As the saying goes, “hope is the last thing to be lost.” For Prabal Gurung, the hope that was injected into the Democratic Party’s presidential ticket when Joe Biden withdrew as the party’s nominee was not only contagious but also very personal. Gurung has been dressing the party’s new nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, for several years. Hope also seemed to inject some revitalization into design, as after having a few hit-or-miss collections in the post-pandemic seasons, the designer found his groove in a collection infused with elegance and refinement that stayed true to the designer’s East-West aesthetic.
Hope and dreams, a popular mantra for the Nepalese designer whose story closely parallels the American dream, also influenced the location. In Lower Manhattan, at 1 Centre Street, there is an open-air architectural spectacle, referencing the influence of the Roman Empire, the Italian and French Renaissance and the Beaux-Arts and dating back to 1914, called The Archway.
Gurung designed a T-shaped track in the huge cobbled plaza covered by an arched passageway. At its peak was an orchestra that serenaded the models, almost all of whom wore some kind of train connected to their outfits (the most successful was the chiffon one) that fluttered in the wind, which could well have been a coincidence of the weather that favoured the designer or it could have been due to the tunnel effect of the arch. Whatever the cause, the spectacle was impressive.
This season, Gurung basically stripped away complications and interspersed tailoring with airy, flirtatious and sheer motifs. The approach exuded freshness and understatement in the collection, demonstrating Gurung’s flair for dynamism. The overall level of garment production also seemed elevated, especially in some elegant knits.
When the final look came out, instead of the models, including Jessica Stam, doing one last show, a group of them came out in quick succession wearing various white and cream cotton summer dresses and stood at the top of the catwalk.
At the same time, they threw pink powders used in color ceremonies that were cleverly hidden in their hands; a pair of Indian percussionists appeared, playing a cheerful sound and joining the models as they continued down the runway. Gurung finally appeared in his custom “Vote” T-shirt emblazoned with Harris Walz on the back, which suddenly made the beaded dress from the show make sense.
After the show, Gurung explained the impetus behind his show. The designer recalled being in Nepal last March for Holi, a festival marked by joy and color, celebrating new beginnings with unity and enthusiasm. The United States felt divided and questioned any inspiration that came from the festival.
“There is a feeling of tranquility and abandonment. [which came through in the collection]but it is also optimistic and full of hope. I have been dressing [Kamala Harris] for a while, so when the nomination came, I said we were going to lean heavily towards this,” he told FashionNetwork.com backstage.
“I believe in the power of women and today I am here leaning on the shoulders of women. When I see her, I see my mother, my aunts and my sisters.”
Speaking about the coconut-embroidered dress, the designer said it was all a joke until the moment Kamala told a story about her mother asking her, “What's wrong with you? Do you think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” went viral.
To that end, the designer said he would sell T-shirts featuring Harris Walz's entrance on his website right after the show.
Gurung explained that he had wanted to do a show there for some time. “I live downtown and I always ride a Citi bike. I pass by this building and I've wanted to do something here for ten years. This is the only country where you can dream like this and make things happen.”
Who decides the war?
Since the beginning of the War of Who Decides 10He At the collection's exhibition in the Hall des Lumières on Saturday, where a series of examples of the Greco-Roman style of architecture prevalent in Europe were projected onto the walls, it was clear that the brand had something different up its sleeve.
The hunch grew stronger when the music started playing, with a live children’s orchestra and an overdubbed musical track courtesy of and conducted by trap artist Cash Cobain. As the husband-and-wife design duo spent time in Paris recently during the first round of the LVMH Prize 2024 competition, it wasn’t hard to wonder if spending time so close to the heart of haute couture influenced the collection.
The show was dominated by red carpet-inspired evening gowns and dresses that incorporated the brand's codes; the variation of stained glass, frayed effects, tulle overlays and straps combined to become fabric took on a different interpretation as D'Amore and Bravado demonstrated that their talent goes beyond streetwear.
Even the guys at the show looked more gala than clubby, with their sleek “suits” featuring cutouts of the pointed-arch stained glass that is the brand's signature shape.
Speaking to FashionNetwork.com backstage, which took the post-show frenzy to another level considering the likes of Nle Choppa, YG, Masego and Selah Marley were also in attendance, Tela D'Amore explained the reasoning.
“It was about pigeonholing yourself and breaking free from expectations. It was an ascension from any kind of restrictions and boxes that people put you in,” she explained, adding, “Working with Cash Cobain, an incredible trap artist and producer, that's what it's all about. No matter the field and where there's talent, that talent can shine in more than one specific category,” D'Amore said.
“The orchestra is exactly the strong point of catwalk music. Cobain has one area where he has been successful, but it is not his only limit. It is a good thing to highlight, especially in these young artists; they are very talented, but they do what works, what is exciting and makes money, but at the same time, they have an incredible range that needs to be celebrated.”
When discussing the musical collaboration, it was clear that D'Amore was referring to the brand's work. While the duo did not make it into the eight finalists, D'amore did reflect on the experience of the LVMH Prize.
“It was all a great learning experience for us. I learned that I'm in this room with all these talented people and we can easily be on par with them, or even surpass them,” he said.
If Saturday's show, with its energy, fan base and design evolution, is any indication, they've already reached another level.
Sergio Hudson
Saturday’s show at NeueHouse was not only a first for Hudson in terms of location, but also a first for the upscale cultural and coworking space just off Park Avenue South.
The establishment had never opened its doors to a New York Fashion Week show before. Thanks to a collaboration with Woodford Reserve whiskey (which included a fun video and a successful ad campaign in which Hudson compared fashion to whiskey), the whole thing was fun. Doors opened an hour early so guests could enjoy specially crafted cocktails while mingling in the spacious lobby.
Once the new Google-sponsored logistics bus arrived with the final guests, the show began with the sultry sounds of slow jazz from Anita Baker and Nancy Wilson as models including Veronica Webb, Martha Hunt and Jessica Stam (who has returned to several runways this season) performed.
Hudson has embraced the “evolution, not revolution” approach to design by creating day-to-night, occasion-ready pieces that look stunning without being overwhelming.
Backstage, Hudson spoke about her inspiration for making women feel their best.
“It all started with my mother, a dynamic and stylish woman, the most elegant woman I have ever met. Everything I make and see could have been worn by her at some point in her life,” the designer told FashionNetwork.com.
Sergio's mother, Sheldon, who introduced the South Carolina-born and raised designer to sewing, was in attendance.
Hudson further explained her classic, chic aesthetic.
“It's all about the woman and the person you're dressing. If I can personalize their personality and make them feel and look better, that's what I'm all about; it's not about putting makeup on people and making them look like a different person; it's about enhancing who you are. That's the Sergio Hudson woman,” he added.
Maybe, but this season he'll have company. Hudson presented a men's capsule collection that matched the predominantly pastel color palette.
“We get a lot of requests for men's styles, so we said, let's give it a try and we took six women's looks and developed men's styles and said, let's see what happens.”
added the designer.
Growth is certainly on the mind of brand owner Inga Beckham (the woman Hudson dresses), standing near Hudson backstage. She was excited to share a new initiative with Christos TK on her Covet by Christos live shopping channel.
The antiques expert will sell off Hudson's current holdings.
“It's a new way of shopping and a new way of distributing. It's what's happening in the world, so we're trying to change and consider other avenues,” he said, noting that the brand is also on Amazon Luxury and currently distributes in Canada and Dubai.
Jonathan Cohen
Jonathan Cohen’s Saturday morning show at The Center in the West Village was a delight in many ways. Easy access, a loyal group of professionals and friends of the brand, and coffee and baked goods made seeing his streamlined, focused collection, packed with color, very exciting.
Speaking to FashionNetwork.com, Cohen explained that his influence came from a condition he learned about, sound-colour synaesthesia.
“Synesthesia is a condition where you see different colors when you listen to music (or eat, in some cases). It's a very emotional connection between color and how it makes you feel. I don't have that connection, so I approached it from a different angle, reading about other people's experience,” Cohen said.
A Cocteau Twins song played in the background. Cohen feels that the voice of singer Elizabeth Fraser has a transformative effect.
“A woman said while listening to a symphony: first she sees white at first, then pink and red and then blue, and then it's a supernova of color,” she continued.
Cohen “tackled” the theme with a combination of vibrant colors and patterns (the latter being her strong suit) exaggerating the anemone motif in a nod to the explosive star phenomenon. She further mixed things up with tie-dye, exquisite beading, and colorful layered Swarovski crystal belts — an homage to another star, Anna Wintour.
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