely overlooked the home grown talent of Clover Canyon designer Rozae Nichols. One of the most promising new cloth-cutters to come out of America, Nichols’ art deco-inspired, architectural dresses are the kind of pieces Lala and Kim Kardashian could absolutely pull off.
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8) Street style is getting out of control.
As the International Herald Tribune’s Suzy Menkes and Financial Times Vanessa Friedman will tell you, getting from the car seat to the show has almost become a hardworking editor’s nightmare. Fashion bloggers and the like now plan their outfits months in advance to secure a street style post, and the photographers who snap them will fight tooth and nail to get the shot. Fashion will always be a form of expression, but the accessibility of the genre is also hurting its credibility. Then again, we’ll have to see.
Photo Credit: Style.com
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9) Marc Jacobs is the King of New York.
After Kendrick Lamar tried to claim the crown, be it lyrically or otherwise, but he does need to sit down because it’s obvious who really owns the throne. Even if Jacobs boasts a fake French accent and designs for Louis Vuitton, he is America’s Karl Lagerfeld. And season after season, the man can do no wrong. He is not just a designer, as his main Gothic collection proved; he’s a cultural connoisseur.
Photo Credit: Style.com
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10) Miley Cyrus needs to bow down to Karlie Kloss and Naomi Campbell.
Miley Cyrus’ twerking abilities and VMA performance remains a constant despite the current, and historical, events that are so much more important. The thing to chuckle about, though, is that the 21-year-old 6 foot 1 glamazon that is Karlie Kloss ruled New York’s runways and proved that you can make a serious impact whilst still being wholesome. Yes, she did. If it’s worth anything, Kloss has saved the Becky’s of the world by being naturally and authentically beautiful. And let’s not forget Naomi Campbell, who at 43 is still bad, as seen when she closed Diane von Furstenberg’s show.
Photo Credit: Style.com
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