On September 11th at Skylight at Moynihan Station on West 33rd Street, eight students from The School of Fashion at Academy of Art University debuted their thesis collections at New York Fashion Week. This year marked the 10th anniversary of the school’s first showing at NYFW.
“In the decade since our first presentation at New York Fashion Week the show has gained momentum, growing in size and the caliber of fashion professionals, designers, recruiters and media who attend,” said Academy of Art University President Dr. Elisa Stephens, whose quote was printed in the program.
“This season’s designers have created collections that are concentrated on minimalism, tending to the contour and structure of the garments. . . They have shifted their focus away from embellishment and on to the purity of the silhouette by the craft which they shape and proportion the clothes,” said The School of Fashion’s Executive Director Simon Ungless (Quote also printed in program.). Ungless’ sentiment rang true as the lights dimmed and the models began to walk the runway.
The first collection featured 10 designs from M.F.A. students Max Lu and Jingci Jessie Wang. Lu and Wang combined hard materials, like leather, with soft fabrics, like lamé and sequins, to create “the balance of harmony.” Full of metallic silvers, pinks, and purples, the palette suggested an “unreality” where clothing does not bind its wearer. Rather, it allows her to explore the “blurry dream” that Lu and Wang created through the garments.
The second collection of the night included eight menswear designs from Ruone Yan, a B.F.A. student. Yan’s pieces were inspired by the Caphalotus, most commonly referred to as the Venus flytrap. Though the fabrics used were a mix of jersey, leather and canvas, the palette was exclusively beige tones. The cocoon-like jackets, pleated skirts, and leather tops suggested a modern, even futuristic man that is masculine but not defined only by his gender; he is both protecting himself from nature with his layers of clothing but also embracing the serenity the natural environment has to offer.
The third collection of the night was a collaborative effort by Liz Li and Bom Kim, both M.F.A. students. The fabrics used in the collection were hand-painted abstract and floral designs inspired by traditional Chinese artwork. Kim designed the knitwear, which contrasted nicely with the fluidity of the linen dresses. Gauze leggings and white platform moccasins completed the ethereal goddess-meets-cool downtown girl feel of Li and Bom’s woman.
Mehrzad Hemati, the sixth designer to showcase her work and a M.F.A student, created a six piece collection that blurred gender lines. Hemati played with the lines and structure of the classic suit to create the image of a woman both powerful and stylish. Chains and custom closures designed to look like piercings give the pristine white of the fabrics a toughness while the presence of an open back in many of her garments provided sex appeal.
Livia Bianda, a B.F.A. student, designed an eight piece menswear collection inspired by football players’ uniforms and the exaggerated silhouettes they create. Color blocking gave the clothing a sporty edge while built-in backpacks and a fanny pack seen in some of the tops offered a practical, utilitarian element. Though the models wore shorts, the crisp, clean stripes in the fabric and in the silhouettes gave the collection a luxurious continuity.
The last collection was created by Wenhan Yuan, an M.F.A. student. Her six piece collection reflected “a sensuous woman in men’s clothing.” The oversized coats in black and white further emphasized the menswear inspiration. Though the models were covered from head to toe in fabric, the pieces felt sexy and emotional, as if the woman wearing the garment had truly taken it from her boyfriend’s closet.
Photos via Imaxtree
