By Morayo Bakare
Presidents’ Day weekend brought three-times the trends over the three-day weekend at New York Fashion Week. As sheer illusion panels, oversized silhouettes, and punchy neon and pastel hues reigned the runway, Carolina Herrera’s Cinderella-esque gown stood out the most, as well as Tibi’s neutral combinations. From the last couple of days, the runways were filled with color-blocked outfits and impactful gowns.
On Saturday, Tibi showed a curious range of warmth on the runway. From luxurious gray furs to pastel separates tied together with camel sweaters, comfort was key in this show. Emphasizing the ease of the clothing, combined with minimalist knits, Tibi focused primarily on the feel of the outfits. The clothes were soft and many had fur or fuzz detail. Cream shearling coats were present as well as mohair sweaters.
Tibi’s designer Amy Smilovic said “Things that are very contrasty feel dated to me. It’s about wearing 12 shades of navy or five shades of burgundy. It eases up your wardrobe choices if you can just mix it up.”
Monday, Carolina Herrera’s theme, water, was explored literally and abstractly. For Herrera, she felt that the more loosely she treated her natural motif, the more successful she was. Her icy blue silk gazar dress was a knock-out, with undulating flounces around the bust area and below the knee. Her line was filled with silk organzas and jacquards of many swooshes and curves, tracing the female form elegantly, yet subtly. Herrera does not like to look to the past for inspiration and this unconventional drive produced beautiful results.
Sunday, one of the few male models to ever walk the runway at New York Fashion Week was Jack Eyers, an amputee from the U.K. who was a part of the FTL Moda show. Showcasing designs from Antonio Urzi, who is known one of Lady Gaga’s favorite designers, Eyers was honored to be a model for the collection. Eyers had his leg amputated at 16 because of a disease known as proximal femoral focal deficiency. Not the type to let the disease take control of his life, he was not discouraged when he could not join the fire department as an amputee. Instead, he dedicated himself to fitness. After seeing an article about the company Models of Diversity, an agency that aims to promote diversity on the runway, Eyers applied and it has been a great experience ever since.
“For me, it’s just an honor to be able to work on this amazing project. I just want to show that having a disability doesn’t need to hold you back,” he said in a press release. Eyers now works as a spokesperson for Models of Diversity to advocate for more diversity in model selections for designers’ collections.
“It’s such a massive step for me and the modeling industry,” he said.
