The latest edition of New York Fashion Week (NYFW) has successfully and safely been completed, following some pandemic-induced adjustments.
The event was much shorter this time; it was held for only four days, from September 13 to 16. A lot of familiar names were not seen either, as they chose a more digital option to show their Spring/Summer 2021 collections.
Still, it's NYFW, and even in such a limited time span, excitement abounded. Here are some of Globetrotter's favorite NYFW SS21 highlights:
Harlem's Fashion Row
Diversity in fashion is such a trend right now, that some have questioned if it's just that: a trend. Founded by Brandice Daniel, Harlem's Fashion Row (HFR) has been championing African American and Latino designers since 2007 and continues to do so even amidst the pandemic.
L-R: Richfresh, Kristian Lorén and Kimberly Goldson
To coincide with the first day of NYFW, HFR held a virtual runway show featuring three up-and-coming fashion creatives: Patrick Henry of Richfresh, Kristian Lorén and Kimberly Goldson. Additionally, HFR also honored some of the best black talents in the industry in an award ceremony. This year's recipients include British Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, Teen Vogue's editor-in-chief Lindsay Peoples Wagner and some other notable names who have been working toward uplifting black designers.
Alice + Olivia
While other designers went virtual, Stacey Bender of Alice + Olivia moved their show outside, social distancing and masks included. The brand's Spring/Summer 2021 collection features fluid pieces that were best shown in motion, but that wasn't the only reason why Stacey decided to take their runway outdoors. Casting local creatives, including dancer Ebony Williams and violinist Margot from The Dolls, as part of the show, Stacey also wanted to show the New Yorkers' resilience.
Maxhosa Africa
A favorite of ours, Maxhosa is a South African knitwear label by designer Laduma Ngxokolo. Through a digital presentation, the brand revealed its Spring/Summer 2021 collection, which is his brightest one to date." The pieces look, for lack of a better word, happy, which was Laduma's intention. The collection's title, "Ingumangaliso Imisebenzi KaThixo", was taken from a song written by Laduma's late grandfather Mike Ngxokolo. "Which simply means ‘God’s work is so wonderful that we don’t even acknowledge how powerful it is’,” said Ngxokolo in a statement.
A source of positivity himself, Laduma wished to spread happiness, which has been a rare item nowadays. “During lockdown, in the midst of sadness, I felt like it’s very important to give people hope with my craft. I love color and wanted to showcase happiness, so people would feel excited about summer and show that happiness is the new luxury."
Sandy Liang
Rising designer Sandy Liang has been getting a lot of attention these past few seasons; so much that the independent designer actually welcomed the pandemic-induced break. Sandy fleed the virus-hit New York and returned home to her parents' house in Queens, and we can see how the experience shaped her design. The collection is infused with nostalgia like her previous ones, yet this one seems more personal with references to Studio Ghibli's Ponyo, The Royal Tenenbaums and in the collection video, Cardcaptor Sakura, which would be very much appreciated by any millennial.
Bibhu Mohapatra
Like many of us, being stuck in lockdown gave New York-based designer Bibhu Mohapatra time to reflect and look inward. It affected the way he perceived his craft and, as a result, his Spring/Summer 2021 collection felt more intimate. The inspiration for the collection is his muse, Hungarian-Indian female painter Amrita Sher-Gil, who was known not only for being the pioneer of modern art in India, but also for challenging the norms in the early 20th century society. The change in his perception also encouraged him to be more aware, and he worked with an entirely BIPOC staff to create the collection.
Bibhu introduced the new offering through a visual narrative that stars Ariana DeBose (Hamilton) and Surina Jindal, and is co-directed by Shruiti Ganguly and JD Urban. It also features a poetry that was written exclusively for the film by Navkirat Sodhi.
Images c/o Runway360
