After the most lethargic New York runway season of the 21st century, the scene suddenly woke up Sunday with three striking collections – Tommy Hilfiger, Off-White and Todd Snyder -all of which contained cool menswear.
Tommy Hilfiger: Wu-Tang nautical
Pride of place goes to Tommy Hilfiger, with an ingeniously staged show inside a retired Staten Island ferry, topped out by a rousing live performance by the Wu Tang Clan.
Thicker in the girth, faintly wizened since the glory days of 36 Chambers but still magnificently fierce, the Wu-Tang Clan stomped around the ferry performing their masterpiece ‘C.R.E.A.M.’ to intense cheers and shouts of approval.
Talk about rapping up a first-rate show, and savvy collection, whose key theme was natty and nautical chic. The Wu-Tang collective’s explicit, freestyle associative lyrics and street style an ideal juxtaposition to Tommy’s cool new Fashion take.
His willowy cast strolling about the MV John F. Kennedy ferry’s outdoor promenades and open-air deck space. As thousands of onlookers cheered on the action from outside on the dock at Pier 17, underneath the Brooklyn Bridge on the East River.
“Sporty and preppy nautical, with new shapes and fabrications. Higher waisted trousers, wider legs, crop tops,” explained Tommy, who entitled the collection ‘Coastal Retreat’. Showing admiral’s blazers; Breton sailors’ tops; and TH logos made of mock rope.
Another key theme was tennis, seen in white trimmed V-neck sweaters; ankle-length dresses; wide linen shorts and knit tops. Often paired with a key new idea – super tight cargo shorts. Or covered in some great gingham trench coats.
All staged on a craft covered in witty ads or warning signs: Tommy City Tour; Tommy Buoy Located Under; Unique Offer! Hilfiger Ferry Weekend Tickets.
Off-White: West African rapper chic in Brooklyn
One began the day at Brooklyn Bridge Paris at noon for the premier New York fashion show of Off-White, the conceptual fashion house founded by mid-western-born designer Virgil Abloh.
Staged on a series of basketball courts, backed up by driving techno music, and with Wall Street across the East River providing a powerful backdrop.
“I thought it was about time that the brand returned home. We have never shown here. It’s such a multicultural city, like the brand,” explained the quietly-spoken Ibrahim Kamara post-show.
Though the inspiration came from a different continent, following a visit by newly appointed creative director Kamara to Accra, the capital of Ghana, famed for its markets, fabrics and electric prints. Sending out sexily crafty wrap mini-skirts or deconstructed dresses cut on the bias and paired with all sorts of mini jackets and crepe shirts. He cut lean fencing pants and the narrowest cargo pants for men and women and sent out all sorts of lean tunics. Often finished with bold stars, glitter and angled zips.
“I went to Ghana on holiday last August and embedded myself in the markets. And I realized I wanted to come to New York with the idea of the global traveler, bringing fun, ideas and cool,” explained Kamara in backstage packed with fans.
Playing on the manner in which Ghanese gals nonchalantly wrap yards of fabric around their waists. But pairing that with track jackets and varsity jackets with cutaway fabric belts.
The longstanding lament about Off-White was that its founder blatantly lifted ideas from other designers, made minimal adjustments and insisted this was something really new. One can certainly not level that accusation against Kamara, who riffed on African culture, street chic but always in his very own distinct way.
Asked to define the DNA of Off-White, he responded: “Community, global-ness. It was the first brand that embraced the idea of community. I want to continue that.”
Todd Snyder: Murphy magic in Rockefeller Center
Few American expats have exerted such influence on artists and fashion as Gerald and Sara Murphy, a legendarily good-looking couple who set up a bohemian villa at Antibes, and by some accounts invented the idea that being tanned was chic.
Their sense of haute boheme permeated a very fine collection by Todd Snyder, that included Gerald Murphy’s love of sarongs, finely tailored linen suits and general sense of insouciant ease.
Ideally presented before barely 100 guests inside Le Rock, a very tony restaurant in Rockefeller Center where they serve delicacies like live scallop and saltimbocca swordfish. The better to display the refined, patrician quality of Snyder’s fabrics: sueded Italian linen batik-printed box sets, or stunning champagne hued silk suits.
All a marked contrast to Todd’s massive show in Pitti this January, but another smart expression of his elegantly classy style.
The Murphys would surely have approved. The audience clearly did.
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