Hakan Akkaya’s Fall/Winter 2020-2021 collection is fierce in the pursuit of the perfect marriage between Amish attire and the Punk subculture/ movement. Yes, you’ve heard that right, a perfect marriage between Amish attire and Punk. The Istanbul based designer’s Fall/Winter collection, which encompasses the themes of femicide, justice, revolt, and equality took center stage on Saturday, February 8th at Pier 59 during New York Fashion Week.
The collection, which was dominated by black and white silhouettes over forty-five provocative looks, was a feast for the eyes. The Fall/Winter collection embodied fearless and strong women as it mashed up the elegance of the anarchist punk and anti-modernist Amish sects. The collection, which is dedicated to strong women who stand against violence, also encompassed strong famine silhouettes and the trend of the moment – androgyny. Akkaya’s male models wore dresses as well as skirts and even tunic blouses while his female models rocked suits and well-tailored strong collared shirts, a nod to the traditional opposite genders’ garbs.
The collection included iconic Amish headpieces and aprons mixed with plisses fabrics and patent leather. The clothes were also embellished with piercings and metal accessories, which were typically placed in unexpected places. The hardware played a crucial role in defining the collection. It donned caps of shoulders, up and down the legs and well as hung on the behind. Some piercings even made statements on the princess seams of jackets and dresses as well as the chest of some models, but the most striking placement was on the fingertips of the black latex gloves that almost every model rocked.
Akkaya said the collection was “Amish Meets Punk”. He explained that he sought to design a collection that reinterprets the iconic clothing of the Amish sect who, to this day, turn their backs to the Modern Age, while merging it with the attitude and detailing of the Punk Subculture. At the end of the show, Hakan Akkaya, appeared, walking the runway after his models. Beaming with pride, he blew kisses to those in attendance all the while rocking a black lace mask, which he stopped to tie on his face during the runway walk. He cap the show with his adoring shriek in a manner that is becoming his trademark.
