Local and international designers presented their bold and vibrant spring and summer collections at the International Couture Collections Show this past Sunday as part of the 37th DC Fashion Week.
The week kicked off with the Fashion Industry Networking Party at Saint Yves nightclub last Thursday, which chief executive Ean Williams said was vital for emerging talent in the industry to come together and has resulted in fashion showrooms, sessions modeling and agencies. Last Sunday’s show served as the grand finale of DC Fashion Week and featured bold, exaggerated colors and intricate prints, a preview of the trends that could take the forefront this spring.
Before the end of Sunday, Fashion Week events included the Washington menswear collections last Friday, followed by the Washington Emerging and Ready2Wear designer collections last Saturday. Williams said this fall marked the third season of in-person DC Fashion Week after the COVID-19 pandemic with a record number of models registered, topping 1,000 in total. Williams said that DC Fashion Week has continued to grow in popularity as it showcases new voices and talent in the industry.
“It’s growing every season, it’s been amazing, especially after the pandemic,” Williams said. “We have more media coverage, more models, more designers, more vendors, more corporate event sponsors. It is a robust and vibrant moving machine, for which we are very blessed and grateful.”
Williams said she wanted this year’s show to represent a variety of body types and ethnicities to reflect the diversity in the District. She said many of this year’s designers, who are new to DC Fashion Week, helped showcase new talent and increase diversity, something that is noticeably lacking on the fashion industry’s runways.
“Most of our designers are new to fashion week,” he said. “They are from different parts of the DMV area and of course from all over the world. Lots of fresh new faces.”
I headed to the National Housing Center Atrium in Dupont Circle last Sunday to watch the DC Fashion Week finale. From dresses with colorful, eccentric patterns and intricate woven textures to more understated streetwear, here’s what local and international designers showcased on the runway for next year’s spring and summer collection:
Shortly after I arrived at the venue, local artist THE FIX put on an engaging musical performance for about an hour before the show began, covering songs like Britney Spears’ “My Prerogative” and Silksonic’s “Smoking out the Window.” The boisterous atmosphere buoyed the crowd of nearly 300 attendees who chatted amongst themselves as they waited for the show to begin.
The 140 models walked the runway at the start of the show, wearing a series of all-black outfits consisting primarily of dresses and jumpsuits paired with black stilettos. Although the all-black color scheme may seem drab, many models incorporated dynamic cutouts and lace textures into their outfits that wowed the audience through the models’ variety of individual styles, from elegant evening wear to casual street wear. .
The work of BeTheOne, a Ukrainian designer, hit the catwalk first. The show was appropriately soundtracked by Dua Lipa’s hit song in the same vein, “Be the One.” A wide range of models showcased lingerie-style silk robes and shawls with bright colors and eccentric geometric patterns paired with headpieces such as eye-catching sparkly crowns. A shimmering deep purple mermaid gown with textured embroidered detailing was arguably the standout piece in the collection due to the complementary shades of purple and the model’s flattering silhouette.
Krishna Rajpara | Assistant photo editor
The show continued with Shop the Runway, a designer from Maryland, with Beyonce’s “Halo” as the soundtrack. The collection began with all-black couture designs, similar to those used to present the models, and then moved on to all-white outfits, such as form-fitting gowns with lace cutouts before moving on to predominantly floor-length gowns in shades of white. like bright orange, flashy green. and deep blue. The final dress shown in the collection was a black dress with tulle details and a surgical mask made up of black rhinestones on the model.
Krishna Rajpara | Assistant photo editor
Troy Anthony, a New York-based sustainable designer focused on taking “wearable couture to luxurious new heights,” opened in a stunning gown in periwinkle and blush hues with an exaggerated puffed skirt. The show’s overall color scheme consisted of various shades of blue and blush, a preview of which hues could take the forefront of trends this spring.
Next up was Nigerian brand Obioma Fashion, which blends traditional African styles with Western fashion. This segment featured upbeat traditional Nigerian music with complex percussive rhythms. Most of the pieces incorporated the traditional African Ankara fabric, characterized by bold and extravagant colors and patterns. Although each piece utilized various cuts, colors, and styles, nearly all incorporated the same geometric pattern in colors such as red, yellow, and white, each paired with black.
Krishna Rajpara | Assistant photo editor
Eryn Boggs, formerly known as iconiclicense, describes her designs as “wearable cutting edge.” The spring collection featured whimsical yet inventive styles, including several pieces with a multi-colored swirl pattern that stood out from the solid color designs. The segment concluded with two models walking side by side: one adorned in a short bubblegum pink leather dress and the other in a hot pink floor length leather dress with a dramatic, exaggerated skirt.
The show closed with Corjor International, a custom eveningwear designer based in the District. The segment showcased shades of hot pink and slowly transitioned to a muted mauve before a delicate blush to bring the evening to a soft close. An instrumental orchestral version of “Industry Baby” played as the models walked, a nod to Lil Nas X’s live performance of the song when she closed the Vogue World: New York show earlier this month.
Krishna Rajpara | Assistant photo editor
Through DC Fashion Week, Williams hopes to inspire residents and natives of the District to see DC as a fashion hub rather than a purely political destination. While DC may not be as creative as fashion capitals like New York or Milan, this year’s fashion week proved that the district is a city with style.
“Fashion is for everyone, it’s accessible to everyone,” Williams said. “DC is a hip city – we have politics, of course, we have tourism, but we have a lot of amazing creative artists here in the nation’s capital.”
This article appeared in the October 3, 2022 issue of Hatchet.
Source: news.google.com