NYFWM A/W 2017 Day 3
Friday, February 03, 2017
On Wednesday, February 1st, 2017 -- both a monumental day in the history of my university and a monumental day in my life -- I do believe I experienced one of my best days. On this day, I grew closer to God, understanding and being thankful for the cleverness of his actions. I grew aware of how he has connected every instance & dot in my life to prepare for what was to become that day and what will become in the future. The snow had finally stopped in the state of New York, and that morning at approximately 8:00 am I threw on my newly tailored Calvin Klein overcoat, freshly starched white tuxedo shirt, creased Zara suit pants and alligator clutch, polished Aldo shoes, and my oversized black sunglasses to go experience a full day of life-changing experiences. The first stop was the World Trade Center to visit a fellow Aggie, Shelby Ivey Christy at her office at American Vogue. We sat down, drank coffee, and discussed climbing the career ladder, adjusting to life in NYC, as well as diversity in fashion. Below you can see the view from the Condé Nast office and my full look for the day. So thankful for that experience!
After getting off of the elevators and my ears finally popped - inspired and high off of life from that (dream come true) experience, I began the real adventure of the day - getting back to the business of why I was in NYC. I split ways with Jamal, hopped into an Uber, and was off to Washington Square to experience a booked day ahead. Little did I know I would meet such extraordinary people, sit next to contributors and editors of magazines across the world, go to esteemed venues and rooftops in Manhattan, and experience one of the biggest affirmations of my life's journey.
The first show of the day was You/As.
The You/As A/W 2017 collection oozed every bit of sporty, wearable, and chic all at the same time. Never in a million years would I have thought I would see crocs at New York Fashion Week, but with the way they were styled in the collection, I thought they were a brilliant piece of the puzzle. Fantastic detail work with the patterns on the sweaters and jackets, great use of neutral tones, and the silhouettes were interesting and form-fitting on the models. Loved the way they paired Vans and Crocs with wardrobe staples to create a new wave of sporty chic.
This was by far one of my favorite looks in the collection. That silver ring detail on the black pants paired with this navy sweater is the perfect look to spice up my Fall/Winter uniform.
Next up was Raun LaRose at Cadillac House. I am extremely honored to have been invited to this presentation without having requested. As a relatively new menswear designer, LaRose is an alumnus of FIT, having studied menswear design and interned with Zac Posen in Paris. LaRose exerted full control of his experience and education, creating a collection that really explained to the press what the true essence of the "Raun LaRose" man is. In my opinion, LaRose designs for the gentleman who has an affinity for unique textiles, fluid, and dramatic silhouettes, and rich colors that one can see by examining the nature around them. Great detail work in the individual pieces, and a splendid job of mixing dramatic shapes with traditional ones. He showcased pieces that (worn individually) would be fantastic statement pieces. See a few of my snapshots from Cadillac House and the entire collection here…
Nautica was honestly one of my favorite collections of the day! I thought the brand really brought back some of its classic design codes. The 1990's style logo and patterns, the rich yellows, ICONIC navy blues and reds, whites, and emerald greens, the bucket hats, windbreaker jackets, and duffle bags - I just couldn't get enough. The brand really proved why it is a classic in the fashion industry. I really wanted to shop a couple pieces from this collection and go sailing on the Hudson River! lol. Not to mention, the atmosphere was filled with the most esteemed bloggers that I've come to know over the years. It was also great seeing Lil Yachty, the brand's newly named Creative Director for the Fall 2017 collection. He had this fantastic ambiance and entourage surrounding him, iced out and fresh to death. I also appreciated that the brochure was in the style of a church fan - something I needed navigating through the hot and crowded Skylight Clarkson. Can't wait for the next collection!
This navy bomber jacket on the lower far right, with the red outer pockets, was my favorite piece in the presentation. I need it more than I need oxygen in my lungs. It would be so perfect to wear with a classic white shirt, jeans or chinos, and some brown or black brogue shoes.
Matiere's "Vandals" Collection was a superb mix of plaids, stripes, and dark neutrals that evoked a chic, royal, rocker look that was like no other. I loved the pairing of the black socks with the Doc Martens low shoes - something I love pairing together when constructing darker looks. Overall I enjoyed the collection and thought there were some great outerwear pieces to spice up your Fall/Winter wardrobe! Looking forward to seeing what Matiere does next! See the entire collection here…
The far right look featured above was my favorite. The collar and piping of that jacket, that red grungy tartan plaid shirt, and the black wide-leg trousers paired with the Dr. Martens -- super chic!
After Matiere, my small cluster of newly found fashion week friends and I ventured once again to Cadillac House to view the Deveaux New York Autumn/Winter runway show. My excitement for this show was nearly staggering. I had seen the previous collections on YouTube before and was super excited and honored to be invited to this exclusive and prestigious event. When the lights dimmed and everyone filled in tightly to see the show, I witnessed a magical experience. I saw models storm down the runway wearing outerwear pieces in seemingly comfortable fabrics, daring bias cuts, and expert tailoring. I especially loved the pop of color in the neck scarves and the sharp suit trousers and jackets. The clothes, in my opinion, are made for men and women who have busy schedule's and choose to handle business in luxury garments. The music, the atmosphere, the venue...everything came together so seamlessly and the execution of this show was brilliant. I will definitely be requesting to see the next runway show. Bravo! See my video coverage below and the entire collection here…
First, let me start by saying that the team that put together the Death to Tennis presentation deserve the finest, aged, wine from the best vineyards on this planet. The location - Le Bain at 444 West 13th Street was just undeniably spectacular. One of the joys of my life is seeing the finished product of hard work executed flawlessly. With everything that was going on - connecting with newly found friends that shared my same love for icons in fashion history upon walking to the show (Alexander McQueen, Diana Vreeland, Anna Piaget, & Isabella Blow), being served free spicy margaritas, a flower decorated body lying on the bar, the upbeat tempo of the music, as well as the decoration of the venue - it all proved to be a memory that I will cherish forever. It felt as if I was in Studio 54 back in the 1970's and also as if I belonged to this new in-crowd of rising fashion stars. I went into the bathroom to adjust my look and saw the most amazing view of the New York City skyline. Mind you - the sun was falling so you could only imagine the colors that one could see in the sky. As for the presentation, members of the press had to insert "Death to Tennis" money into this portal to see the collection. When we actually saw the collection I was nearly blown away. Models wore black veils over their faces, Doc Martens shoes, and clothed in these awesome belted, patterned jackets, anoraks, and bombers. The collection evoked an army of military gangsters, adding to the trend of military showed by so many designers this season as a reaction to the political environment of the country. With the excellent presentation and selection of venue, Death to Tennis designers William Watson and Vincent Oshin got their message across with overwhelming clarity.
At the Palmiers du Mal Autumn/Winter 2017 runway show, I enjoyed the esteemed pleasure of sitting in the second row, in between Contributing Fashion Editor of The Greatest Magazine, Chelsea McPartlon as well as XEX Magazine Fashion Contributor and newfound colleague, Mateo Palacio. For their Fall/Winter 2017 "Evil Palms" collection, designers Shane Fonner and Brandon Capps sent a mix of colorful and wearable pieces that evoked the epitome of "easy luxury" down the runway. Mo-hair, velvet, cotton, and corduroy mixes of olive green, ivory, navy blue, paisley, violet, and black were featured in pajama shirts, jumpsuits, belted robe jackets, and sweatsuits. The accessories of the collection complemented the clothing very well - chain necklaces, belts, rings and earrings, as well as ski masks, toboggans, and black cube clutches, slide sandals and black leather ankle boots - pieces of the puzzle that explain the "Evil" concept within the "Evil Palms" theme. This collection (in my opinion) has made PdM a worthy competitor to the menswear of Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy. My favorite pieces were the olive green and black mo-haired belted robe jackets. For anyone who wants to enjoy a vacation dressed in cool, luxury garments, Palmiers du Mal should be the first stop on your list. See a snapshot and my video coverage below as well as the entire collection here…
LANDLORD was the last stop on my list of menswear shows to attend on Wednesday. I walked into the platform and immediately thought... "Hood Rich." If I was given the task of styling some of today's rising Hip-Hop and Rap artists, this collection would be the first on the list to pick from. The vibrant, neon and pastel shades, gem necklaces, alligator prints on the pockets, and fur pieces are some things that I could see tons of urban artists picking up almost immediately. I think there are some really great individually-wearable pieces in the collection that could instantly spice up a look and make the wearer channel their inner "Divo." Can't wait for the next collection!
All photography courtesy of Lewis & Bull
That's about it for Day 3.
0 comments
We love to hear insight from our readers! Do not be afraid to share your thoughts, they can only make us better.