We're back! Fashion week never sleeps and it's dragging us along with it: keeping us out late at night with promises of surprise performers then waking us up early because, come on, it's Hood By Air. Our lack of sleep was balmed by the lightness and strength of the shows we saw: Telfar turned the Swiss Institute into our own personal spa, Altuzarra empowered us, Mark McNairy made us laugh. We're refreshed and renewed and ready for the week, here's our recap.
Altuzarra
Joseph Altuzarra's preoccupation with icons of doomed femininity, primarily Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby, has produced a cinematic, deeply covetable collection cast in gingham, stripes, and leather. Somehow stringing a leather cage pencil skirt into the same narrative as a gingham skirtsuit, Altuzarra has defined the look of the femme in control of her own demise. See the collection here.
Telfar
In the moments before Telfar's SS15 "SIMPLEX" runway show, the airy hall of the Swiss Institute was abuzz with introductions, laughter, cooing babies, and excitement. Hailey Wollens, Ian Isaiah, and Jeanette Hayes taking group selfies in the front row and shouting "Hashtag #Telfie!" The good vibes at the intimate show continued with a classical pianist churning out elegant versions of Lana Del Rey songs on a white lacquered grand piano. The models strutted out in a stream of consciously branded clothes: Old Navy textures and hues in perverse cuts, brought to you by—who else?—Telfar. Watch a stream of the final moments, here.
Lacoste
Lacoste really nailed SS 15 with their immaculate lines, athletic influences, and gender-bending tailoring details. We loved the models' minimal make up looks, the subtle integration of mesh and the reccuring theme of balanced asymmetry. And it definitely didn't hurt having Tweet on the runway track list. We already know what we're gonna be wearing next Spring, so click over here and check out the rest of the looks.
Isa Arfen
The British designer's Spring collection doesn't pull a lot of punches: its power lies in its recognizable, feminine shapes, beautiful fabrics, and rich jewel tones. Even the most daring outfit of the bunch, a wide-gauged black net dress that bares the model's nipples, boasted a modest neckline and was styled with high waisted black underwear and a prim pink patent trench. Arfen seems to have modelled her collection on the mythical woman: smart, beautiful, effortlessly elegant, sexy yet demure, flirtatious but inoffensive. See all the looks over here.
Zoe Jordan
When we saw that young designer Zoe Jordan had opted to present only nine looks, we wanted to applaud. Editing is always on our mind when it comes to clothes and this celebration of the cleaned-out closet appealed to both our hearts and our budgets. The nine looks were easy and feminine: loose leather pants, a cracked silver dress and pair of longer shorts, a matching marbled bralette and skirt. Every outfit shown is destined to be an every-girl no-brainer for New Year's Eve ensemble, perhaps with the exception of a short suit covered in "Zoe Jordan" scribbles. Unless of course you're Zoe Jordan, in which case go wild, it's your party. See the presentation here.
Prabal Gurung
Held at the iconic Skylight at Moynihan Station, Prabal Gurung's spring presentation was a colorful, bold vision to behold. Models with middle parts and ponytails displayed a collection that married unapologetically feminine florals and sequins with dominant detailing like asymmetrical leather accents and bondage-lite straps and belts. Prabal Gurung is girly done right: for the lady you best not be fucking with. Catch a look behind the scenes, here.
DKNY
In a deviation from the black-anchored palette of DKNY's fall 14 collection, the spring presentation was a mustard yellow acid trip. 1970s shapes and stripes looked a bit odd with Twigs-inspired forehead curls, but by the end of the show, influencer-models were coming out in strong black and white looks and everything fell into place. See snaps of the show over here.
Mark McNairy
When you open a show with Travi$ Scott literally skipping and jumping down the runway in a varsity jacket, and close it by zooming around with him riding on your back, you're Mark McNairy, and you're not taking yourself too seriously. A somewhat random mix of models strutted down the runway at McNairy in slouchy double breasted suits, camo separates and t-shirts emblazoned with quips like "Filthy McNasty," "Fun Zone" and "Toerag." (?????). Models wore Tevas and shower slides, carried beers, and during the final walk threw their Heineken visors into the crowd. The collection was at its strongest when it veered away from the casual: a tie-dye shorts suit paired with Kelly green suede loafers was our favorite look. See the slideshow here.
