Liam Galaugher ’23
Fashion is a part of our global culture that celebrates diversity in all sizes and colours. Fashion Week is a biannual event occurring across the globe. The four cities that participate are New York, London, Milan, and Paris. The purpose of Fashion Week is a time for the industry’s top designers to present their upcoming collections in a series of runway shows and presentations. Two are held each year to showcase designer collections for the following seasons: February reveals the later fall/winter season collections of its year and September showcases those for the spring/summer season. Fashion Week is seen as cultural hotspot in the world of fame and fashion and many celebrities use this as an opportunity to partner with designer companies and attend the shows.
This year, New York kicked off its Fashion Week on February 10. Fashionistas revealed many fabulous collections and various celebrities attended. The collections emphasized everyday wearability, where designers Gabriela Hearst, LaQuan Smith, and Sandy Liang showcased their collections that could be put right into your closet. While designers Rodarte and Thom Browne revealed their more whimsical and fantastical collections, such unique themes are expected at prime fashion events. Friday set the mood as high fantasy, hosted inside the neoclassical Williamsburgh Savings Bank. Rodarte kicked off the official schedule with his gothic fairy themed collection, transforming the runway into a glittering banquet. Throughout the week, we saw various celebrity appearances not only in the audience but on the runway. David Harbor, Bella Thorne, Lil Nas X, Ice Spice, and Sam Smith were regulars, attending in the front rows wearing products from designers Michael Kors and Coach. Lindsey Lohan was also spotted in the front row, with her siblings Ali and Cody walking the runway.
While Fashion Week can seem flaunty and insignificant, the influence that the collections have over mainstream fashion trends are evident. Unlike trends set by online influencers or fast fashion brands, the fashion houses that create outlandish looks make their way into mainstream media. Although outfits and designs are not copied from the designers,; the textures, silhouettes, and shapes of the clothing are what are taken and used to set future trends. We see this today:; brands affordable to the general public take these elements and incorporate them into their clothing. Last year’s fashion week saw themes of Victorian silhouettes and lavish knit pieces. Throughout the past months, trends saw a resurgence of corset ridged tops and knitwear like cardigans and sweaters. Since elements in fashion often are cycled from past decades, the incorporation of these themes consistently updates and revives clothing hobbies such as thrifting and upcycling.
Fashion Week is time to celebrate the creative minds of diligent designers and see our favourite celebrities dressed up for the occasion. It is important to analyze events such as Fashion Week to better understand the trends of our future and to continue to support the people who make the fashion industry thrive.
The Crusader News 