Michael Kors
This time last year Barry Manilow was revealed as the surprise star at Michael Kors’ autumn winter New York Fashion Week show. The models and attendees danced to the delirious “Copacabana.”
This year, the mysterious singer who goes by the name of Orville Peck—in customary “Lone Ranger” mask—strummed and twanged away, in front of what looked like the gables of a prairie house.
Orville Peck performs onstage during the runway at the Michael Kors FW20 Runway Show on February 12, 2020 in New York City"
Jamie McCarthy/GettyIt was not a surprise grand finale; Peck took to the stage in darkness at the start of the show. Lights up, the models began sashaying down a set of zig-zagging runways, as Peck sang haunting renditions of “Dead of Night” and “I Will Always Love You.”
We were not on the open plain, but in the American Stock Exchange, and Peck’s music was the perfect accompaniment to a low-key collection of 63 looks featuring check jackets and suits, plaid (even made into a slinky sleeveless dress), shearling and suede, and luxurious scarves, cowls, ponchos, and cozily-enveloping hoods.
Models at Michael Kors' AW20 show
GettyThe outdoorsy theme was so pronounced that the inclusion of the odd power suit, glamorous cape and finale of glittery dresses in gold and silver seemed like dutiful afterthoughts. This was a collection to wrap close on cold winter nights. No cattle would be unduly stirred by anything we saw.
The vibe of this collection, according to the show notes, was “relaxed chic with an urban sense of polish.” It ended with Peck’s rousing “Take You Back (The Iron Hoof Cattle Call),” and Kors himself doing a lap of the cavernous space. “Yee-haw,” the man next to me said, and there was really nothing else to add. Tim Teeman
Christian Cowan
Hot young people, hear my plea: crystal face masks are not an edgy sight anymore! Gilded coverings, a health(?) precaution of the one percent, have been trotted down many runways these past few years, from Gucci and Dior to Richard Quinn and The Blonds.
The sight may have been shocking when the famously private Belgian designer Maison Margiela veiled his models in the 1990s, but after three decades of derivatives, it’s lost its oomph.
But this doesn’t seem to mean much to Christian Cowan, the pop-loving British expat designer who dressed both Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus before graduating from Central Saint Martins art school in 2016.
He understands that the royal she wants to lead a glamorous life, as made evident by his glittering front row, which included Lisa Rinna, her daughter Amelia, the singer Tinashe, and so much bodycon.
The clothes themselves? Well, the audience seemed to like them, holding up their phones to Instagram Live every look. The pieces lived in the land of going out. Cheetah print, gold lamé, and mesh were constants. Cowan could have edited down his line a bit; sure, it was all fabulous, but you can only do so much with a sheer, skintight dress.
One standout included a firework-patterned glitter suit that was absolutely too Vegas, but who cares? The last piece, an amethyst and purple mini with a gigantic bow on the back, also stunned. Sure, that person-size appliqué would make getting through doors difficult, but what an entrance. Alaina Demopolous
Aliétte
Jason Rembert’s day job may be styling celebrities like Issa Rae, Lizzo, and Michael B. Jordan, but he's got an impressive side hustle, too—designing the womenswear line Aliétte. Attention, actresses promoting big films this fall: Rembert has so graciously crafted an entire collection for all your red carpet needs. Perhaps as a nod to his styling gig, there were plenty of award season-worthy gowns in underutilized colors like marigold, rust, and cadet blue.
In a fashion week full of impressive suiting (designers have given us enough wide-leg pants to keep Victoria Beckham clothed for the rest of the year), Rembert’s takes really stood out. One pair of metallic amber trousers walked a wonderfully fine line between made-for-Instagram and wear-in-real-life. Ever the dedicated client, Issa Rae sat front row, later calling the Aliétte show the “highlight” of her fashion week. It was probably just as great for Rembert’s toddler daughter, Harper, who got a hoist up and a hug from dad as he took his bow. AD
