T’s market director rounds up the most memorable happenings both on and off the runways.
Fashion’s family meal
In the middle of the marathon that was New York Fashion Week, the powerhouse online retailer Net-a-Porter brought together editors and designers — Jason Wu, Jenna Lyons, Adam Lippes — for a family dinner of sorts in honor of the newly appointed VP of Global Buying, Sarah Rutson. The gathering, which took place at Indochine, was a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle (and the elements).
Kanye delivers fashion — and a showstopping front row
After a near 45-minute wait, attendees of the curious Kanye West x Adidas collaboration were ushered into a completely dark room. The lights came on to reveal the collection — and illuminate the most impressive front row this season: Beyoncé, Jay Z, Sean Combs, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Alexander Wang and the Kardashian clan (Kris, Kim, Khloé and Kendall).
Designers at home
A small set of designers opted for more personal presentations, going so far as to invite editors into their homes. First was Lisa Perry, whose Sutton Place apartment with sprawling views of the East River set the backdrop for her ’60s-inspired collection. Then, downtown in a warm West Village townhouse, Gabriela Hearst introduced her equally cozy debut collection, filled with sumptuous knits, dresses and outerwear inspired by her Uruguayan upbringing. And in Washington Square Park, Adam Lippes served breakfast among decadent Putnam & Putnam flower arrangements, which inspired the floral print in his fall 2015 collection.
Spike Jonze snaps for OC
The Opening Ceremony crew knows how to put on a show. It was hard to imagine how Humberto Leon and Carol Lim could top last season’s one-act play written by Spike Jonze and Jonah Hill — but they managed to, again with the help of Jonze. The design duo staged a gallery show that combined their collection with personal photography provided by the film director, including collages of skateboarders in black and white and rare pictures of Bjork. Some of the photos even made it into the collection itself, printed directly onto the clothes.
A night at the museum
The Proenza Schouler designers fittingly set their art-inspired collection against the backdrop of the Whitney Museum’s former location. It was a real-life night at the museum, complete with an appropriately appointed front row featuring big names in the art world like Dan Colen, Nate Lowman, Dustin Yellin and MOMA’s Klaus Biesenbach.
Back to black
New York Fashion Week started off a bit quietly — until Saturday, when Alexander Wang showed a tough, overwhelmingly black collection punctuated only by studs, chain mail and a quick pop of red buffalo plaid. It was an aggressive, reactive — and totally refreshing — show. Then Thom Browne showed his own all-black collection in a funereal setting, his models mourning in seriously elegant headpieces designed by the legendary milliner Stephen Jones. And though Marc Jacobs’s collection included prints and color, the designer opened last night’s show with an all-black look, complete with gothic makeup and vinyl patent boots. Fall 2015 is shaping up to be darker than dark.
Weather woes
It was cold. Really cold! Though we overheard one French stylist find the silver lining, saying the weather was “exotic,” we New Yorkers just found it painful to deal with salt-stained boots, red cheeks and the narrow fashion-show seating invaded by layers of outerwear. One redeeming factor was the runway trends toward warmth — shearling coats, knit dressing and tough boots — all of which felt especially appropriate for our sub-zero tundra.
An A-list opening for Fendi’s new flagship
The corner of 57th and Madison was abuzz last Friday, as the Fendi flagship opened for a star-studded crowd. To celebrate the opening, each of five fashionable personalities (Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jourdan Dunn, Leandra Medine and Rachel Feinstein) designed a one-of-a-kind twist on the brand’s iconic baguette bag, with all proceeds going to charity. Also in attendance at the fête were Karl Lagerfeld, Naomi Campbell, Sofia Coppola and more.
The end of “meh head”
Spring was all about long, slightly wavy, effortless dos; but it seems lazy, “meh” hair might be finished come fall. At the Hugo Boss show, the model Edie Campbell opened the show with a brand-new haircut — and had returned to an inky black color. With short, mod bangs and longer sideburns, Campbell’s look stood out amongst the other ponytails at the show. Elsewhere, sleek — almost wet — hairstyles rivaled the au-naturel look.
Marc Jacobs. Period.
Marc Jacobs had a buzzy season. At Marc by Marc Jacobs, which bears his name but is designed by Katie Hilier and Luella Bartley, the younger client was in a rebellious spirit, with a collection inspired by protest culture. His main collection shared a similar sense of excitement, with a handpainted backdrop that recreated Diana Vreeland’s famous “garden in hell” living room. The dramatic show opened with a black shift dress and elbow-length leather gloves, and continued to unfold set to the soundtrack of screeching violins. It was a thrilling way to close New York Fashion Week — London, here we come!
