NICK GRAHAM
You can’t deny that this was a true show! No detail was left unnoticed and with a theme in mind, Graham went for it! I loved the suits, but I must also give props to Nick for doing a great job with model casting for this presentation. Good looking guys in some even better looking suits, I feel as if Nick knew what he was doing here!
Nick Graham transformed the show space into his interpretation of a national park, complete with several fully uniformed rangers milling around. The National Park Service is celebrating its centennial this year. Models were perched on platforms surrounded by live pine trees wearing outfits that were each named for a different national park.
CARLOS CAMPOS
Sin Agua no Hay Cafe — From Fields to Fashion
The Carlos Campos Fall 2016 Collection is inspired by the quiet elegance of “El Capataz” (The Foreman), the native son of the coffee-growing highlands who returns home from the city every October as an overseer to take the crop to the urban marketplace. A man born in these lands, he inspires camaraderie and respect with the workers in the fields, but keeps to himself.
In line with Campos’ inspiration, the collection is presented in a controlled palette of classic camels reminiscent of the color of lightly roasted coffee beans, alongside Campos’ signature navy, with accents of winter white and burgundy. Texture plays a significant role in the plush but lightweight zibeline brushed wools and cotton velveteens, which convey the practicality of natural fibers while maintaining a luxurious, sophisticated feel.
With a nod to the importance that ecology plays in coffee production and the fluidity of Campos’ design aesthetic, a sweatshirt playfully proclaims “Sin Agua No Hay Café,” which translates as “Without Water There Is No Coffee.” Carlos never disappoints in delivering a well-made, high quality, truly inspired collection!
OVADIA & SONS
Ariel and Shimon Ovadia, the twin brothers behind Ovadia & Sons, spent two days in Israel’s One Hundred Gates neighborhood studying what Hasidic Jews wear. “It looks simple, but it’s very calculated,” said Shimon. The brothers brought that same level of meticulousness to their fall collection, which merged streetwear tropes with the Hasidic uniform.
They presented the collection to a room full of retailers including Kevin Harter and David Fisher from Bloomingdale’s; Ken Downing from Neiman Marcus; Tom Kalenderian of Barneys New York, and Eric Jennings from Saks Fifth Avenue. The brothers have previously said they want to dress America in a way that’s “not too safe, but not too fashiony.”
Front of House — Maguire Steele; Grooming — LAB Series for Men; Music — Mike Nouveau; Special thanks to — The Juice Shop, Fiji Water, & CFDA
PERRY ELLIS
Michael Maccari continued to put his own modern twist on the venerable Perry Ellis brand. His fall show offered “a new definition of sportswear” with updated proportions and silhouettes.
There are great, refreshing pops of color throughout this entire collection. That and the prints really caught my eye here and for my first time attending Perry Ellis, I was vastly impressed!
