The Best Moments from New York Fashion Week 2020
And thus, it begins, New York Fashion Week 2020. A weeklong wave of sartorial magic and endless inspiration that has us thinking about why we wear the things we do and what impact our fashion choices have upon the world.
The last season was many things. From finding joy in hard times to giving hot pink a try, we were fueled from what we witnessed behind-the-scenes, on the runway, and of course, on the streets. And for New York Fashion Week 2020 we expect the same, and then some.
As Copenhagen Fashion Week just passed, where they announced their new sustainability plans, this season, we are approaching NYFW by taking notes on what falls under 'performance' and what falls under 'action', and how we can further expand our conversations and reinvent our approach to fashion week as we know it.
That being said, we recommend you refresh this page each day of the upcoming week because the Teen Vogue Style team is going to give you the inside view of everything that is NYFW. As per usual, we'll be highlighting our favorite collections, looks (on and off the runway), so buckle up and stay for the wild ride.
Slaven Vlasic1/14Day 6: Marc Jacobs
We can always count on Marc Jacobs to make New York Fashion Week feel like New York ~Fashion~ Week, and this year he didn't disappoint. There was a whole dance party. Yet, while the movement seemed excitingly energetic, the clothes the designer put down the runway were a bit more pulled back, minimal and even sober. Not giving up any of the individuality or creativity that one expects from the brand, but in a way mirroring the state of the times, and the state of New York. It hasn't lost it's luster, but it does feel a bit somber, pairing down to the basics to find out what we really need to make change.
Dia Dipasupil2/14Day 5: Christian Cowan
Christian Cowan is certainly one to push the limits on fashion, whether it’s sending a hot pink feather-sleeve dress down the runway or designing a collection inspired by The Powerpuff Girls. But his New York Fashion Week 2020 collection that showed during New York Fashion Week unfortunately missed the mark, veering too far into glitz than luxury.
The collection featured three main prints: Cheetah/leopard, a green leaf-like print, and a firework print. A main component of the collection to weave the looks together was rhinestones of which there were millions, whether in the form of body suits, head veils, beauty and more. And while the cheetah print designs — including one fluffy fur coat — were perhaps the most successful, in addition to a gold leaf-sleeve dress, most of the other designs spoke less to luxury and more to costume.
From the fabrics to the rhinestones, the taste level was lower than expected from Cowan, and all together, the collection was unfortunately a miss. While most of the silhouettes used were basic, they were well-constructed, and Cowan’s final runway look — a huge purple bow dress — was perhaps the most memorable from the collection, the other designs were not enough to save the show.
Victor VIRGILE3/14Day 5: Rodarte
Rodarte hasn't shown in New York City in a while, so to see them back on the schedule brought all kinds of excitement. They gave us romance, they gave us goth, and they gave us Bella Hadid. We can't thank them enough.
Peter White4/14Day 5: Coach
Never have I ever been to a fashion show that was also a rock concert, until the Coach New York Fashion Week 2020 show. There was a live performance from the legendary Debbie Harry and bright fluorescent lights beaming on every model that walked down the runway, a truly sensory stimulating experience. It took my eyes and ears a little minute to adjust as my body didn't exactly know what to focus on: the music, the lights, the clothes? But once the clothes came into focus, there were these leather shorts I couldn't stop thinking about and a fresh new way to layer stripes (aka pile them all on!). So, thank you Coach for both a concert and some wardrobe inspiration.
Peter White5/14Day 5: Eckhaus Latta
Eckhaus Latta has hit it’s stride and isn’t stopping anytime soon. Eclectic knit co-ords and painted denim is their speciality. Set in the South Street Seaport District, designers Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta showed a 44 look show. Models descended a grand staircase and kept things simple. That’s what Eckhaus Latta does so well, everything is made easy and never overcomplicated or show-y. This season shoes were provided by The Real Real, they were mostly pumps or loafers reminiscent of the working office lady.
The clothing itself got a lot more colorful, but of course, on Eckhaus Latta’s terms. Meaning latte browns, mustard yellow, grape purples mixed with bright reds and pinks occasionally. Trench coats were deconstructed but nonetheless well constructed and two eye-catching skirt suit sets also made an appearance. It was a delightful show that reminds you to get dressed with joy and thoughtfulness.
JP Yim6/14Day 4: Proenza Schouler
THE BOOTS, and how could I get them immediately – Is all I could think about on my way home from this show. Also, the cut out dresses and the capes. What's so great about a Proenza Schouler show is that every single thing that comes down the aisle you want to wear right then and there, and you don't really need a special occasion. Proenza Schouler designs for the women who wants to get dressed right now.
7/14Day 4: Dion Lee
Australian designer Dion Lee is inspires us to be a minimalist in the most maximalist way possible. This season’s collection began with a dark palette and progressed into shibori tie dyed blues and oranges. Chunky chains were sparsely used on bags and on waists in lieu of a traditional waistband. A fishnet texture was also used, but in Lee’s case it is to accent and echo the delicate chain links.
Shoulders, collar bones, and hips got their moment in the spotlight with thoughtful cut-out not-basic off the shoulder tops. Trousers with their hips cut-out moved with every step that the models took. The details were so intricate and special you find yourself wishing the models would walk just a little bit slower so that you could take it all in.
Photographed by Andres Burgos. Courtesy of Kate Spade New York.8/14Day 4: Kate Spade New York
While last season, Nicola Glass showcased the ideal outfits to sport around the busy city streets or a quaint garden, this time around he's immersing us in an enchanted forest further injecting in the Kate Spade consumer the urge to recreate themselves by taking note of the details. Consisting of what Kate Spade does best — florals, lace, polka dots, tweed, and animal prints — but with a psychedelic twist, you encounter pleasant surprises throughout the collection. From a classic, khaki trench that's hiding beneath its lapels a playful, floral print and purses and cocktail rings molded into the shape of a mushroom to the brand's first mini bag in a sparkly, marbled shade and vibrant tights styled with laced, little black dresses, every piece is something that Alice in Wonderland would proudly rock (and us, too).
Victor VIRGILE9/14Day 3: Collina Strada
The Collina Strada show was a party. It began with Sasha Frovola musing about where eucalyptus trees grow and how koalas have fingerprints and ended with a performance with Paramore’s Hayley Williams. This runway show was an intimate one. Viewers stood around a grass runway and models descended a spiral staircase to get there. The clothing stayed true to Hillary Taymour, Collina Strada designer’s DNA. Tie-dye everything, bedazzled water bottles, and year two of their fun collaboration with Hoka One One.
The models did not simply walk down the runway they danced, jumped, twirled, rode on each other’s backs, etc. They interacted with the crowd and each other. Bedazzled gardening hoes made their debut and the models took bites out of raw carrots as they moved down the runway in full lace get-ups and earth toned quilted puffers. The message was very clearly all about sustainability and the state of our planet.
Brian Ach10/14Day 3: Chromat
Chromat’s New York Fashion Week 2020 presentation took us to a gym in the basement of a WeWork near Wall Street. An immersive experience, the show consisted of models working out in one room and dancing in another—the presentation (that you could walk through at your leisure) was diverse, inclusive and colorful. Workout gear, probably too cute for the actual gym, was mustard yellow with black stripes, turquoise and orange, pinks and reds floated around the room as the models engaged in different activities. And, of course, the workout gear was perfectly accessorized with models donning jewelry by Melody Ehsani and sneakers from Chromat’s collaboration with Reebok.
It was Chromat's effort to correct the historical exclusion of cis women, non-binary, trans women and intersex people from the Olympics. To this day, these groups are still marginalized in some way or another from the sports industry, the show notes read. In this way, the show was a necessary intervention to how we conceive of ability and athleticism showcasing models of all abilities and genders from an amputee to someone with a double mastectomy to several trans and gender nonconforming models. While the concept for the immersive experience was well intentioned, the execution felt disorganized at times—figuring out where to stand or what the models were doing ended up being a distraction from the bright and interesting clothing.
Dan & Corina Lecca11/14Day 3: Sies Marjan
Last season, Sies Marjan gave us a lesson in color theory. This season, the brand gave us its take on what one would wear in the countryside. Yes, that included clogs, chunky sweaters, thick socks, and lessons in elevated layering. But, it did not include straw hats, prairie dresses, and lace. Instead, Sies Marjan offered understated metallic skirts and dresses, floral suits, and big big leather camping like bags, but worn for ~fashion~. And, we truly appreciated the perspective.
12/14Day 3: Area
What would be Area without their signature rhinestone looks? Though each season, we know we will be served shimmering and shining goodness, each season Area’s designers Becket Frogg and Piotreck Panszczyk deliver fresh takes that no Kira Kira app can handle.
As all the glitzy looks waltzed in the finale to the beat of tunes that sounded eerily familiar to wind chimes or sparkles clashing against each other while walking in an under-construction segment of the Africa Center in Harlem, these Parsons School of Design graduates let every viewer know, they’re just getting started polarizing our approach to clothing.
The brand made a case for pants being a things of the past (while sending down the runway their take on leather chaps), that your hair can double as a scarf (if it’s long enough, of course), that your tiny purse, needs a tiny chair, and that your favorite winter garments (read: boots, pants, and coats) need bedazzled cutouts. Plus, they’re pairing up with the Africa Center to support the work of this cultural institution to continue highlighting the influence of the African people and diaspora.
Courtesy of Susan Alexandra13/14Day 2: Susan Alexandra
For her second NYFW presentation, handbag designer, Susan Korn, took the performance aspect of fashion week quite literally. In the Public Arts space of the Public Hotel in NYC's, Lower East Side, showgoers witnessed the beloved Instagram bags in a whole new light: A musical. Aptly titled, *Susan Alexandra: The Musical*, the show was a loose adaptation of Korn's own life and the whirlwind that is wanting to achieve your dreams in a city where the high costs of living makes everything an uphill battle.
From beginning to end the characters on stage — which ranged from Susan herself played by Aisha Kerensa and her dog Pigeon, played by Larry Ownes to The Landlord played by Jessica Joffe and Rage, Sadness, and Fear — flaunted giant tulle costumes while sporting Susan Alexandra earrings or bags and sang in tune while making nods to the brand's beginnings as The Landlord assured that Susan and her 203 Prince St. wouldn't have to close as long as she had 'her followers and her bags', showcasing that even with followers and bags Fear, Anxiety, and Sadness can creep it, and that despite it all there's a sun (as the closing number said) in all of us that's just as bright as the beaded bags we love to double-tap on IG.
Now, we're all left to wonder if Korn is actually going to open a store in 2020 — whether it be in 203 Prince St or not. — Bianca Nieves, commerce editor
Getty Images14/14Day 2: Brandon Maxwell
What is a fashion show like? Rows of editors and influencers pondering on each look that comes down the runway. Sometimes there's whispering, but usually it's pretty quiet. I was actually at dinner with a designer during Copenhagen Fashion Week who wondered if the audience actually liked her show because everyone was so quiet, there was no cheering or applause. But we realized, it's because everyone is recording. The most important thing is getting that #content to post to Instagram, or Tik Tok, or Twitter.
It's why Brandon Maxwell's New York Fashion Week 2020 show was a breathe of fresh air. Thanks to Gabi and Lexi from Netflix's Cheer every single runway look got applause, praise, and mat talk. Instead of silence and stares, there was applause, cheering and Gabi and Lexi yelling: “You're a 10” “You're beautiful” “All 10s” “Gorgeous” “Killing the game” “Slaying it” “Honey you're everything". It made it one of the most exciting and memorable fashion show moments, even making the models crack a smile. That, and Bella Hadid serving in a fresh take on the crop top we didn't know we needed and all the beautiful gowns that shashayed down the runway. Also, we are inspired? Excuse us while we play our recordings from the show for a morning pep talk. — Tahirah Hairston, fashion and beauty features director
