Forget the Runway. New York Fashion Week Heads to the River

Proenza Schouler

Bold, color, fringe, and knits dominated the Proenza Schouler show featuring designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection. The brand’s quintessential pieces that delicately frame the body were present in this collection’s items, featuring a blend of neutrals, orange, yellow, and red tones. The colors, along with the fringe and lei-inspired necklaces on display, created a sunset of fabric against the backdrop of the Hudson River. Maxi dresses and loose-fitting pants and blazers worn by models including Gigi Hadid were the breakout theme—a mashup of 1920s-inspired tiers and tassels with a comfortable fit that became our 2020 pandemic wardrobe go-to. Mandy Velez

Katie Holmes Stars in the Return of New York Fashion WeekMWAH!

Sarah Shears, Kristopher Fraser, Alaina Demopoulos, Tim Teeman

Duncan

Michelle Duncan’s eponymous fashion label showcased their newest collection at Spring Studios. The beauty exec-cum-fashion designer made ample use of tartan and heavy eyeliner, a nod to the “goth” style that serves as the aesthetic underpinning of the brand.

Models strutted down the catwalk in Doc Martens—with the occasional eastern bloc-style kerchief holding back hair— in an array of high-end, posh versions of 1990s goth-kid staples. It was a heady mix of masculine and feminine, with soft, flowing, and sometimes sparkly fabrics juxtaposed with sharp tailoring—all with a cheeky school-girl edge. Sarah Shears

Elena Velez

Elena Velez took an avant garde approach to a minimalist color palette using black, white, grey, and beige. The collection was presented in a space that treated fashion like sculptural display pieces rather than clothes. When guests walked in, they were greeted by a model in a black dress inside of an architectural construction.

The presentation spoke to the concept of fashion as the artform we live our lives in rather than just something we wear. Although the collection was done in all neutral tones, deconstruction of the garments to create more unique silhouettes elevated the muted approach to color. Kristopher Fraser

Fried Rice

The aesthetic of Maya Wong’s label, Fried Rice, is, the label says, “the DNA of our quirky, culturally mashed-up perspective ... Street fashion in a global neighborhood,” and this season’s show was both modeled by and dedicated to the “creative community of New York City.”

Young and beautiful creatives from the city—such as visual artist Anastasia Karas, musician Drew Robinson, photographer Sissi Lu, hip hop artist Hass Irv and creative director Fake ID—wore the designer’s silky loose striped shirts and elaborate cargo pants and over-shirts. It was an elevated grunge style, a sleek and well tailored reimagining of 90s style. Sarah Shears