On Tuesday, July 12th, N-p-Elliott debuted their Spring/Summer 2017 Collection at New York Fashion Week: Men’s.
N-p-Elliott was featured on the CFDA and Samsung’s emerging designer platform. Designer Nicholas Elliott found inspiration in 18th century writer Voltaire and his critiques of aristocracy as well as his childhood crushes, alternative boys with a thirst for knowledge. Elliott said, “These boys influenced what I read as a boy and Voltaire’s “Candide, ou l’Optimisme” was a favourite. I loved Voltaire for his views on the power systems of his day and that was a great source of inspiration for this collection. Not in a historical fashion sense but more of an ethos of the collection―a rebelliousness in the face of the status quo. That rebellious spirit reminds me of being an outspoken teenager.” Symbollism and appropriation are two key motifs throughout the collection such as purple velour tee shirts with crosses similar to that of a priest’s robe. Elliott also added, “belief is what gives symbols their power and I wanted to think about them in terms of decoration. I wanted to take the power from those symbols and show that they are merely ornamental.”
[slideshow]The still presentation showcased contrasting colors and textures such as maroon, yellow and green and velour, silk, wool, velvet, khaki and jersey. The collection exuded a very street/urban “holier than thou” vibe with loose silhouettes and robe-like baggy tops. On the other hand, models/looks with fitted tops were partnered with baggier shorts and pants. The overall aesthetic was somewhat reminiscent of aristocracy with the multiple layers of garments. Overall the collection was bold, fun and vibrant.
