My first experience with Style Fashion Week (@StyleFW) happened by chance as I was invited by a friend involved in the event planning. As much as I would like to claim the contrary, I knew absolutely nothing of the clothing brands that were set to show on the Underground Catwalk that night.
Thanks to some shenanigans at the door, we arrived too late to see the H33M (@H33m_Inc) show, but came just in time for the remaining designers set to show that night. The audience was a pretty young, with some creative and fun styles on display.
Please contact me if you know who this model is
The venue was originally built as a cathedral, but is now an extravagantly designed Cipriani in Manhattan. It was oddly fitting that this structure that was initially built to house the devout religious patrons of New York was now packed with a faithful congregation of fashion lovers awaiting to worship at the altar.
There was no coat check, somebody was smoking weed, and I heard several street calls coming from the VIP section so I knew I was about to see some fresh underground shit.
Dertbag (@DertbagUS) the brand hailing from a Connecticut Atelier was one of the my favorites because of the subtle prints and textures. The designer really plays with utilizing a mixture of sharp tailoring with comfy street staples. The color palette was soft with pastels and light wash jeans.
Best of all, @DertbagUS showed minimal branding and opted instead to let the clothing and the tailoring take center stage.
Next to take the stage was Parisian native designer brand Shay Kawaii (@ShayKawaii)
The designer takes style inspiration from the Kawaii amped up style of Harajuku with body hugging unapologetically scant designs. Basically, if @BadGalRiri was an army brat raised in Japan.
And finally, there was Chicago Playground (@ChicagoPlayground) hailing none other than the windy city. This line brought a prep approach to streetwear with silk and leather varsity jackets and soft white letterman sweaters. But do not get it twisted, @ChicagoPlayground is anything but traditional.
While some brands are trying to give less of a luxury appearance, Chicago Playground perfectly straddles the line between luxury and street style. I can see myself wearing a Chicago Playground jacket for years only to pass it down to my children as some dope vintage gear.
[Photos courtesy of Richard Magazine]
In all, the shows were a diverse spectrum of what is going on in the upcoming fashion scene. Watching these designs walk the runway, and listening to the roaring response from the audience, shows that fashion is no longer falling into the category of opulence, but is instead a covert community of creatives and their admirers.