The Blonds, oh The Blonds, what better show to come at the end of New York Fashion Week (NYFW). If one of the closing shows of NYFW should be a sellout and bombshell of a show, then no show fits that bill better than The Blonds. And The Blonds closed out NYFW in a bedazzled, bejeweled fashion.
Inspired by the sex kitten vixens of the 1960s and Hollywood movies that promoted and supported that kittenish aesthetic—think Ann Margaret, Tina Louise, Sharon Tate, and even Jane Fonda in “Barberella’’—this collection was an in-your-face tribute to 60s sex sirens. That said, gamine models with big bouffant hair and cinched in waist were at the top of the menu for this fall 2023 collection. And as with all of The Blonds’ shows, there was glitz and glamour galore.
“It’s all about celebration of color, sparkle, glamour. And this is sort of a tribute to Elizabeth Taylor, one of our style icons. And the idea of falling in and out of love,” explained David Blond. And though this Elizabeth Taylor homage—she did love her jewels—was more of the 60s bombshell path of Ann Margaret and Jill St. John there was a measure of restraint and reserve to this collection that has sometimes been missing from other fashion outings.
What was most noticeable about this fashion collection—other than the brand’s obsession with gemstones—was the construction of the garments, which was a major step up from the construction and design in some previous collections. No hot-glued, encrusted bustiers and headpieces on this fall 2023 runway; the garments appeared very well designed and constructed.
Standout looks in this collection include, but are not limited to, a two-piece emerald-green velvet dress with big jewels on the bust and below the stomach on the bunched-up skirt. a mini purple Y2K-inspired sequin dress paired with knee-high Louboutin heels, a white cowl-hooded dress with an asymmetrical slit up the leg with a diamond-shaped jewel in the center, and a structured black mini-velvet dress lined with silver jewels and a purple jewel on the bust of the dress.
Images courtesy of Purple PR
Is New York City nightlife or any major city nightlife ready for The Blonds post-pandemic? Probably not, but they should be. So, get ready!!
—William S. Gooch
Bibhu Mohapatra’s runway shows are one of the go-to fashion shows during New York Fashion Week. And his fall 2023 is a testament why this is the case.
“I have been looking to the life and works of someone who has been influencing me for a long time. Nancy Cunard: the poet, heiress, muse, and political activist, who played a pivotal role in the significant historical events that occurred during her lifetime. Artists, writers, social workers, photographers, musicians, they all found that unique flame in Nancy that made her a muse and a collaborator to all of them. Known for her avant-garde, eccentric and interesting sense of style, Cunard lived a fascinating life of love, passion, influence and eventually, self-destruction. For her courage and tireless fight against inequality and racial injustice, Nancy Cunard is always going to be my hero and I dedicate my Fall 2023 collection to her life,” detailed Mohapatra.
This focus on more retail accessibility did make this outing a bit more disjointed with the collection almost resembling two separate collections. There were the almost couture-like garments with all the exquisite embellishments and surprises we have all come to expect from Mohapatra. Then there were the accessible garments that on their own were quite fine, but in this collection did not measure up against the other couture-like garments.
If you want to experience elegant furs, Dennis Basso is your fashion designer of choice during New York Fashion Week (NYFW). And he is one of the few NYFW designers that includes real fur in their collections due to protest from anti-fur activists. Caution to the wind, Basso does what he does best, fur coats and fur-embellished garments.
This collection, the 40th anniversary of the brand, celebrates women—Basso’s customer—dressing out and going out again and celebrating nightlife, and more specifically New York City nightlife. For this collection, Basso referenced several previous collections and fabrications from his 40 years of archives.
Still, what would a Dennis Basso collection be without his furs. And there is a plethora of furs to satiate the palettes of his loyal consumer base. There are lavender furs, a chinchilla bolero, Russian lynx, a navy lynx jacket, a dolman-sleeved Russian sable coat, and a white mink bolero. In fact, the fur list goes on and on. And with Basso, that is the only way to do it!!
Standout looks in the collection, include, but is not limited to, the brand’s sequined tweed pantsuit with fox shawl, curly lamb silver laminate tweed coat, gold duchess satin strapless gown with hand-embroidered neckline, gold tweed pant suit with curly lamb sleeves, and cream mink cape fringe with silk chiffon blouse and wide-legged jacquard pant.
Son Jung Wan has presented at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) for several seasons. And while her collections contain interesting looks, often with a disparate array of fabric combinations, her current collection is, perhaps, her most cohesive collection compared to previous collections.
This particular focus makes this collection, perhaps, Son Jung Wan ‘s most successful collection. That said, Jon Jung Wan does not abandon her predilection was employing unusual fabric combination, but this season the pairings are much better.
Though the silhouettes in this collection were somewhat simple, the collection possessed a futuristic projection. And with this collection Son Jung Wan is possibly expanding her consumer base beyond those niche fashionista that want the unusual of that standout garment. This collection with its simple silhouettes and toned-down fabric combinations will have a wider consumer appeal.
As with many Son Jung Wan collections, the stars of the collection were the brand’s outerwear. That said, there were several evening cocktail looks and gowns that would appeal to an expanded demographic.
