February Fashion Week |NYC

The conversation around New York Fashion Week has honed in on addressing the topics of diversity and representation, resulting in a season having some moments worth mentioning. For starters, a transgender woman of color, Pierre Davis, held a debut show for her brand No Sesso. Davis made history this fashion week as the first trans designer to ever show at NYFW.

But, depending on whom you ask, fashion week has turned into an outdated trade show for an industry that has evolved beyond its roots. Sadly, with influencer egoism and over-commercialized beauty on the rise, we've entered a generation where nobody is authentic or has an original idea.

Fashion has become increasingly common amongst the masses. From celebrities to fashion vultures who sell “collections” through print-and-go apparel businesses. The industry needs to reclaim its exclusivity before another new fast fashion juggernaut devastates the fashion economy.

For me, bottom(trickle)-up streetwear designers, art-fashion designers, slow fashion designers, responsible designers, and the sustainable fashion community are where I find my refuge. It's a safe haven for us who believe the fashion industry can change.

February Fashion Week |NYC

From relaxed suiting to patchwork, another fashion week has come and gone. Long ago, fashion week made sense to me; because it offered photographers, editors, marketers, and buyers a chance to preview collections and trends trickling down to stores in six months. Consequently, allowing magazines plan-time for campaigns and stores to make purchase orders far in advance.

But this season was somewhat silent, with a few standout moments to highlight. 

Tie-dye made a big splash last season, with no signs of slowing down this season. Designers like Prabal Gurung leaned into bright sportswear. Quilted outerwear and two-piece separates also made a continued appearance this season. 

September Fashion Week |NYC

The worst fashion week ever.

This particular fashion week sucked as it touched on suppressed feelings of anti-fashion I've been harboring. Those that know me; know I love fashion, both the business and creative sectors.

However, fashion-season-after-fashion-season, I see the narrative shifting toward a more hyper-consumerist manner of doing business. The streets are full of influencers shamelessly doing anything for the perfect social media picture. I watched a girl climb a street post in heels. She almost twisted her ankle for a photo the photographer might not use.

Here's the thing.

What people do for their brands is their preference. However, where I take notice - is when fashion show attendees are gathered outside of Milk Studios (myself included), and feet away, a homeless woman is in tattered clothing with her life spread about in milk crates. The irony was unnerving.  

I've come to a point where I realize the current fashion system we've created for ourselves is not sustainable. The fashion red flags are up, and I have no interest in ignoring humanity because it's not trendy.

#MakeFashionSustainable

February Fashion Week |NYC

This February Fashion Week was a sourcing trip. The pursuit of textile books, world magazines, fabric, notions, vintage dresses, etc.

After pounding the pavement, I landed in Around The World Bookstore at 148 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018. From academic guides to global magazines, Around The World is an in-and-out-style bookstore.

The most satisfying part of this Fashion Week was Paron Fabrics at 257 W. 39th St., which has been in business since 1940, H.M. Fabrics (next door), and Better Choice Fabrics Inc., at 260 W. 39th St. All three stores were scheduled to close in the days ahead. Learning of their closures after years of business was heartbreaking, but the staff I spoke with were encouraged. I discovered most of them had been sewing for years with enough clients to support them until another opportunity came. One Paron cutter was going to Mood Fabrics, and some were taking time to see what else was out there.

Meeting other creatives who meet the adversity of the fashion world head on is empowering. I did learn from those conversations that landlords who owned the commercial space each store operated out of did not renew their leases because restaurants are the new cash cows.

September Fashion Week |NYC

The best part of this Fashion Week was sitting in on a discussion where Nigel Barker was the speaker. Assuming he'd be as intense as he was during his time on America's Next Top Model, it was the exact opposite. He was above funny, while transparent about his thoughts on people pursuing careers in fashion.  

His advice, so I heard it: take risks! In approach, he encouraged us to learn if we suck as an artist through trial. Why spend years in practice, struggling to move beyond your current level? When the truth is, you suck. Or maybe you don't suck, but your counterparts are just better.

The learning here was that even though I'm attending notable NYFW shows with people who look the part, some of these individuals will never aim to be anything more than a guest at a show. The fear of rejection keeps them terrified or stuck.

Out of all the shows, I enjoyed the Venexiana MBFW show the most. She had a well-presented design aesthetic. 

September Fashion Week |NYC

My first [official] NYFW week was this September 2013. I won the opportunity through a grad school writing competition. The prompt: how is social media impacting fashion?

The experience was life-changing. The shows I attended were not sidecar attractions but productions scheduled on the NYFW roster. Though, that was not the life-changing part of this experience. The intensity behind the attendees wanting to show off their curated ensembles; while not caring about the actual fashion show was disappointing yet interesting.

For years I imagined my first official NYFW to be some highbrow merge of Mahogany and The Devil Wears Prada. It was nothing like that. Instead, it was constantly walking with stampedes of people conversing about growing their social media followers, people looking for bloggers to pose for, or influencers (longstanding & emerging) appearing annoyed they “had“ to attend. 

Even when the lights went down, a few front-row girls filmed shows with their phone, never looking up at the runway because they were too busy talking the entire show to the person next to them. 

I remember thinking, what is all this about? 

After the last show, it hit me that social media has made fashion less seductive. The mystery is gone because social media has made fashion accessible to everyone; we are all it girls.