1. BCBG Max Azria’s Ecclectic Mashup
2. Erin Fetherston’s Whimsical Femininity
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Erin Fetherston’s Spring 2016 show was like stepping into a daydream emulating the carefree feeling of a stroll in the countryside. Inspired by Anne of Avonlea, Fetherston created multi-faceted, ultra-feminine looks, some bohemian, and quite a few polished, work-ready ensembles that served to convey her romantic aesthetic. From the girly backstage vibe to the grand reveal, we were enchanted with the dreamy, whimsical patterns of delicate florals which appeared to float among earthy pastels, on clouds of sheer lace dancing on through to shades of sky blue. The needlepoint doll faces seen throughout the collection on handbags and accessories are sure to become one of the most covetable handbags of the season. Fetherston’s light hearted collection also paid tribute to Jane Birkin, and the photography of Deborah Turbeville. It was a fancy fairytale, all dressed up in whimsical femininity.
3. Tadashi Shoji’s Purple Reign
Tadashi Shoji
https://vimeo.com/146919301?from=outro-local
4. Marissa Webb’s Tomboy Aesthetic
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Marissa Webb‘s genius is being savvy enough to take full advantage of the modern woman’s perogative not to limit herself to a single style. Instead of focusing on any one single element, Webb played with several themes like grungy plaids, a pale pink skinny suit, silk jumpers and jackets accessorized with utilitarian aprons and harnesses. The result was a formidable collection of textures, volume, and color. Capitalizing on her usual cool girl, tomboy spirit, Marissa Webb’s floral chiffon separates, satin suits, silk georgette, white lace, and soft suede pieces were hardened with leather utility belts, harnesses, or her signature surplus green army jacket to add a stamp of coolness. “I’m sticking to the brand’s DNA of masculine-feminine, soft and hard, menswear tailoring, and feminine elements,” Marissa Webb said backstage. Leather, lace, muted tones and flashes of brilliant color might seem like contradictions, but Marissa Webb managed to combine them in effortlessly feminine ways.
5. Pyer Moss’ Political Message”
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In an industry that so often shys away from controversial subjects, Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss staged a political commentary on police brutality and racism for his Pyer Moss Spring 2016 runway show. The designer of the iconic protest T-shirt “They Have Names” dedicated his show to all the African American victims past and present of police brutality. Raymond aligned his brand with a profound message highlighted by 10 minutes of television footage before his show that took the audience inside the war zone of modern Black America and the recent shootings of unarmed black men. Using an army of rigid models as blank canvases, graffitti artist, Gregory Siff drove the message home further with his spray painted designs and chilling political messages. Moss’ spectacular array of hard edged street wear with minimalistic details and futuristic undertones featured buckles and straps, holsters and knee pads. The restrictive qualities added intrigue to the conversation, all powered by his modern tailoring in a variety of fabrics including nylon, leather, and mesh. This show marked Raymond’s first foray into the women’s wear arena. He Injected active wear elements using color blocked insets in bold red to provide a striking visual element, in addition to utilizing marble notebook graphics and patterns, the standouts included a high-collar, hand-dyed canary yellow shearling jacket, a stretch flight suit, and a leather motocross biker jacket.
