By Janet Ektract
NEW YORK (GOLDENHORN AGENCY)- Fashion Week 2022 in New York City proved that inclusion is a game-changer in the fashion world. Designers, some well-known, some new, got rave reviews for their fresh take and innovative use of fabric for the 2023 Spring collection runway shows. Creativity was the name of the game for all the shows from unusual venues, creative floor design to musical performances. Among those who stood out was Uruguayan designer, Gabriela Hearst’s show at a spacious warehouse at the Brooklyn Navy Yard replete with an upbeat, live performance by the Resistance Revival Chorus who wore all-white ensembles along a gold-streaked runway. Hearst, wife of billionaire John Augustine Hearst, told CNN that her collection takes its inspiration from the ancient Greek poet Sappho and that the chorus gave her show a sense of “femininity and strength and joy.”
Iconic designer Prabal Gurung expressed his gratitude at the diversity of models included in this year’s runway shows, as he commented: “To the ones who are demonized because they are not understood in genders, in colors, in places and in values that others know: on this runway, know that we are no longer watching you, we are seeing you.” Showcasing Gurung’s latest colorful 2023 spring collection in various shades of pink, was the beautiful Winnie Harlow, who rose to modeling fame after competing in America’s Next Top Model TV series, she is also spokesperson for the skin condition, vitiligo. As Gurung made clear in an interview several days ago: “What’s the point of having a position that I have – whatever little that is – if I can’t show the world there are different versions of beauty through clothes and people.?” He added that his collection “is a celebration of people who are often unseen but monitored, watched and scrutinized.”
Other eye-catching shows included designer LaQuan Smith who showcased his collection on the well-known naval ship – Intrepid air carrier, with models walking a runway in sheer, flowing gowns and bold streetwear with skin-baring cut-outs in shades of turquoise and sky-blue. Smith told CNN: “I feel like we are back – New York is back.” He told CNN he was honored to be showing ‘and have buyers, stylists, and influencers coming to see what LaQuan Smith has to say.” As Smith commented: “The collection is very specific – it might not be for everyone and that’s okay, but there’s a demographic of women who would buy these clothes up, and so that’s the audience I’m speaking to.”
More delights for the eye included a fabulous show of floral designs from Carolina Herrera’s Creative Director Wes Gordon inside The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, inspired by “The Secret Garden” there while Jason Wu showcased his latest collection in a space overlooking the East River at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport, telling The Hollywood Reporter that his inspiration comes from his New York fashion memories of a decade ago. Wu’s collection featured diverse textures, fabric and design to include lingerie-inspired styles with crisp tailoring and fine artistic draping, featuring a sleek white suit jacket and satin trousers with midriff-baring lingerie style tops as well as beaded gowns and digital prints.
A truly whimsical runway was Ulla Johnson’s show over the Beaux Arts Court of the Brooklyn Museum with colorful flower arrangements covering the floor and equally decked out models in bold, silky floral dresses. Meanwhile, Tommy Hilfiger and British designer Richard Quinn showcased a taste of ‘Americana’ on the Brooklyn waterfront, showing off the iconic New York skyline. Hilfiger included the metaverse in his show, teaming up with Roblox, livestreaming his show as part of the world “Tommy Play.” The show was a tribute to Andy Warhol’s Factory Studio with A-listers like Kris Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, Travis Barker, John Legend and Kate Moss attending. As Hilfiger told CNN Style: “I think it’s just the beginning of the metaverse, and I want to be the fashion house to embrace it and carry it forward.” Clearly, the future of fashion is seeing a revival on a multitude of fronts with major changes in what it means to be a trend as Wes Gordon reflected: “This collection to me was an unapologetic embrace of being a house that makes beautiful, colorful, floral, happy clothes…We don’t always have to be chasing a trend.” While Gabriela Hearst shared her thoughts: “I realized I swam a little deeper in the subconscious than usual (for this collection), and so I’m a bit more vulnerable and a bit more exposed in a way.” And their sentiments reflect the new age in fashion which promises a whole lot more risk-taking and a much more open-ended reflection of what it means to be a fashion icon and how 21st century fashion can embrace change with grace, magic and unabashed eclectic style.
