Nick Graham’s Cuban-inspired SS17 runway show lit up Skylight Clarkson Square this past Wednesday.
Brian Shimansky
The live music of Cubanoson filled the platform while Cuban dancers moved along the palm tree-lined runway to open the show. Havana Air boarding passes served as tickets and red and orange lights created a sunset lighting effect in the space. Before a single look was shown, the atmosphere set the tone for what the collection would be: fun, light, and all about Havana. 
The collection was inspired by the Havana of the 1950s that acted as a clubhouse for the American elite to relax and play before Las Vegas overtook the title. Casual elegance was the name of the game as models walked (and sometimes danced) along in full suits paired with flip flops, a sarong styled with a blazer and bare feet, and patterns upon patterns. The color palette relied heavily on blues and earth tones with a few bright spots of color mixed in to truly make the collection Havana-themed.
Chad White
The most exciting part of Graham’s show was seeing the models and crowd dancing and laughing as the show
Nick Graham
went on, caught up in the environment Graham created. The wearable nature and ease of the clothing seemed to spread through the room, allowing the generally hurried fashion crowd to take a breather and simply enjoy watching gorgeously tailored clothes come down the runway. While there weren’t any big surprises in the design, it’s impossible to not be charmed by the experience that Nick Graham creates with his shows.
