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.
Bennov F/W 2019, c. Nolcha
Bennov
Bennov got its start in Chongqing, China in 2015 and is run by a small team of designers and hand-made garment workers. Their collection featured patterned sequins, feathers, and cashmere in shades of black and white. In an interview with Nolcha, the designers said they were inspired by “the boundaries of firm and soft” and that the collection was meant to be both “elegant and comfortable.” Their showcase was on the whole not ground-breaking. But the monochrome cashmere dress with feathers running vertically down the bottom would do well for a holiday party hostess.
Supin Life
Supin Life F/W 2019, c. Nolcha
Also founded in 2015, Supin creates looks inspired by a “plain aesthetic.” Minimalism is at the core of Supin’s casual menswear. It consists mainly of shiny jackets, jeans, and t-shirts with the brand name and Chinese characters emblazoned on the front. The Supin F/W 2019 collection appeared to care more about its name than the clothing itself, giving consumers just another set of ordinary athleisure advertising brand logos. And half of the models were either extremely capable of exuding the casualness for which the brand strives or they were just bored out of their minds as they traipsed down the runway.
Videmus Omnia
Videmus Omnia F/W 2019, c. Nolcha
Videmus Omnia, founded in 2016 by designer Yun Qu, translates to “we see all” from its original Latin. And this brand was all I wanted to see after the Supin display. The collection included upscale black and red ensembles, tied together with sheer fabrics, swinging chains, and decorative straps. Remember that intimidating girl in high school that you had a crush on? Her Hot Topic-heavy style has likely transitioned to the mature and striking look of Videmus Omnia by now. The goth, punk, and porcelain doll vibes of this collection easily made it the most visually pleasing and daring new brand of the night.
