The Best of NYFW AW17
The latest season of New York Fashion Week is coming to a close, showing the best to come from the city's best designers next Autumn/Winter. The trends coming through? It's all about the arms (arms warmers at Calvin Klein and fingerless styles at Alexander Wang) and politically-charged slogans ('Make America New York' at Public School and 'The Future is Female at Prabal Gurung). This season it's about reflecting society as we know it in fashion; here's the best of NYFW AW17.
Alexander Wang played to his strengths for his eponymous label, with an AW17 collection that was made up of all-black looks, slim mesh tops and a slightly grungy, dishevelled finish. Silhouettes ranged from skin tight (black body suits and slinky dresses) to oversized (baggy jumpers big, boxy blazers), while the fabric of choice was solid black leather – and lots of it.
Raf Simons debuted his first collection for Calvin Klein at NYFW AW17, taking the essence of what makes this brand great and putting his own stamp on it. It was a new take on Americana: dark double denim with oxblood cowboy boots, leather aviator jackets updated in shades of red, and long coats made up patchwork quilting.
Grunge meets space for the Lacoste AW17 collection (obviously), where Felipe Oliveira Baptista presented metallic boots, space-print sweatshirts and bin bag-style jumpsuits and raincoats. The now-staple puffer jacket also made an appearance, worn with loose wide leg trousers and checked shirts for men, while some of the strongest looks came in the form of tobacco-coloured leather jackets and sandy corduroy trousers.
Rag & Bone opted to go against the norm this season, with a photographic exhibition of looks from the collection that focused on individual pieces and the brand’s down-to-earth ethos. It was made up of utilitarianism; loose, Japanese denim jeans; large khaki shirts; camouflage bomber jackets. There was nothing really avant-garde or statement making about this collection but sometime syou need a bit of realism, and this season it was Rag & Bone who gave us that honour.
Jonathan Saunders comes back with his second collection for Diane von Furstenberg, applying his unrivalled eye for colour and print to the established fashion house. It was a clear extension of Furstenberg’s signature look but without a contemporary, more cutting-edge approach; the classic wrap dress was updated with an asymmetric hem, ‘70s-inspired coats were given a colourful fur trim and one-shoulder LBDs came with separate, detachable sleeves.
