Having just wrapped up, New York Fashion Week presented much more than fall/winter 2017 collections. It turned into a social and political commentary that pledged what fashion has rarely achieved – a true celebration of humanity, in all its shapes and forms.
Inclusivity
From all the bedlam of the catwalks at NYFW a new norm emerged – inclusivity. Not the type of openness designers have sworn by but never fully attained. This time around, the shows indeed embraced all types of personal quirks, body types and faiths, sounding out a political message, no less. Newbie Halima Aden strutted the runway at Kanye West’s Yeezy with a hijab wrapped around her head. The Olsen sisters’ The Row label cast famed models of different ages to showcase its creations, while Michael Kors celebrated curves with Ashley Graham. Opening up with Slick Woods’ gap-toothed grin, Marc Jacobs also presented a lineup of models of desperate ethnicity and genders.
Individuality
Inclusivity and individuality go hand-in-hand. This dynamic glared from the made-up faces and coiffed locks of models. Few were the lips smeared in flaring red and sending a sexy appeal. No alien-reminiscent hair, either (for the most part). Instead, colors and styles tilted toward minimalist natural looks, which brands have adopted as expression of individual confidence and fierce. It is all about being bold and comfortable in your own skin, with your little imperfections.
Do not shun the wild, though
As beauty appeared stripped of modern pressures, clothes read as a statement against current affairs. Donald Trump’s presidency of the United States seemed to have prompted more than a single collection. Bathing suits label, Chromat unveiled coats and skirts so buoyant that it would be easier to float on them than wear them. This is no strange error – designer Becca McCharen-Tran drew on last November’s election to create pieces around life-saving vests. Chi Zhang equipped models with gas masks, while Philipp Plein presented a chrome head-to-toe jacket that much resembles the folio wrapper blankets that if you follow the refugee crisis might have spotted on migrants, helped by authorities after their hazardous crossing the Mediterranean sea.
