New York Fashion Week highlights

The New York Fashion Week has finally ended. And what a ride it has been. Especially given the shadow that has been cast by the pandemic over the past few years. There was a sense of optimism in the creations; and sometimes in rather subtle ways. There was a substantial focus on street style, which is expected given the spirit of the host city that is classy, yet edgy and trendy.

American label Coach didn’t disappoint. With a smattering of colours and bold patterns, the brand created the perfect neighbourhood vibe. Coach’s Creative Director Stuart Vevers’ Fall 22 Collection–was set in the suburbs, and was “a love letter to somewhere in America”.

Carolina Herrera’s creative Creative Director Wes Gordon brought the New York flair and glamour to the proceedings, with stunning colours and motifs in long, flowing gowns in his Fall-Winter 2022 collection that “was inspired by the self-assured, strong and full-of-fire Carolina Herrera woman”.

The silhouettes for the season were linear and yet exuberant, “including an enormous sleeve or a colour reveal at a hem”.

There was also an intensely saturated chroma of Crushed Berries, Anemone Blue, Fire Opal, Deep Peony, Evening Primrose Yellow and Dahlia burst on the blindingly white runway. It was signature Carolina Herrera fare.

Moving on to more muted, yet no less striking designs, Thom Browne took to precise, vintage wool clothing. While Browne wasn’t present physically at the show, his collection’s images that were exclusively released for the show had his signature tartan. It was, pardon the cliché, a welcome blast to the past.

Equally striking were the power suits by Sergio Hudson. Complete with oversized hats, detailed jackets with padded shoulders, complemented by short skirts, the look cut the perfect silhouette. To top it off, the runway show was replete with vibrant colours.

This being New York, there was a generous use of leather as well. The looks striking a balance between rebellious to upscale pairing with other fabrics, While some designers went for the full head-to-toe leather look, others such as Helmut Lang and Dion Lee punctuated the material with shearling tops.

In fact, there was a leather jacket showcased in almost every collection this season, making it the right tool in the arsenal of every fashionista this Fall.