Fabric in the shape of bubble wrap at Helmut Lang, compassion and love magnified at Willy Chavarria: the theme of protection in the face of the harshness of the world dominated the fashion shows on the first day of New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024.
Bubble wrap at Helmut Lang
“I feel that living in New York, a lot can happen in a day. And I want to provide a tool that allows you to be ready for whatever may happen,” said explained the American-Vietnamese designer Peter Do, just after the show.
A popular fashion designer, also at the head of his own line, Peter Do was responsible for reinventing the cool chic and minimalist aesthetic of Helmut Lang which had marked the fashion of the 1990s and 2000s, before its Austrian designer slammed the door. Today, the brand is owned by Japanese giant Fast Retailing, which also owns Uniqlo.
Under the dome of a former large bank, in the trendy Williamsburg district of Brooklyn, Peter Do has revisited some of the inventions of his distant predecessor, such as a fabric in the shape of white, black or orange bubble wrap, made from silk and which can be worn as pants, jacket or bomber jacket.
Oversized wool coats, quilted jackets, collars raised above the neck, hoods, balaclavas, the theme of the collection, “protection and projection” was recalled in each look. Some are inspired by astronaut outfits, while the color palette takes up the bright, almost neon orange of firefighter suits.
“I want the streets to be represented,” the designer added.
Compassion and love at Willy Chavarria
Freshly crowned with the 2023 Best Men’s Designer award from the American Fashion Union (CFDA), Willy Chavarria put on an ambitious show Friday evening in an industrial setting, still in Williamsburg. In this dark place, lit by candles, the parade entitled “Safe from harm” was preceded by a short film on the big screen, a silent film but full of tension, camera on closer to characters with tattooed and rough bodies but who protect each other. Cast members included Italian singer Mahmood and model and transgender rights activist Kai-Isaiah Jamal.
The public’s eyes were only more attentive to what followed, a collection that borrowed as much from American fashion as from the peasant and Mexican origins of California native Willy Chavarria. In front of a very diverse audience, energy and pride emanated from the ranchero hats, from a shirt with a large collar where a gigantic rose buds, from long coats over jackets with square shoulders, or from loose pants with voluminous and dancing.
With the film, “I wanted to see how clothes evolve with us, in our lives. I also didn’t want to do something that distracts us from reality, from the wars we know and all the shit that reigns in the world “, then explained Willy Chavarria, who claims political fashion and an apostle of differences. The designer is increasingly in demand, from Puerto Rican reggaeton star Bad Bunny to singer Billie Eilish.
Tribute to New York for Tommy Hilfiger
As his brand prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary, Tommy Hilfiger paid homage to New York in an emblematic place in Manhattan, the “Oyster Bar” restaurant nestled in the basement of Grand Central station. In front of South Korean music stars like Lee Jun-Ho and Nayeon, and against a backdrop of hip-hop and disco mixed by DJ Questlove, “TH” remained faithful to the “preppy” style, both sporty and preppy , between university ties and omnipresent baseball caps.
Under the vaulted and tiled ceilings, Hilfiger, 72, also dazzled Manhattan’s elite with a flood of blazers and thick knit sweaters over cotton button-down shirts with wide 90s collars. The highlight of the show was jazzman Jon Batiste , a sports jacket with leather sleeves from the brand, entered the station and sang his hit “FREEDOM” in front of the crowd. Just after him, Hilfiger greeted his audience, jacket on his back adorned with the words “Empire State” – the nickname of New York – and the names of its five boroughs.
2024-02-10 08:35:09
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