The new world of fashion seen through the eyes of Elena Vélez, Saint Sintra and No Sesso, three brands that are causing a stir after this year’s NYFW.
Twice a year, hundreds of people flock to New York City to see designers old and new show off their collections on the runway. New York Fashion Weeks are some of the biggest weeks of the year for those in the fashion world, and especially emerging designers. The fall and winter collections are shown in February for the following winter, while the spring and summer collections are shown in September in anticipation of the upcoming spring.
After the return to in-person shows at NYFW in September, people are especially looking to designers for inspiration. This February, New York Fashion Week played host to a host of emerging designers showcasing fall collections that brought a fresh and unique perspective to the hallowed halls of NYFW.
no session
No Sesso, a clothing brand that designs for the queer and POC community, has been breaking down barriers for years. Beginning in 2015, the brand’s lead designer, Pierre Davis, became the first transgender woman to feature a collection on the official NYFW calendar with her 2019 collection. Davis exclusively screens models of color, and her collections feature models of color. of different sizes and gender identities. No Sesso is Italian for “sexless” or “genderless,” which speaks to the brand’s deep commitment to inclusion and representation.
Davis’s designs feature a variety of different materials and textures; she often rebuilds worn clothes based on her vision. A constant theme in the No Sesso collections is the use of patchwork and its characteristic hand embroidery. Each garment created by No Sesso is a unique work of art, and the brand’s unique perspective is showcased through its innovative collections.
Santa Sintra
Saint Sintra is a womenswear brand founded by Sintra Martins, 25, a Parsons School of Design graduate. Martins launched the independent brand in 2020, featuring a collection of clown-inspired, or “clowncore” pieces, set against the backdrop of a colorful warehouse. Before Saint Sintra debuted at NYFW, Martins designed a custom piece for hyperpop artist Slayyyter’s debut album “Troubled Paradise,” putting Saint Sintra on the path to notoriety. Along with Slayyyter, Martins has dressed other celebrities including singers Kim Petras, Olivia Rodrigo, Willow Smith and actress Sydney Sweeney.
In Martins’ latest collection, he drew much inspiration from a trip to Italy, where he explored themes of honor and tradition.
“I was thinking about chivalry and feudalism and what it means to live with honor,” Martins said.
This inspiration is shown through the use of luxurious materials and layering techniques to create a modern take on armor. Martins often plays with texture in his work, mixing heavier materials like twill and tweed with softer materials like satin and tulle.
A recurring theme in Martins’ work is the presentation and construction of femininity. Saint Sintra is heavily inspired by the shift from “lowbrow” to highbrow fashion, specifically through the idea of bimbo couture, better known on social media as bimbofication.
“Communally, we are remembering and finding meaning in things that, at the time, seemed very ephemeral and trivial and have now cemented and become a permanent part of pop culture.” she told The Cut.
It is this part of pop culture that her lines are inspired by, and the generation that grew up with this culture that she creates for.
Elena Velez
Another recent Parsons graduate making a name for herself at New York Fashion Week is Elena Velez, a Wisconsin native whose work is heavily inspired by the craftsmanship heritage of the American Midwest, epitomized by the welding industry and metallurgy, a trademark of his hometown. Milwaukee. Id Magazine named Vélez one of the five hidden designers to discover at NYFW, and her Bachelor of Fine Arts thesis “_And Carry On” was presented at NYFW in 2018.
Vélez often uses found or salvaged materials in her work, epitomizing her commitment to authentic process. Her latest collection continues her exploration of the relationship between traditional femininity and modern life.
As stated on Vélez’s website, her “YR 1 – Maidenhood and its Labors” collection is “a dissertation on our woman and her relationship with industry, obligation and aphrodisia”.
Along with influences from the American Midwest, Vélez’s work examines post-Collapse society, with a focus on historical treatments set in a modern context. Her collection emulates the paradoxical understanding of femininity in times past through surface treatments and weathering techniques such as rust baths, tea stains, gravel and sand. Vélez’s designs are stark and aggressively delicate, using historical references to examine notions of femininity in a modern world.
Every year, the world of fashion becomes more inclusive and diverse, as independent brands make a name for themselves in magazines and on red carpets before hitting the runways of the city. New York Fashion Week continues to be an impressive showcase of classic and contemporary brands, with new designers and brands debuting each year. While there are too many up-and-coming designers to feature, these three designers have made waves at NYFW and are definitely the ones to watch in the future.
Source: www.newschoolfreepress.com