Another fun post for the talented designers who showcased at Style Fashion Week! This season, Style Fashion Week was held at Gotham Hall.
Tag Archives: New York City
The Set NYC for NYFW
Additional Commentary by Lori Occhiogrosso
The Set NYC presented a series of shows on various days throughout NYFW. Proceeds of the evening’s various festivities were all for ending Child Trafficking thru the charitable organization Freedom Ladder. The shows were held at the Church of the Holy Apostles.
All Photos are credited to
David Leigh Neivert: Owner and Founder of Leigh Archangel Productions
as seen in Saks Fifth Ave & Style.com
Lori describes this as a clear vision. It was very avant-garde and then some dark pieces. The crowd was into the show. This was a hint at the future of fashion. “I can see her line going places!”
Chinaza Moses
One of the floor exhibitors —
Lori dubbed this as “origami meets street style.” In creating this origami texture to these pieces, it was a fusion of material — pressed and manipulated to create the texture. This is avant garde meets classic delight!
The Secret Society of Ex Mermaids (as seen in Nylon Magazine)
Alex Vinash (as seen in Elle Magazine & Harper’s Bazaar)
Xi Couture
Irina Shabayeva (as seen in Vogue)
Floor & Showcase Exhibitions for the various nights: Meaghan Paige, Amy Dietz, Caitlin Farradas, Emma Berg, Carlen Manasse New York, artist Parker McComb, Ari J Collection, Cecile’s Bath & Body, Charmaine King, Jacqueline Kline, Barnabas Lee, Cathy Buckley Cats Meow, artist Julie Severino, EnidBSkinCare, Nilufer Satorius, Mehreen Pasha, artist Steven Cogle, Cecile’s Bath & Body, Lyne Cosmetics, Camille Davis, Lauren Chisholm
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Nolcha Fashion Week — The Collective Show
Showcasing at Pier 59, with Nolcha Fashion Week in a 2nd series of shows during NYFW, presented during the evening a vibrant mix of elegant eveningwear, classic RTW, and bold, dynamic looks.
Danny does couture like no other. Every season I’ve seen him present I’m left in awe, mind blown. To see his vision come to life in these exquisite wearable works of art, you just can’t help but know you are in the presence of a great talent.
These were some of my fave pieces from his collection, but really hard to pick a few. Each piece was unique in it’s own right, telling it’s own story. Each gown was so delicate, yet filled with a strong passionate vibe.
ACID NYC is a brand comprised of Evelyn Luna and Scott Chester’s fashion talents. Together they have created clothing that is both unique and versatile. The sharp lines and sultry silhouettes allow their designs to be easily worn to almost any occasion.
With prints made of microchips, wires, and more, the fabrics would make any tech-savvy girl excited to wear the garments in their Spring 2016 line. The prints use vibrant colors like green to really make their designs stand out. The clothing line is also full of both structured and loose fitted garments which make the clothing a great choice for every woman no matter what her preference or style is.
These dynamic, alluring, captivating prints really stood out for me. I was very much impressed and pleased with the S/S 2016 presentation.
Intrepid is all about the style of classic, feminine RTW with a twist. The brand’s philosophy is classic innovation and chic. I have featured Intrepid on Fashion Nexus before and it’s great to see more amazing work from this amazing brand.
In presenting for Nolcha, Designer Aerin O’Connell had to say “This is such an absolute honor and I am beyond thrilled and humbled. I know this will be a very memorable experience, and want to thank everyone who has made this possible. This is the beginning of everything, an amazing journey; I can’t wait to see where it ends up. I am a blessed and very lucky designer, this really is a dream come true.”
Nolcha Fashion Lounge
During NYFW, Nolcha hosted their semi-annual fashion lounge at the Bo Concept store in Chelsea to spotlight the season’s hottest trends in apparel, accessories, and beauty. The lounge showcased a range of independent brands including jewerly and accessories by Syd and Pia, Raje, and Zayver Designs, handbags by Adora and Charles & Ron, and apparel by Haute House.
The lounge also featured beauty and wellness products and tips from LumaRX (the skin beauty system) and Dr. Gary Levine (women’s health expert). On site, guests were treated to complimentary beverages courtesy of Coco Libre and Sparkling Ice, and celebrity stylist Derek Warburton was on hand signing copies of his Fall cover story in LAPALME Magazine.
Official sponsors — Citibank, Don Q Rums, Luma Rx, Sparkling Ice, Dr. Gary Levine, Bo Concept, & Lyft
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Nolcha Fashion Week — Ones to Watch
Nolcha is a season fave of mine! The “Ones to Watch” series always showcases amazing, indie designers. Back at Pier 59, Nolcha certainly didn’t disappoint this fashion week season. Here are the 5 designers encompassing “Ones to Watch”.
Anya Liesnik is a Ukrainian-born fashion designer based in Germany. Her collections have been shown in United Kingdom, USA, Germany, Ukraine and the Netherlands with great success. She has been featured in the British Vogue, and Italian Collezioni Donna, British ELLE, Regard Magazine and many others.
I was super impressed by Anya’s work here. Each look had such an eye-catching detail, and of course, superior shimmer and shine!
Anya is fascinated by the magic of how a dress can create a new personality for a woman. Her signature style is feminine and iconic looks, using only high quality materials. The brand is influenced by silver screen divas and all strong women with their own signature style. Anya Liesnik is about contemporary fashion combined with the fascination for the charismatic style of iconic women, whose beauty was perfectly underlined through the dresses they wear.
The Maltese design duo for Spring/Summer 2016 had a “Mediterranean Love Affair.” I’m such a fan of their work, always such stunning RTW apparel for ladies. This collection is a vibrant and colorful, one of graphic prints inspired by the traditional Maltese fishing boat called “Luzzu“.
The show featured Sky Blue and Buttercup Yellow in color block patterns and stripes, silk satin and viscose crepe dresses in super feminine cuts, all paired with Charles & Ron hand-crafted leather bags as accessories.
As always, I’m in love with these pieces, such bold prints, bright pops of color, love it!
Founded in 2009, Planet Zero Motorsports, LLC (PZM) is a New York City based company that focuses on innovative motorsports equipment and apparel. And this was their major debut at Nolcha Fashion Week, coming in a true, kick-ass style. The company was born from the love for riding racing motorcycles. Leather work, jackets, pants, gloves, and racing full body suits are the signature styles of Planet Zero Motorsports.
Designer Kenya Smith shares; “Planet Zero Motorsports is very excited about being in the Nolcha Shows as it represents the next level in high fashion exposure for our brand and we are honored to be selected for this curated runway show.”
Planet Zero Motorsports’ vision is to blend high fashion with motorcycle apparel and to bend the line between safety and Haute Couture. The mission of the brand is to assure that everyone who participates in motorsports consistently wears the apparel needed for maximum protection whilst being stylish.
GC is a movement to end world poverty, which empowers everyday people to take action and see real impact. At Nolcha, Global Citizen unveiled its 2015 festival line, that will be available online and at the annual festival in Central Park on September 26th featuring headliners Beyoncé, Pearl Jam, Ed Sheeran, and Coldplay. The show also premiered a limited edition Global Citizen x Aviator Nation collection and the “Beyoncé” shirt (one of four limited-edition single artist tees), all also available as of September 26th. All items benefit The Global Poverty Project, a nonprofit that is building a worldwide movement to end extreme poverty by 2030. Four campaign managers from the GPP walked in the show (in lieu of traditional models).
It was a great moment to keep in line with fashion and fashion week, but also to present fashion for a good cause.
JUNGWON featuring CAT Footwear
Huge fan of JUNGWON NY. I had the pleasure of doing a feature on the brand earlier this year. I was able to meet with the designer and visit their shop in Tribeca. What I enjoyed most from this fashion week presentation was seeing, new, intriguing looks from the dynamic outwear brand. It was great to see the menswear aspect on the runway as well.
Official sponsors — Citibank, Don Q Rums, Luma Rx, Sparkling Ice, Dr. Gary Levine, Bo Concept, & Lyft
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Style Fashion Week at #NYFW
This post is dedicated to many of the talented designers who showcased at Style Fashion Week!
Such stunningly gorgeous couture creations!
A truly exciting show, from start to finish — high energy, there were models on pointe down the runway, extreme to the max! Lance Bass, Carson Kressley, Ryan Burke, and a few other celeb names were in attendance.
Luxury, high quality childrenswear — fanciful young ladies, all ready for a spring tea in the garden!
Bold, sexy looks for modern, confident women, so daring! Escaping out of the Rwandan genocide to be in NYC, presenting such a wonderful collection, it was all truly moving.
Clean, chic, very minimalist, but overall, some great RTW pieces for the ladies!
A spunky take and with added effect, the models strutted down the runway with golf clubs, genius! This was the brand’s debut and they are all about high-end athletic wear — go from the golf course to the Ritz!
They hit a hole in one!
Trendy, hip looks for not just the ladies, but a little menswear in the mix!
Show credits —
- Hair — Keratin Complex
- Makeup — Voodoo
- Lawless Accessories
- Step & Repeat & other floral art — FlowerBox Wall Gardens
- SquareUp & zkipster — check in process
- Ricky’s NYC
- Little Miracles
- CORE Water
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Truly Inspired Womenswear at NYFW
This next set of designers definitely had a clear vision for S/S 2016, very inspired and imaginative pieces. Enjoy!
NICHOLAS K & GBK/PILOT PEN GIFTING LOUNGE
I’m doing these posts together, because Pilot Pen actually helped in creating a look for Nicholas K this season. Incorporated into the look were Pilot Pens!
As for the rest of the Nicholas K collection, siblings Christopher and Nicholas Kunz channeled BASE jumpers for spring. “We call it ‘Terminal Velocity’ because it’s really high-energy, really adrenaline-packed,” Nicholas said of the lineup. The brand’s signature draped, hooded and layered silhouettes had even more fluidity this season when executed in parachute and ripstop nylon as well as silk, conveying a feeling of weightlessness.
Denim made a strong showing in black and periwinkle washes that had been given the dip-dye treatment, a recurrent theme throughout the looks, done mostly in a monochromatic palette of black, white and gray with a few pops of orange and red. Flight suits and outerwear in suede and leather looked effortlessly luxe over a series of highly covetable short-sleeved, button-down wrap blouses. Pounding the runway to thumping electronic music, the Nicholas K girl looked fierce — and apocalypse-ready.
I’ve been doing fashion week now for several seasons. I like seeing the progression and growth for a designer. That is what I see with Nicholas K and I was vastly impressed with this S/S 16 collection!
Qiaoran Huang and Joshua Hupper, the design duo behind Babyghost, presented a hauntingly romantic spring collection. They were inspired by a Halston documentary, a poem about death from the 1940s and classic American retail chains such as Gap and J. Crew.
So how did they weave together these disparate elements? For starters, the ode to Halston was immediately apparent in the fabrics, which included jersey burnout and touches of gold on dresses and skirts. The classic American retail chains translated to oversize tees, a cropped trench and chunky cardigans.
And the death poem? Lines from it were printed throughout the collection on everything from T-shirts to a maxiskirt. This was definitely a collection on the darker side, but there was an understated beauty about, something very alluring and intriguing.
A MOI
Spring 2016 marked Alejandra Alonso Rojas’ fourth À Moi collection. “I feel like I’ve [determined] the silhouettes and I’ve kind of rounded up who my woman is — girlish and whimsical but relaxed,” said the designer backstage at her presentation. The season’s looks ranged from crafty and artisanal — such as three-dimensional floral embroidered canvas skirts and jackets, a yellow jacquard peplum top and matching culottes and a bomber embellished in floral motifs with sheer sleeves — to more successful simplistic approaches where one could see the perfect balance between artistry and wearability.
Case in point: her black silk T-shirt with embellished sleeve detail and fluid wide-leg pants. The approach was best summed up by Rojas’ show notes: “The idea of applying the elevated sartorial traditions of the past to the necessary versatility of now is paramount when creating garments.”
This was such a delicate, very feminine, soft & easy collection. There was clever design, but also a minimalist undertone that I appreciated.
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NYFW –Let’s Hear it for the Ladies!
Photography by Shanise Gibson
Great, talented female designers, showcasing looks that are all about the celebration of women, her journeys, her confidence, and more!
It was definitely hard to pick a few faves from Son Jung Wan’s SS 2016 presentation. As always, her work was super impressive and innovative. There is just such an ease with her pieces that make me as a woman both want to wear them and know I would be able to wear them well.
Her color palette this go-round was soft, while her silhouette and vibe stuck to true Son Jung Wan style, simplistic minimalism. Her work is so high quality and regal that the looks really speak for themselves as to how amazing each one is.
Show Credits —
Production — Freesmeier Projects
Stylist — Deborah Watson at Walter Schupfer Management
Director — Lynne O’Neill at Hula Inc
Casting — Chad Thompson at Communa-K
PR — Deborah Hughes Inc.
Backstage Photography — Kevin Tachman
Runway Photography — Radin Banica
Music Director — Laurent Vacher
Makeup — Miyaka Okamata for Shiseido
Hair — Jorge Luis and Laurent D for Prive Products
Lighting — Florian Schreiter
Nails — Shiseido
Dressers — Alyson Friedman at Quick Change Artistry
Set — Bernhard-Link Theatrical
Francesca Liberatore’s spring collection, entitled “The Heart is the Center,” explored the human heart and all of its facets. If that meant simply having heart-and-valve artwork indiscreetly printed and bedazzled on practically every look, then she succeeded. Her range of silk chiffon, tulle, lace and knit daywear, done in a palette of primarily orange and black, to me was quite captivating. It’s hard to pull of orange and black and not thing campy Halloween. I didn’t see spookiness here at all, but rather a golden sunrise, with looks stunning all the way to sunset!
Francesca is known for creating dynamic, bold looks for the modern day, strong, confident woman. Her looks are empowering and each season, I’m always eager to see her collection. This was another great one! It was all about heart and you can see Francesca’s heart in this collection, such passion and vivacity.
Isa Arfen
For S/S 2016, Isa Arfen Creative Director Serafina Sama travels on an imagined journey thru warmer climates creating an interchangeable capsule collection rooted in a desire for an adventure. The journey begins with a palette of elegant monochrome. Loosely worn boxy shirts in a silk cotton poplin hint at the effortlessness of the Isa Arfen woman, while asymmetrical ruffles in peachy cotton provide a feminine flourish.
Hues of true orange, sangria, bold pink, and persimmon were balanced with traditional black and whites. The collection was clearly a presentation of juxtaposition; silk chiffon capris and a-line lace dresses were met by suiting-inspired jackets and waistlines. These strong silhouettes were alternated throughout the show, proving Liberatore’s versatility.
The relaxed eastern influence is seen repeatedly in this collection, from the light loose kimono overcoats to the sharp tailoring. For evening, glamour is introduced thru flashes of ciciaomino, clashed with khaki, whilst tropical florals are screenprinted thru silk cattan adorned on evening coats.
Show Credits —
Styling — Valentine Fillol-Cordier
Production — Brett Windham
Communications — Holly Corrigan, Starworks Group
Shoes — Charlotte Olympia for Isa Arfen
Sunglasses — General Eyewear
Casting — Henry Thomas
Hair — Claudia Lazo at Wella
Makeup — Louise Zizzo at MAC
Nails — Jessica Tong for Smith & Cult
Photography — Sophia Aerts
Graphic Design — PLAKAT
#NYFW — Some of My Faves!
Oh, you know, just a couple of my fave #NYFW designers……
DESIGUAL’s Spring 2016 collection explored the modern day women who is free-spirited, bold and fun, celebrating the ever-changing face of women! Women, like the many cities we travel to and live in, are ever-changing and endlessly alluring; gleaming in the morning and glowing in the evening. Inspired by the city of Barcelona, BCN, La Ciudad Condal, the charming Mediterranean port town that’s always been home for DESIGUAL, this collection encapsulates the many styles of women.
The brand collaborated with stylist Misha Janette, who used her eclectic style to showcase the daring, fearless, and irreverent woman according to DESIGUAL. Lauro Samblas’, an artist from Barcelona, used colorful pop-inspired collages tapping into his boundless creative freedom to create the backdrop for the collection.
Cosmopolitan and cool, the collection featured layered looks, unusual combinations and left an urban, sophisticated and bold mark: Shirts worn as skirts, hand painted brush stroke prints on oversize blouses, jumpers worn as turbans, A-line midi-skirts with patchwork embroidery, jackets that combine denim, military fabric and embroidery, palazzo pants and ankle grazers, embellished jeans with delicate embroidery and long shirts worn as evening dresses.
Desigual is designed for many types of women with their lust for life, eye for beauty, and passion for self-expression. I am such a fan of not only the looks, but the show itself. Desigual is always a super fun, empowered show to witness firsthand. The energy in the room is undeniable. But the looks too are marvelous and I loved this collection! It’s Desigual thru & thru!
Guests included actresses Laverne Cox; supermodel Karolina Kurkova; 94 year old fashion icon Iris Apfel; fashion photographer and TV personality Nigel Barker and Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe with fiancé Shawn Booth.
PR — Deborah Hughes Inc.
Black silk organza dress with silk mesh draping; Black silk twill dress with layered cutouts; Black silk organza dress
Navy gown with layered silk twill cutout bodice and printed chiffon skirt; Navy silk organza dress with frayed denim and printed chiffon details; Navy short sleeved silk organza dress with frayed denim and printed chiffon details
Sheer light blue silk organza dress with silk chiffon overlay details; Light blue silk chiffon and silk charmeuse spaghetti strap gown with belt detail; & Light blue to ivory ombre silk organza gown with paneled skirt
Ivory textured silk organza gown with silk organza and thread details; Ivory silk gazaar gown with hand painted organza embellishment and foliage belt; Ivory silk gazaar gown with slits and foliage
Kelly green silk twill gown with cutouts & textured silk organza detail & Two-piece gown with silk twill bodice tiered silk organza skirt with silk organza and floral embellishments
So just as Leanne did last season, she took her audience on a narrative fashion journey, this year, underlying themes being Mother Nature. The inspiration for her collection: ‘A dark disconnected world, plagued by excess is wiped out when another Nature takes back what is hers. There is a slow, gradual return to the ease and magic of being alive.” 4 different beauty looks to bring her concept to life.
Section 1, Darkworld
Section 2: Water/Air
Section 3: Earth
Section 4, Nature ReClaims
Such a gorgeous collection. There are not enough words to describe how much I adore these pieces and I am just in awe!
Show credits —
Makeup lead — Janell Geason, Aveda
Hair lead — Jon Reyman for Spoke & Weal
Ivory silk gazaar gown with seafoam bodice details and silk organza draping; Ivory silk gazaar draped bustier with seafoam silk organza skirt; Seafoam silk organza gown with green lace and thread detailing; & Kelly green silk organza gown with flutter sleeve and hand embroidered detail
Nail Design — Patricia Yankee
Shoes — Faryl Robin & Joe South
Royal silk organza gown with full skirt and pleated silk mesh and organza details; Royal silk organza dress with silk organza draping; Royal silk gown with deep V bodice; & Royal blue gown with silk charmeuse Deep V bodice and silk mesh skirt
Floral work — Sachi Rose
Gift Bag Sponsors — BRYK Brand, Castefy, Chapstick, Chloe Wine, Keshima Beauty, Pixie Mood, & Sinful Colors
Music — Dino Moran Dino Moran
Light blue silk organza gown with deep V an draped bodice with spaghetti strap; Multicolored ombre silk organza draped tank dress; Multicolored ombre silk organza dress with of shoulder sleeve detail; & Multicolored ombre silk organza short-sleeved dress with asymmetrical drape
Production — LDJ Productions
PR — Riviere Agency
Black silk organza dress with pleated silk organza detailing; black, white, gray silk organza dress; black short sleevve silk twill dress with black, gray, and white silk organza printed drapes; & black silk twill beaded crop tank with navy and black silk organza and satin faced silk organza skirt
Launch — Design Whisperer
The Designer Whisperer strives to create a platform where artists can receive the recognition they
deserve by bringing more awareness to the creative individuals who are building the future of fashion at no cost. The hope is to bridge the gap between mainstream luxury fashion and independent brands by providing insight into the industry with trade coverage, designer profiles and industry news.
Sponsors: Bruce Cost Ginger Ale, H2-Melon and The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Photography — Garvin of Revenge Fashion Magazine
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NYFW — Modern, Bold RTW
Eveningwear is always a must-see for the runway, but I too adore seeing some great, modern, trendy RTW looks!
Purple & Green spandex dress
For Spring/Summer 2016, GEORGINE wanted to break traditional dressing protocols and defy the conventional approach of how people normally dress. For instance, leathers are treated in pastels in lieu of the mainstream rugged dark treatment, French laces are cut into sweatshirts and active wear, and spandex is celebrated in eveningwear. The results are subtle and surprising and inline with the Internet age where nothing is ever as it seems. All of this was mesmerizing for me, quite captivating with the color palette and mixed media work.
Embroidered dress with tan trench
Celebrity Guests: Laverne Cox, actress, “Grandma”, “Orange is the New Black”; Kristen Taekman, The Real Housewives of New York City; Tamaryn, singer “Cranekiss”; Stassi Schroeder, fashion blogger, star of “Vanderpump Rules”; Nigel Barker
Wanessa green lace dress
Show credits —
Hair: Ric Pipino for Melville Pipino Salon
Make-Up: Gordon Espinet with the MAC Pro Team
Shoes: Go Melissa
Music: Laurent Vacher
Fur: Jonevon Furs
Embroidered print blouse tip with keyhole tied collar
Jewelry: Patricia von Musulin
Sunglasses: Moscot
PR, Production, & Casting: Mao PR
Hair supplied by Janet Collections
Embroidered dress with blue half spandex sleeves
(photo credits to Dan Lecca Photography)
Jay Godfrey’s Spring 2016 is inspired by the work of the late interior designer and architect David Collins. Godfrey’s collection specifically pays tribute to London-based Collins’ use of simplicity, architectural lines, and text to create sensual environments that are simultaneously Contemporary and established. A collection in all white is hard to pull off, hard to be that intriguing. But Jay has done that here with a great mix of looks, separates and dresses. It was clear he had a vision and executed it well.
While Godfrey, who also works in the interiors milieu, was working on designing a hotel project in Seoul, Korea, he often looked to Collins’ recently released coffee table book, ABCDCS that memorialized the late designer’s work in hotels, restaurants, bars, and private residences. Godfrey was struck by Collins’ use of different shades of white, ivory, alabaster and cream and has created a Spring 2016 show as homage to his work.
New York-based designer Jay Godfrey is the founder and creative director behind his eponymous collection of sleek, sexy and sophisticated designs. Perpetually inspired by the chic New York woman, Godfrey’s goal as a designer is to meld the classic tailoring techniques of Savile Row with modern silhouettes and luxurious fabrics. The result is his distinctive contemporary collection of dresses and separates that accentuate the female figure. Godfrey describes himself as a minimalist who embraces color in an unmistakably sensual way.
Amanda Perna of House of Perna, pictured above, was on this current season of Project Runway. I was a fan!! I saw her work before the show and loved it. I am now seeing her work after the show and I’m still a huge supporter!!
This collection speaks to femininity and is quite impressive. I was amazed at the clever prints and choices of silhouettes. There are great pops of color and vibrant prints, which make the pieces really stand out.
The collection was inspired by the increasingly androgynous nature of fashion in the 20’s and today’s “street” culture. It reflects a contemporary contextualization of art deco design elements, characterized by linear forms, dropped waists, stripes, and angularities translated into relaxed shapes that are reminiscent of the teen surfer/skater culture of the 70’s and nods to modern comfort and ease.
The collection finds expression in relaxed silhouettes, ribbed knits, crisp cottons, synthesized crepes and techno-mesh layered with hand-crafted embroideries and laser-cut appliqués, combining masculine shapes with feminine embellishments. Graphic black and white, red, sea green, and accents of fluorescent pink and mint green add a modern twist. This was a great collection to witness in person. There was a lot of energy in the room and it was people feeding off of the modern vibe these great pieces were giving off. Another great collection by Tam, congrats!
NOTABLES GUESTS: Ally Brooke (Musician, Fifth Harmony), Sonia Nassery Cole (Oscar nominated The Black Tulip) Elle Dee (DJ/Model), Thatiana Diaz (Miss New York 2014), Pierson Fode (Actor), Olivia Jordan (Miss USA 2015), Niki Koss (Actress, Girl on the Edge), Ai Li (Actress, The Tenth Floor), Floriana Lima (Actress, The Mob Doctor), Natalie Alyn Lind (Actress, Gotham, The Goldbergs), Vanessa Marano (Actress, Switched at Birth), Mozhan Marno (Actress, House of Cards, The Blacklist), Mercedes Mason (Actress, Fear the Walking Dead), Ryan Newman (Actress), Teyonah Parris (Actress, Survivor’s Remorse, Mad Men), Shu Pei Qin (Supermodel), Vanessa Ray (Actress, Pretty Little Liars, Blue Bloods), Angela Simmons (TV Personality), Serinda Swan (Actress, Graceland), Hairong Tian (Actress, Silent Tears), Paulina Vega (Miss Universe 2014), Carlson Young (Actress, Scream (MTV)), Tashiana Washington (Actress/Singer, Gimme Shelter). Also in attendance: Kelly Bensimon (TV personality), Kimberly Guilfoyle (Fox News, Co-host The Five), Di Mondo, Andrea Tantaros (Fox News, Outnumbered), and more.
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NYFW — All the Shimmer & Shine!
Fashion Week is definitely at times about the glitz and the glam. You will see a great deal of RTW, but the shows with that WOW factor, the extra shimmer & shine, are definitely worth being in attendance at!
Rootstein Launch of the Phillipe Blond Mannequin
Rootstein, the iconic mannequin company who has been the leader in groundbreaking mannequin manufacturing and changed the standards of the retail display industry for almost 60 years, is proud to announce the release of a visionary new collection of male and female mannequins based on the visage of internationally famous fashion designer Phillipe Blond. This was a super exhilarating presentation. I was totally mesmerized!
Rootstein representatives elaborate, “In partnering with The Blonds, Rootstein continues its legacy of embracing individuality that captures, reflects and communicates the brilliant transience of fashion at its most beautiful and thrilling.” Throughout the decades, Rootstein has sought out celebrities who have embodied the spirit of their times and sculpted mannequins based on Twiggy, Pat Cleveland, Joan Collins, Susanne Barstch, Erin O¹Connor and Jade Parfit to name a few.
The event featured an exhibition of the mannequins wearing an archive of The Blonds most memorable runway pieces. Phillipe is beaming with excitement and adds, “The whole process is surreal and magical, like a dream. It is such an honor to join the ranks of so many inspiring icons that have been sculpted for mannequins by Rootstein.”
Dream come true, that is what I would call attending this show. I was honored to receive an invite. In awe, that is what I felt after seeing these stunning looks grace the runway. This collection was inspired by what was dubbed in the 50s as Post-painterly abstraction by Frank Stella, but not just the visually striking paintings, it was the cultural context in which they were created.
There was a ton of unorthodox materials used here, plexiglass, PVC Nebula lace, reflective taffeta, and LED fibers, all as a nod to the wave of futurism prevalent in Stella’s early works. The unusual elements are paired with a foundation of gorgeous couture fabrics in streamlined silhouettes, creating a contemporary balance.
Show credits —
- Stylist — Danielle Nachmani
- Makeup — Rick DiCecca of Artistry by Amway
- Hair — Ted Gibson
- Nails — Patricia Yankee
- Jewelry — Chopard
- Production Design — The Gathery
- Lighting — Prospect Lighting
- Music — Javier Peral
- Casting — Edward Kim of The Edit Desk
- Front of House — LaForce & Stevens
- Location — The Whitney Museum of Art
- Photography — Nigel Barker
- Production — B Productions
Once again, this was just such an amazing show to be in attendance at. The magnificence of these various formal and evening wear looks were beyond my expectations. I could see so many as future red carpet contenders and I’m sure we will see a few in the coming latter 2015 award season, as well as the award season for 2016.
Titled “Master and Mischief,” the show mixed the conservative — high, ruffled necklines, corset-like bodices and Victorian bib collars — with the disobedient, in the form of impossibly short, flouncy hemlines. Nicky Zimmermann derived inspiration from Ethel Turner’s 1894 novel “Seven Little Australians” about a group of mischievous siblings.
The lineup was very youthful, with lace-up backs and sheer embroidery, showing plenty of skin. It was a strong vision executed boldly. I thought this collection had a modern vibe, but still with a vintage appeal. I had a lot of faves that came down the runway!
