Fashion month begins with an unofficial stop. New York Fashion Week was often known to kick off with Ralph Lauren’s unexpected off-schedule shows; however, more brands are taking a page from the brand’s book, resulting in a series of shows before the official week begins. Nonetheless, the season begins with a refined take on American contemporary culture, from reimagining the old to turning design into a versatile movement to dress the current reality we live in. Here are the highlights in case you missed them.
Cult Gaia
Kicking off unofficially in a Ralph Lauren-esque manner was Cult Gaia, which staged their second runway ever at the American Museum of Natural History. Held at the Gilder Center, Cult Gaia’s BEHESHT (translation: heaven) was a series of contrasts. The architectural space served as the backdrop for fluid separates, draped gowns, and silhouettes that flowed like water. To Founder Jasmin Hekmat, the contrast of hard and soft was intentional. Recently losing her grandmother, Hekmat reportedly mentioned that the collection was an exploration of grief and how beauty can be born from hard places. And for a brand that’s known for its sculptural presence, the scale is all too thematic for its house codes. In a palette of hunter green, pale blue, burgundy, coral pink, and grey, Hekmat takes jacquard silks, organza, and chintz plissé, and gives them the hard sculptural edge we all know and love with hammered metal, woven techniques, and statement accessories.
Ralph Lauren
For their SS27 collection, Ralph Lauren decided to give “an irreverent take on romance”, highlighting the brand’s codes of romantic proportions and all-American tailoring. With the likes of Viola Davis, Rachel Brosnahan, Cynthia Erivo, and more seated in the front row, the collection begins in a series of bridal white across separates, suits, and jackets. The palette continues in navy, camel, and soft pink tones, while the silhouettes play on the tension between masculine forms and feminine drapes. For the corporate woman, there was menswear-inspired tailoring among sharp suits, waistcoats, and crisp button-ups with ballooned sleeves. Evening wear was defined with an even more romantic flair. Silk and chiffon shimmered and gave off a liquid metallic essence across gowns, maxi skirts, and jackets, with high necklines and trendy feathered details, all ideal for the modest dresser.
Coach
The last to close the unofficial opening of Fashion Week was Coach, which was actually having an 85th birthday party. Held at Pier 36 overlooking New York City’s East River, the collection, designed by Stuart Vevers, was a take on Coach’s heritage, a trip down memory lane except this time, the memory lane in question is a runway.
In a palette of neutrals hit with a splash of colour, Vevers presents the range of dressing up for a party. In his show notes, he states, “I think of silk and satin, pastel cake, a train falling from a bias-cut dress, a touch of sparkle, a haze of flowers, silver and gold, pearlescent light and a treasured tuxedo. With time, these things become softer in memory, beautifully faded and crystallized.”
The collection follows that exact pattern. Separates were lean and elongated, almost worn down, while some pieces were given the inside-out treatment, showcasing Coach’s construction, linings, and stitching. Dresses were given repurposed printed linings, overdyed georgette and sequins. Glitter imagery was also key to the collection, appearing on the models and following through the bags and gowns in a trompe-l’œil fashion. And of course, no party is complete without a party hat. Coach took this accessory seriously, presenting them in metallic finishes and offering a joyful reminder of a collection that’s meant to celebrate.
Proenza Schouler
Officially beginning New York Fashion Week and staging her second runway under her tenure as Creative Director, Rachel Scott looks to the New York woman, a city woman like most, who looks to design as a way to channel versatility. Here, clothes were built for movement, to go from office to cafes, casual to evening wear in just a snap. House codes of sculptural silhouettes were softened to make room for movement. As such, we see sharp shoulders and slightly curved hips across trenches, co-ord sets, and dresses, but they’re never exaggerated. An animalistic motif also centres the collection. Tiger, zebra, and leopard print all make appearances, either as accent points or hand-knit front and centre.
Footwear comes in similar sculptural proportions. Toe-ring sandals, thong silhouettes, and square toes covered the feet of women who had their lives defined by walking across the city. They were pieces to slip on, look pretty, but still pull in a shift. On the arm was the introduction of the PS1 Walker bag, a renewed image of the house classic. Created in collaboration with Reed Krakoff, the bag softens its original hard geometry and pares back on its hardware to revel in its soft, shiny leather. A handbag that looks like a briefcase; according to Scott, it works as a catch-all for the Manhattan woman.
Although thinking of New Yorkers, Scott’s collection easily gels with the GCC woman as well. With plenty of modest options, refined evening wear, and acid-bright palette, the collection shapes the Proenza Schouler woman into one that’s always on the go but never compromising on style.
Tommy Hilfiger
Taking the old and making it new again has been the common sentiment among the zeitgeist for a while now, and Hilfiger has noticed it. So for its SS27 collection, the designer did the same, staging the show at The Plaza Hotel in New York—an address where Hilfiger once lived with his family—and looking into the house’s archives. Presenting a contemporary take on American prep dressing, the signature red, white, and blue was remixed with bright greens, yellows, and pastel pink.
On the front row sat Kate Moss, Camila Cabello, JISOO, and Patrick Schwarzenegger, among others. But the star-studded cast didn’t end there. Opening the show was Gigi Hadid, who came with relaxed proportions, something that defined the collection. Entering through the revolving doors came models in rugby dresses, elongated Oxford shirts, offering a drop-waist silhouette, and tartan, which was the defining print of the collection. On the feet were 90s-inspired skate sneakers, boat shoes, and penny loafers, while East-West shoulder bags were the collection’s arm candy. Ending with Romeo Beckham in a look that can be best described as prep-turned-streetwear, Hilfiger adds to the conversation of reimagining the classics.
Tory Burch
The story of Tory Burch’s SS27 collection happens before the runway. Before the presentation can happen, the atelier introduces a new house code, the Bunny Knot. Inspired by an artisanal detail found on a chair cushion from the home of Bunny Mellon, a visionary in horticulture, interiors, and philanthropy, Burch continues to build upon this approach, dressing the unapologetic trailblazers.
Held at the Isamu Noguchi Sunken Garden in New York’s Financial District, the SS27 collection is a take on “opulent femininity meets American pragmatism”. Here, beauty, utility, and humour all convene, showcasing gaudy colours against craftsmanship. Texture and depth are fully explored in the collection with embroidery, beadwork, and ruching. Paisley patterns give way to monogram prints, while drop-waist silhouettes, suits, and trenches showcase a no-nonsense woman. Adding to the playful movement are messy hair and feathered boas, while evening wear tends to delicate pleating. And with a range of high necklines, fluid hems, and loose shapes, it’s another collection worth exploring for the modest dresser.
Michael Kors
Working off Architectural Modernism, Michael Kors took a look at how the environment shapes art and vice versa. Staging its runway at The Museum of Modern Art’s Sculpture Garden in New York, the collection felt like an add-on to the space. Lean tailoring, asymmetrical hemlines, and sculptural silhouettes were the prime focus. For the modest dresser, there was plenty of corporate wear, jackets, and sequined skirts to play with. Beginning in a series of black looks, accented by silvery white and mustard yellow, the palette then goes on to become more colourful with striped patterns, painted florals, and colour blocking techniques. On the accessories front was mid-century jewellery and oversized eyewear, giving each model a character to play at a gallery as per Kors’ design. With fabric ranging across wool and cotton, the collection serves as a transitional one, shifting between temperatures, and in its drama, offering a life of timelessness as well.
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein has been one of the hallmarks of minimalistic clothing, and Creative Director Veronica Leoni continues to hone in on that house code. But while Klein might turn minimalism into a study of the form of the body, Leoni turns minimalism into a study of the woman wearing it instead. Stripped of textural pieces that would naturally add glamour, Leoni’s woman is one who gravitates to a creatively cut piece. The principle of design takes over the collection, creating a sort of capsule wardrobe for the Klein woman. A sharp palette of neutrals is contrasted with shades of blue, rust, and yellow. The bulk of the collection is centred and built upon the house’s foundational pieces. The standard pants, skirt, and jacket are elongated while necklines are scooped. The drama here is restrained, where the flashiness comes in the form of creative styling. Playing with fabrics like silk, denim, and leather, pieces are layered and colour-blocked, enhancing the best of what minimalism provides. And for the modest dresser, the pieces work in tandem to create elegant workwear, statement evening wear, or offer a refined take on everyday dressing.
Simkhai
Challenging the notion of what gets to be called a Spring-Summer outfit, Jonathan Simkhai grounds his SS27 collection in tactile experimentation. Exploring the tension between the rigidity of a city and the unpredictability of nature, the collection takes familiar materials and motifs and turns them on their heads. Feathers spring out from footwear, dresses exclusively take on asymmetrical hemlines, and a suede bag abruptly transforms into a black glossy finish. But by far, the highlight of the collection is the fabrics that are experimented with. Leather is delicately cut up to give the effect of fringes, while in a jacket, the very same leather is cut to mimic a bird’s feathers. Denim looks appear plain at first but glossy upon closer inspection. Daytime dresses had leather give way to guipure. In fact, the collection was leather-heavy while the references to nature remained in design rather than patterned shorthand. And instead of focusing on artistic exploration rather than a season, Simkhai’s collection adds to seasonal dressing with a bit more animation.
