Fenty Puma by Rihanna Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2018 New York

The set of Rihanna’s Fenty Puma show was a pair of pink sand dunes over which several BMX bikers flew in a series of aerial stunts. After last season’s show of schoolyard stereotypes and the 18th-century girly sport of the season before, Rihanna went in an entirely different direction with a hyper-athletic mash-up of surf, motocross, rock climbing and all things extreme sport.
There were windbreakers and biker shorts, hoodies, racing pants, and for the first time, swimwear. Everything was torqued with athletic straps and buckles and emblazoned with Puma branding as well as words like “wet” and “drowning” in fast, graphic fonts. The colors were classic sports-born combos of navy and hot pink, black and fiery red, pool blue and white and hunter green and navy. The tight stuff was tight, but there was oversized stuff too that had a current street flavor. Everything was styled to the nines with attitude and a sense of humor. And once again Rihanna managed to make athletica, one of the most widely mined concepts in current fashion, into a vibrant collection with a point of view that can hold its own.

Coach Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2018 New York

Coach-designer Stuart Vevers continued his celebration of American heritage — but this time, it came with an upgrade.
During his spring show at Basketball City, a departure from his former home on the West Side Highway, Vevers teamed with Stefan Beckman to create a glittery set filled with New York rooftops, mailboxes and an antique car that served as a fitting backdrop for a playful, vibrant collection.
Staple pieces such as prairie dresses, varsity jackets and leather jackets got glam treatment with sequins, satin and lace, colorblocking, metallic embroideries and burnished hardware. Denim marked a new step for the brand. Vevers added retro patchwork designs that blended seamlessly with his celebration of Americana.

Coach’s archives also served Vevers well as he reinterpreted such classic pieces as the mailbox bag first created by Bonnie Cashin in 1972 and offered this time in a variety of colors and sizes.

For the Coach man, it was all about attitude. With Western-influences, mixed with Hawaii and sportswear.

Helmut Lang Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2018 New York

The worlds of Helmut Lang and Shayne Oliver collided Monday night as the former Hood by Air designer put his distinct yet complementary stamp on the venerable label.

Many of the influences were the same — bondage, fasteners, metallics, monochromatic whites and lots and lots of black leather. The collection also featured a lot of Helmut Lang branded references. But Oliver’s penchant for deconstruction shone through in many of the pieces, providing the right balance to the overall collection.

Women’s looks channeled the brand’s history of provocation with Oliver’s disruptive spirit. Oliver was tasked with moving the conversation, sure to be divisive, back to the brand and incite a new following. Oddly shaped bras and bustiers, open-seam trousers and daring displays of skin for both day and evening winked at a kinkier and more adventurous customer.
In men’s, the tailored top coats were a highlight along with the fastening cummerbund worn with a pink shirt that made the look feel modern.

Sies Marjan Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2018 New York

Lies Marjan designer Sander Lak wanted his spring collection to be personal. In his show-notes, he noted that the pieces were “put through a wash cycle, fabrics were squeezed, wrung, tumbled and hung up to dry.” That did not mean they looked lived-in or aged; on the contrary, the collection seemed fresh and spirited, perhaps because of his gently twisted slash-folded knits and his signature use of color. Guava and yellow, mint green and lavender, metallic orange and pink were all done in his signature slouchy drapy vibe.

Victoria Beckham Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2018 New York

Victoria Beckham crafted a confident, stable point of view of chic wearability for women of means and a high taste level that sits somewhere between feminine and minimal.
Her spring collection was flush with great color — soft, mineral blue, pink and lavender as well as vivid red — worked on silhouettes that exuded gentle power. Pertly tailored takes on utility shirts, some done in men’s checks, were paired with light pencil skirts. Fluid oversized shirts were layered over easy, wide-legged pants, and new suits came with boxy blazers and slim pants. A red dress with a high, gracefully ruffled neckline and cutaway panel at the waist was cut in a relaxed but seductive line. Many silhouettes were covered up, but not without allure or playfulness. Candy-colored glitter pumps and the occasional jeweled anklet offset the collection’s womanly sophistication with the perfect boost of girlish whimsy.

Calvin Klein Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2018 New York

After two collections, it’s clear that Raf Simons’ approach of Calvin Klein is to mine broad-stroke aspects of American culture, whether out of respect, curiosity or a yen to telegraph to skeptics (if any exist), his appropriateness for the creative helm of one of the great bastions of American fashion. Hence, a prolonged stroll under Sterling Ruby’s latest collaboration with Simons, the rafters now hung with colorful, exaggerated pompoms and banners representing the cheery high school life, but with grim sightings — an axe here or there — interrupting the frivolity. That provided the setting for the show, “Sweet Dreams,” inspired, Simons’ show notes informed, by the Hollywood horror genre and “its depictions of both an American nightmare, and the all-powerful American dream.” It resulted in a thoughtful juxtaposition of pleasant facade and disturbing underbelly, realized via a collaboration with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; Simons used graphics from the artist’s “Death and Disaster” series to recontextualize clothes that ranged from ethereal (ghostly, billowing nightgowns) to cool (coed denim).
Within the social-commentary context, Simons mused broadly and brilliantly on silhouette and materials. He presented Take Two on several very American motifs introduced in his debut collection — the denim, quilts and the color-blocked Western shirts with which he opened. These made an odd kickoff to a show brimming with ideas: modernist nylon redos of full-skirted Fifties frocks, madcap dresses made from miles of yarn fringe, and, for men, lean-cut plaid suits that worked the chic side of geek.

The clothes were often inventive and always impeccable. Yet it all felt a little hollow, observational rather than immersive. Perhaps it’s the difference between an intellectual and emotional approach. Simons falls in the former camp, and masterfully so. Yet horror is an emotional motif. The show notes indicated “a corporeality that speaks of both sexuality and mortality.” That’s a lot to put on a dress — even one with Warhol knives on it.

, our review will follow shortly.

Tom Ford Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2018 New York

The spring summer collection Tom Ford presented was a classic one: the calculated decadence we know so well from Ford, rendered in a split between athletic-derived sportswear and power-woman goddess gowns. Crossover of athletica into the primary daywear vernacular aside, Ford loves tailored polish. He opened with a bold-shouldered pale pink satin tuxedo jacket over a liquid metallic top and short-shorts, rolled at the hem. Unlike the old Gucci days when he worked the daylights out of a single look, here he offered options, some approachably chic, others challenging to all but the most secure of attitude and body image: classic pantsuits, dressed-up dark denim, short leather trenches and racy jumpsuits. One, a long, backless drink of water in white crepe, rang the bell of a long-ago Gucci dress with a cutout abdomen. An infusion of wit came in an only Tom take on the twinset: slouchy chain mail shoulder bag and matching briefs worn with a louche pale pink top. As for the eveningwear, strong shoulders and sequined sleeves transported classic draping from ethereal to aggressive, as glam as it gets.

The takeaway was of familiar audacity. Ford believes genuinely in the transformative power of clothes.

It didn’t come easily. To replicate the original getups, Ford wanted old-school tube socks, to the knee, but his staff came up empty — today’s versions hit midcalf. Someone then thought to cut the sock foot into a thong, thus extending the overall length. Tailored tube socks. Aspiration realized takes many forms.

Maison The Faux Catwalk Fashion Show Womenswear SS2018 New York

MAISON the FAUX surprised NYFW with their FAUXmosapien filled world. During their show all of the models joined into a FAUX ritual. A ritual in which they surrendered themselves to the false promise of a new and better world. During this ritual, models were baptised from a water dispenser, christening them as “FAUXmosapiens”, before entering vertical, incubator-like tanning beds.
We posed the question; “Why and who do you choose to follow?”
In a world that (still) struggles to see us all as individual human beings, MAISON the FAUX offers an alternate world; the FAUXmosapien world. An evolved world in which everyone can be themselves and let go of beauty ideals and trends.………. Do we sound convincing?
The SS18 humanwear collection was all about joining, mixing, combining strict borders and patterns into an eclectic diverse image. Mermaid dresses in striped tule, multicolored statement coats, sunsets and globes, copy/paste denim and leather silhouettes, red plastic disposable bags and stripes, stripes, stripes and stripes. The colour pallet was defined by graphic contrasts and pastels.

Botter Catwalk Fashion Show MBFWA SS2018

Botter might only just have graduated (in Antwerp at the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten), there’s no stopping him. After having showed at New York Fashion Week last year he presented his graduation collection, which already made him win five different Belgian awards, in Amsterdam today. Tropical vibes and Sting’s song Fragile from the speakers and Botter’s men appeared, ready to make a statement. Inflatable fish and multiple caps on their heads, fishnet tied around their arms and tossed over their bodies, a Shell logo at sight and you too can do the math. Botter’s message was about polluted oceans and beaches. And even though this political message was loud the designer’s vision on fashion spoke out too. It was that of oversized suits, sweaters, stripes and beautifully mixed colors.

Bas Kosters Catwalk Fashion Show MBFWA SS2018

When Bas Kosters’s name is on the official opening night schedule you just know you’re in for a good time. Known for his colorful, quirky, extravagant designs and over the top fashion shows the young creative has always been able to turn his events into major celebrations of fashion, love and what not. Good vibes only is what you get from attending a Bas Kosters show and tonight was no exception. After two and a half years without fashion shows Bas Kosters made quite the comeback with his carrot celebration. Yes, he presented his latest collection My Paper Crown, made out of recycled 100 flags, but this was not just a fashion show, but half an hour of crazy, happy fashion entertainment.

It started with the runway set-up, which included several working men and women taking care of a typical farm life/simple life. There was a big pile of potatoes (on which Bas sat down during the show, his ode to the potato), there were buckets filled with sunflowers (which were being watered), white wash was hanging out to dry, and the concrete flour of the Gashouder was being swept and wed regularly.

The designs that came out were vibrant and colorful as expected. The colorful flags as well as a colorful block print Bas himself designed in India made up for a showstopping line up. An optimistic line-up of ‘happy’ clothes with which Bas spoke of gay rights, animal rights potatoes and carrots (a replacement for Bas’ previous obsession with penises?).

The make-up was smudged, the head pieces creative, the accessories extravagant (dice earrings, large stuffed animals) and the props simply outstanding (a lit up Bas car filled with exuberant models entered the runway at a certain point). That model’s waving, cheering, smiling and dancing certainly had the right effect on the audience. This was by far the happiest most cheerful fashion show of the week and we happily celebrated Carrot Day along with Bas and his closest friends (numerous familiar and famous faces walked his festive finale).

“I hope you realize you can give something too, the gift of attention, of seeing the other. Be generous! I want to believe that artists and others make this world together.
Be well,
Bas Kosters”

In line with the see now buy now trend Bas sold some of his designs straight after te show. It was a night to remember and probably the best start of a new fashion filled week Amsterdam could have asked for.

Later on this week: the work of the fourteen best fashion students during Lichting, the debute of young talent Sterre Troquay (17) and Politicians walking the runway during Sunday’s Political Catwalk. We’re excited!

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