Fe Noel: Fashion at the Intersections & Margins For NYFW 22

by Triston Brewer

The label takes the spring 2023 runway show to new heights with a definitive sartorial statement

‘WISH YOU WERE HERE’ EXAMINES DUALITY ACROSS THREE PHASES

With this quote providing the context for her second official showing at New York Fashion Week, the designer boldly opened and closed the show with ‘La Vie En Rose’, utilizing two renditions which juxtapose the meaning of the phrase: one by Louis Armstrong – who is regarded as one of the most prolific and iconic talents of the Harlem Renaissance, the other by Grace Jones, hailed as a trailblazer and enigma of Jamaican heritage. The presentation was divided into three segments to properly convey the entirety of a phrase that can easily be re-imagined and reinterpreted differently by each viewer.

Romance

The show began with ethereal vibes which featured a flowing, bias-cut slip dress in a shade of peach. Other colors from this set included rich brown and metallic gold. Paired with the lingerie look were ruched pieces, taupe silk pants, and structured corset tops that evoked a sexy yet provocative aesthetic.

Grief

The first act gleamed into the second – anguish – and the collection took a turn towards deeper, darker colors to express pain through design. The color black is synonymous with pain, and Noel selected it for this segment, augmenting its delivery with panels of rich ivory, with detailed tailoring for the menswear included in this part of the presentation. Noel stressed that the designs were inspired by her own personal grief, but the touches of light represent the undying element of hope that lives on.

Celebration

The third and final act was by far the most vivid of them all, which encompassed pink florals to and black tulle, to shades of dark green and the rich regality of purple. Also on offer for this segment? Structure! And to great effect as Noel re-examined the historical classic looks by including draped goddess dresses. Closing out the show was ‘The Dre$$’, a magnificent, sweeping mermaid-silhouette dress, complete with a 16-foot train. The first couture gown ever from the label, ‘The Dre$$’ featured hand-sewn bills meant to represent the $1.6 million gender retirement income gap, a 30% that drastically affects generational wealth for women of color in particular. The epic moment remained was a thought-provoking sartorial statement which Fe Noel is synonymous for.

A 2022 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist, Fe Noel’s collection presented

25 looks that were expansive in where they delved and what they encapsulated. With puff sleeves, daring asymmetry, and an abundance of volume, the designer played off of many themes to state her sartorial case – from ostrich feather cuffs in a light mint hue and regal trains on dresses, to elegant ruching and elegant gloves, the label used various techniques to play up the themes that included romance, beauty, and grief. With blazers and pantsuits exquisitely tailored alongside romantic slip dresses and gowns, Fe Noel presented a showcase that the thoroughly modern woman could fully embrace and appreciate. The models were adorned with makeup and hairstyling to showcase raw emotion from smokey eyes to reflect tears to textured waves that represented serenity.