For more than a decade The Nolcha Shows have given fledgling fashion designers the opportunity to showcase their work in New York during fashion week. This year, designers Bennov, Supin, and Videmus Omnia presented their Fall and Winter 2019 collections. There was makeup reminiscent of Swan Lake, a casual menswear collection, and crimped dresses paired with fishnets and high-heeled boots.
Maggie Chirdo
Wes Anderson is well known for making visually pleasing films. His eye for color, knack for capturing deadpan expressions, and an ability to cohesively arrange various characters and props on screen fill his work with inspiration for other visual artists. There even exists a popular Instagram account focused on real places that are “accidentally” Wes-Anderson-esque.
Bill Cunningham, a self-described fashion historian, never thought of himself as the subject of any of his photographs. Almost everyone who knew him would disagree.
In an unassuming building tucked below Times Square, atmospheric music pulses through a sixth-floor lounge.
Like all grand plans, Dîner en Blanc did not go off without a hitch this year. On Monday, with rough waters from Hurricane Florence and limited ferries, the exclusive and strictly all-white dress code event on Governor’s Island saw hundreds of guests arrive more than an hour late to the festivities.
Nina Kharey, the talented designer behind Nonie, was thrilled to see her sleeveless trench dress on Meghan Markle earlier this year, but spent little time basking in her good fortune. Instead, Kharey got to work on the daringly minimalistic pieces which comprise her 2019 spring summer collection. Rather than focus on creating intense standalone pieces, Kharey produced garments which give the wearer the autonomy to make them their own.
Last Sunday, Sufi devotional music pulsed overhead in a warehouse on Washington Street as models glided down a runway, sporting clean pinks, whites, blacks, yellows, and reds. Mostly silks, Nonie’s newest looks are meant to both embody the calming chants of Sufi lyrics and remain timelessly uncomplicated. Sufism is a mystic sect of Islam, which focuses on a personal connection with God. Kharey particularly fixated on the work of Qawwali musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, whose music frequently overlays videos of Sufis spinning in a mesmerizing synchronized dance, an integral part of their faith.
The first-generation Canadian designer takes inspiration from what she calls “the Orient”, which appears to mean relaxed robe-like clothing that can be worn around the house or under a business blazer. It comes from Kharey’s understanding of her parents’ immigration from India in the 1970s, according to an interview with Hello! Magazine. In old photographs, Kharey’s mother is decked out in flowing bell-bottoms and oversized bows.
These nostalgic touches were present at the runway show last week. Silk gathered in bunches at the waist, and large bows and ties adorned many of the outfits. Nearly every outfit on display was monochromatic, and the standout half-pink, half-red dress still blended seamlessly with Kharey’s vision for chic timelessness.
Nonie launched in 2008 and has stuck with that simple but refined vision for the past decade, including in its manufacturing process. The label remains ethically developed in Canada, after its small beginnings at local boutiques in Kharey’s hometown, Calgary.
The designs this season were not overly revolutionary, and one can find similar styles in the business-wear section of most retail stores. But each dress, pant, or blouse presented last week lent itself to bold, clean lines and in an increasingly cluttered world, the light style of Nonie’s SS19 represented a break from the everyday visual chaos.
Promising Designers Bring Vibrant Color and Business Chic to Oxford Fashion Studio
Independent artists debuted bold new pieces and refreshing twists on classic designs in the Pier 59 studio on Saturday afternoon.
The Star-Studded 50th US Open: Billie Jean King, Serena Williams, and Kelly Clarkson
It’s the 50th year of the US Open. The newly renovated Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is glowing as the clock passes six. Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal are both slated to play the first night of the tournament. American sweetheart Kelly Clarkson will perform shortly before their matches commence.
In its 25th year of partnership with the United States Tennis Association, American Express has created a new interactive gaming exhibit and additional benefits for card members at the US Open such as a band that allows payments with the tap of a wrist.
Pharrell Williams to Host Yellow Ball to Back Arts and Music Education in Schools
Pharrell Williams announced the Yellow Ball, an event which will raise awareness and support for arts education in American public schools, in a partnership with American Express Platinum earlier this week.