New York Fashion Week (NYFW) returned to in-person shows after an 18-month-long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In accordance with the City of New York’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced that all New York Fashion Week events require proof of vaccination for any guests, staff members or individuals on-site. Face masks were also mandatory indoors and guest capacity was reduced in all venues.

Peter Do

Peter Do, one of the most anticipated NYFW debuts, left everyone in awe. Opening the second day of NYFW, the Phoebe Philo protégé launched his Spring/Summer 2022 collection titled “Home”. He gave each of his guests, which included stylist Law Roach, influencers Aimee Song and Bretman Rock and model Teddy Quinlivan, a hand-written note, in which he likened his runway debut to making Pho with his father. He wrote, “A good Pho is reduced and edited, to an essence...it is comforting and it feels like our home”

Do brought to life the essence of what home meant to him; his show was simple, removed from obscurity and his design spoke of minimalism. The sharp and sleek tailoring was meant to show that “softness is also strength, vulnerability also. As a shirt might slip off a shoulder, we catch it with a single string just in time. We’ve learned that what seems simple from the front can carry its most complexity from behind when no one’s looking – so dresses carry cut-outs revealing the sensuality of the back, of shoulder blades, of the spine.” The clothes were fluid and undoubtedly effortless. The sharp knife pleats on a skirt created dimensional layering. His signature four-piece suit was made lightweight with less fabric that features a thinner pleated skirt.

Paying respect to his Vietnamese roots, Do took inspiration from the traditional Vietnamese tunic áo dài and pulled references from old photographs of his parents and his grandmother. The silk and linen dress worn over trousers and coats with a side button was a nod to his grandmother’s church outfit. The collection featured the softest of pastel colours, yet he also gave it a touch of playfulness using contrasting colours.

The hero and final piece of his runway collection featured a rose-embroidered coat - a timeless piece that was inspired by an earlier photograph of his mother holding a rose.

Erigo X

Erigo X became the sole Indonesian brand at NYFW. Founder Muhammad Sadad brought Indonesian celebrities, including Luna Maya, Ayla Dimitri and Rachel Vennya, and entrepreneur Arief Muhammad to the show. Erigo collaborated with Shopee to showcase a collection titled “Fashion Meets Function”.

Sadad has always been consistent in executing a functional activewear theme with a gender-neutral approach. His staple pieces include multi-pocketed neon cargo pants, colour-blocked parkas with hanging drawstrings, layered button-up shirts, trench coats and unique multi-laced boots.

The silhouettes played a role in creating casual workwear to on-the-go looks. Each garment was designed meticulously to encapsulate the essence of sportswear. Shorts with oversized pockets, bicycle shorts paired with crop tops, as well as cargo shorts were highlighted with contrasting colours and Erigo X print. A more subdued take on high fashion were the cropped blazers paired with sleek pants and jumpsuits. The neon colour palette of lime, sunshine yellow and orange created an eclectic outcome, while their fusion with darker and muted colours created a perfect juxtaposition.

Tory Burch

Tory Burch closed down Mercer Street in New York and turned it into a block party with the attendance of Emily Ratajkowski, Mindy Kaling, Chriselle Lim and Gemma Chan. In a press note, Burch announced the establishment of Tory Burch Claire McCardell Fashion Fellowship at the Maryland Center for History and Culture, which houses McCardell’s archives.

Burch’s collection was a tribute to McCardell, taking inspiration from womenswear in the 1950s. Burch explained that the collection was about discarding the rules of what women should wear. “Her (Claire McCardell) designs instilled a sense of freedom, encouraging self-expression and empowered women with a casual elegance that is as relevant today as it was in the late ‘40s,” Burch said. She created a collection that was rich in history, yet still had a sense of lively sensibilities. Strong silhouettes paired with exuberant colours and patterns captured the spirit of the women in the ‘40s. Maxi dresses cinched in the waist, poplin sailor top, loose wide-legged pants and picnic plaid showed a more toned down yet still contemporary American fashion.

McCardell is one of “first solutions-oriented” designers. She used hooks and eyes, double topstitching and exaggerated pocket details. In Burch’s collection, jersey tops were colour-blocked and paired with a flowy maxi skirt, technical corseting made of eyelet hooks were layered over dresses, and bustiers were paired with baggy trousers. The contrast of yellow, deep browns, chartreuse and fuschias were rich and saturated.

True to her intention to pay homage to McCardell’s legacy, Burch completed the show with a reissue of the ballet flats McCardell created with Capezio in 1953.

Collina Strada

Collina Strada kicked off NYFW Spring/Summer 2022 with a collection titled “Snail Pace”, a reflection of humanity’s lived experience in the pandemic era. With a sense of purpose and refreshed set of eyes, Creative Director Hillary Taymour inaugurated the start of fashion week full of whimsical optimism that brought the sunshine out to play. She summarised the show: “We’ve got a farm queen, broken skater queen, prom queen and a frog princess.” 

Her designs have been worn by Gen-Z stars, such as Ella Emhoff. This year’s collection is a tribute to Y2K fashion and Taymour’s 10-year-long curated aesthetic.

Using floral and psychedelic prints, Taymour and collaborator Charlie Engman embedded synergistic elements into the pieces. There were voluminous dresses dyed in shades of orange and yellow, sculpted horse and beetle corsets, as well as mid-rise jeans that were embellished with rhinestones. They also presented ruching elements as well as sheer asymmetrical tank tops, kitschy trippy-esque prints on bikinis and high-low silky duster tops paired with schoolgirl skirts or cargo pants.

Everything in the collection has a story, Taymour said, “For instance, the orange fabric we used this season was from a bad run of clothes we couldn’t ship out during the pandemic, so we redyed it and recut it into different pieces. All the chains are made from trash that was in my studio: rhinestones and beads from old collections or birthday presents people got me that we’ve woven into new, beautiful things. The pinata pony bags — for our horse girl moment — are made out of deadstock Prada raffia. Even the shoes were repurposed from a season ago.”

Dialed up to 100, Taymour has once again proved that crafting a cheeky, playful and bold collection while still being eco-conscious can be done intelligently.