Question: What does a handful of emerging fashion design graduates have in common with Marc Jacobs, Donna Karen and Alexander Wang?
Answer: They all went to college at Parsons School of Design and have had their work featured during New York Fashion Week. The recent graduates just debuted their MFA showcase at the NYFW S/S ’19 shows.
The showcase saw 15 impressive designer collections on the runway: Rui Zhou, Limeng Ye, Irina Wang, Jimin Kim, Saya Zalel, Floyd Hogan, Max Cui, Yang Liu, Kota Okuda, Amy Crookes, Shie Lyu, Wrong Xiao, Stephanie Frig, Venice W and Annaliese Griffith-Jones.
This year was as groundbreaking as we have come to expect. The 35-minute showcase seamlessly integrated fraying denims, sheer fabrics held together by swirls of cotton strings, and a head to toe woolen outfit brightly splashed across the model. The designers replaced the commonalties of monochromes and muted colors with explosions of color, deconstructed lines, daring outfits, and social commentary.
The stand out designer was Kota Okunda who created a giant wearable-wallet with real dollar bills intricately sown into the hem line, and a faux leather pleated dress with a clear bandeau attached.
The monumental fashion industry successes has made this showcase one of the hottest shows of Fashion Week. Parsons has been the launching pad for the careers of the fashion elite, including Diane von Furstenberg, Tom Ford, Anna Sui and Alexander Wang, among others. Take note of the names in this season, because while this is among their first debuts, it will certainly not be their last.
