For those familiar with Bibhu Mohapatra, images of elegance, exquisite embellishments, and fashion-forward sensibilities come to mind. All those adjectives still come into play in Mohapatra’s spring 2025 collection, yet, in this outing there is lot more and an interesting pivot. And for this collection the unexpected twist is the iconic rock artist Patti Smith.
“Our spring 2025 collection is inspired by Patti Smith. Not just her maverick spirit, iconic NYC roots, and her wildly creative journey of six decades, but also the very personal way I’ve found solace and inspiration in her poetry—and how she organically weaves it through her fact of her work and life,” detail Bibhu Mohapatra.
This new collection has taken on the shine of that quiet kind of poetry, too—resonating with the elemental forces of love, remembrance, and grief, while also channeling this very primal essence of life’s never-ending raw beauty. Through a tapestry of sensations, memory, and Smith’s words and musical notes, this collection aims to express the purity and fragility of the human experience. And by using shape, structure, color, and details, I hope each piece may connect and amplify how these broader influences can ultimately shape our experience.”
That said, Bibhu Mohapatra and Patti Smith’s names are never uttered in the same sentence, so it is stretch to imagine that Mohapatra would look to Patti Smith for inspiration. But he did, and it surprisingly worked. Bibhu understands that glam is here to stay, but always changing and evolving. And this collection reflects that metamorphosis.
And this spring 2025 collection was successful because Mohapatra’s brand DNA was not lost in Smith’s raw, in-your-face, rock n’ roll signature style. In fact, Smith’s style helped expand Mohapatra’s design aesthetic beyond what consumers usually expect.
Mohapatra did incorporate Smith’s signature neck scarves throughout this collection. And his pairing of denim jeans with rock n’ roll sequin-embellished tops was a pleasant surprise, all suitable for this Patti Smith-inspired collection.
Standout looks in this collection included, but are not limited to, Mashru jacquard trench coat over tangerine lattice point d’esprit blouse and black cady trousers, white nomad lace dress with sculpted peplums, camelia organza poets blouse with glass petal embroidery with rinsed indigo denim trousers, camelia crepe and chiffon gown with glass petal embroidery bodice, black nomad lace column gown with trumpet train, and ivory faille gown with glass petal embroidered bodice.
Images courtesy of Isidore Montag/gorunway.com
This spring 2025 collection further places Mohapatra in the rarefied echelon of American fashion designers who not only have their fingers on the pulse of what women want to wear but understand where consumers are evolving toward. Keep using that crystal ball Bibhu, your vision is on point!!
—William S. Gooch
For his spring 2025 New York Fashion Week show, Bad Binch Tong Tong designer Terrence Zhou took the audience to church. For the unveiling of his latest collection, Zhou selected New York’s famous St. Bartholomew’s Church on Manhattan’s East Side for a show that was comparative parts runway and devised theatre.
One look from the spring 2024 collection featured a pink breastplate, a sheer black skirt, and an architectural ring wrapped around it, reminiscent of Saturn’s rings. The Saturn ring motifs were seen throughout several other dresses in the collection. The choice of inspiration from Saturn’s ring was also not incidental, as his show was held on Sept. 7, marking Saturn’s return.
Esé Azénabor is no stranger to bridal consumers and fashion industry professionals. Whether you live in Dallas or you have visited her lovely bridal boutique in New York City, if you are in the bridal market, you recognize Esé Azénabor’s immense talent.
“It is with immense joy and humility that I present my first ready-to-wear and eveningwear collections at New York Fashion Week. This moment, while a personal dream fulfilled, is also a tribute to the remarkable women who have paved the way for me. Trailblazers like fashion icons Alva Chinn and Lana Ogilvie, and visionary journalists Harriette Cole and Constance White, whose work inspired me to dream bigger. I also owe so much to my clients—Jean Shafiroff, Patricia Silverstein, Tisha Collette, and Dr. Yana Delkhah—whose unwavering support has empowered me to reach this milestone. This collection celebrates your strength, spirit, and the profound impact you’ve had on my journey,” explained Esé Azénabor.
The outdoor event space on the rooftop of Rockefeller Center was the perfect venue for Esé Azénabor’s spring 2025 ready-to-wear collection. Similar to her bridal customer, Esé Azénabor seeks to dress that consumer that has deep pockets and is ready and willing to spend their dollars on garments that express their penchant for heavily embellished clothing in bold colors. While that aesthetic works well for her bridal customer, this ready-to-wear collection sometimes missed the mark with a mishmash of too many ideas.
Still, there were many garments that worked for the 2024 version of the ladies who lunch, who have a plethora of galas and events to attend. That said, Azénabor was most successful when she followed the less is more dictum and let her brilliant design aesthetic shine.
