60'S PANDEMIA

from Metropolitan NYFW Issue 2022

SIBERIA'S OTYKEN

by Debbie Dickinson

When you hear the name Fashion Week, it inspires designers to dream. They live countless sleepless nights, awaken their mates with visions that seem absurd until their designs march down the runway to the tune of a standing ovation, mixed reviews or miss the mark. All are hopeful for top recognition. Due to quashed budgets, social restrictions from the pandemic, and dispersed centralization of the shows; this season featured closed videotaped examples of their collections, minimal private runway

Wshows yet many refreshing newly emerging designers' presentations. Quite a relief from a two-year stagnation of the fashion industry. As I worked against the tide of knocking on all the doors of the recognized fashion brands, I received links to watch the shows from my office computer. The mark was missed to view the shows in person. That only gave half of the picture an editor needed to see the textiles, palettes down to the tiniest skin textures which define the beauty looks for Fall / Winter 2022. Here are the new favored picks.

Raul Penaranda created an unstoppable sustainable luxury brand crafted with kindness honoring Coco Chanel and Audrey Hepburn. Penaranda models sauntered in his signature looks at the Baccarat Hotel in a private salonstyle presentation for Vogue's top editors, celebrities, and fashions' elite. Raul transformed women’s ready-to-wear from above-the-knee day dresses by adding detachable long peplum wrap skirts in French boucles and laces, Italian silks, or angel wing sheer crinkle chiffons for shimmery elegant evening red carpet looks and more. He remarkably took daywear to the gala in minutes enhanced by jewelry designer Patricia Robalino. Tom Murry, the former CEO from Calvin Klein announced his partnership with Raul Penaranda to begin a meteoric acceleration to an already shooting fashion star.

Aknvas’s Christian Juul Nielsen presented in the Sunken Living room at the Spring Studios. Bright secondary colors mixed with merlot & yellow striped sweaters, fringe rope skirts over pants, quilted long coats, and shiny dark puffer jackets were worn by the male models. Divinely designed three quartered cotton pantsuits, dresses and coats were shown for women with exquisite shoulder, sleeves and pocket details.

Colin Locascio featured nostalgic and refreshing multi pastel textures and future-forward velvet minis with stuffed multicolored daisies popping in three dimensions. Many mixed textiles included faux fur, quirky boucle wool, and mesh diamante sparkled fashions; a derivation of Chanel in the house of this designer’s look. A roughed up futures 60’s twiggiesque style mod hair on many models and many with naturally marigold waist-length hair color were presented. Patterned black nouveau floral fishnet stockings had accented the weight of the platform shoes.

RAUL PENARANDA

KGL’s designer Kanika Goyal’s label also took over the Sunken Living Room with her interpretation of brightcolored puffer jackets, miniskirts, multi-layered jackets, large flat layered sequin pastel pantsuits, gold lame and pink faux fur and leathertrimmed coats, dual-colored denim suits; a modernization of the 60’s. Male models in fur block leather patterned short coats were embedded with giant pearls for men in cornrows and bucket hats.

Malan Breton made a surprise appearance after a 3-year hiatus in London. He showcased celebrated personalities that included Mason Grammar and 80s Siberian supermodel Irina Pantaeva wearing some of his signature fantasy full hoop skirted ball gowns among many other dazzling designs.

Dur Doux’s mother / daughter designer’s, Najla and Cynthia Burt shined with their presentation of La Nouvelle Mosaïque. Mosaic patterned prints were a featured look on long evening gowns with a bright purple belted boned bustier and orange fringed cocktail dresses as well as long coat suits topped off with a shockwave of glamourous sunshine tulle on the finale gown. They were accompanied by nouveau Washington D.C. designer, Andrew Nowell, who brought mixed pattern menswear with an urban cool air.

Fashion Muse competition was the highlight of the week at Runway 7 in Sony Hall - Broadway District. I was invited to be part of a celebrated team to judge 16 graduating student designers from the top US fashion schools. Issey Miyake flew in his collection from Paris for me to wear all week and walk the runway as I was introduced to judge the event. I was joined by celebrated fashion designer Naeem Khan, Mickey Boardman from Paper Magazine, author Eric Carlyle and writer/designer Joseph DeAcetis. This inaugural brainchild of SoHo Muse and Runway 7's collaboration was hosted by Consuelo Costin Vanderbilt. The winners that showed off impressive designs in first place were Desislava Simeonova from the Fashion Institute of South Florida, 2nd Runner Up - Jacqueline Mones from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and 3rd runner up - Francys Lorena Herrera from the Miami International University of Art and Design. These new designers were awarded production of their capsule collections to launch their brands.