NYFW is a term so recognizable and so infamous that you can almost feel the designers’ stress to convey their very best work.
Singer Nick Hissom, recently named iHeart Radio’s Emerging Artist of the Year, is the dreamboat behind the hit single “He Ain’t Better,” just remixed by rapper Zoey Dollaz. Nick’s also a bit of a style icon and showcased his signature style throughout NY Fashion Week!
Eccentric brand Athanasiou took the runway at the Mulberry Friday night to deliver one of the most unforgettable New York Fashion Week shows from the SS19 season.
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.
Getty Images for Nonie
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.
Getty Images for Nonie
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.
The Knockturnal caught up backstage at Spring Studios as Marcel Ostertag prepared to present his 2019 Spring/Summer collection called MUSE for #NYFW.
MUSE represented Ostertag’s model’s sixth waltz down the catwalk during New York Fashion Week, with much fanfare surround his men’s line debut. The man of the hour revealed, “MUSE is a tactile and colorful journey influenced deeply by the close relationships with the muses” in his life. Most notably, the style aficionado claims to be “kissed by the muse” daily.
Beyond fashionable notoriety, Ostertag’s designs champion for diverse runways which are socially inclusive — proving his collections’ inspiration enriches beyond any visual aesthetic. The Knocktural went behind the seams of Ostertag’s dreamy yellows, blues, lavenders, and oranges hues. All of which blended perfectly into curation of great rainbow MUSE sweaters for #SS19. Alongside models, we unraveled the retro-inspired features of the designer’s high-waisted pants, 70’s silhouette wrap-dress, and sequined bell sleeve tops.
Withal, Ostertag’s collaborative Tamiris fringed footwear sealed this virally praised dedication — adding the pep in the steps of his MUSE collection’s jaw-dropping designs. Get to know Marcel Ostertag in his words.
You have a garment that is coming in 24 shades, explain its meaning.
Well, that is my favorite cashmere jumper for the summer season. It has a message. We are still fighting worldwide for tolerance. So, I placed the rainbow colors throughout this style on my jumper. It is important.
This your first season showcasing menswear. What did you do to prepare for this new venture?
I listened to all my friends and to all my clients who were asking for the menswear collection. It should be something new. You know? Shoes, suits, and jeans can be bought anywhere.
So, I launched a really special collection. It leans into the women’s line. It has this unisex effect going on. It feels young, modern, and fresh. You can adapt it into street style.
We connected before your runway show in February about you debuting footwear alongside Tamaris. How pivotal have these designs been for your business?
Yes, that was my fall collection’s footwear collaboration with Tamaris. We are selling really well. We’ve caught a forty country line, too. It means this collection is available all over the world. It can be ordered in my online shop.
Also, fashion cannot work without shoes. Shoes dictate a lot in fashion. That is the best way to explain this collaboration. You need a good shoe to make an outfit perfect. It makes it feel complete. That was how we merged the shoe collection into that runway collection.
It works well together. We have some monochrome looks going on. They echo the outfits. The shoes are yellow, too. Then we created some really crazy alburn boots with fringes. On the catwalk, they make for really great pictures. I think it is just the perfect company to work together with.
You founded your label in 2006, what has assisted you in remaining creatively passionate all these years?
Again, fashion is not only a passion. Fashion is my way of life. That is a big difference. I am not just fancy designing clothes. For me, it is a lifestyle.
I wake up in the morning — it is about fashion. I go to bed in the evening; it is still about fashion. I am transporting messages with my fashion. It fulfills me. I’ve always had the energy for it. Fashion gives me energy.
How will the Spring and Summer collection for 2019 be a defining moment in your career?
Wow! I think that about every collection I create. [Laughs] This season the MUSE concept flowed together really well. The menswear combines well with the women’s together. I think that makes this story complete.
You are bringing fifty-nine looks down the runway. Explain the overall theme.
The collection is called MUSE. It is about all my friends, muses, and clients who wear and own my stuff. Its’ name is a “thank you” to them.
Ideally, how would you like your legacy to read within the fashion world?
I think I show that fashion is not just a thing you can buy. Fashion is something you transport feelings with. Also, you see that in this new MUSE collection.
You emphasized working hand-in-hand with brands. Will there be more collaborations in the future?
For me, yes, I hope so. We are trying to do more of that. In Germany, we are currently working closely with a makeup collection. I hope to do more with Redken and NYX, too. Let’s see what is going on there.
I would love to create my own makeup line. We will see what happens with that. I hope that jewelry will be an option as well. I am looking for a collaboration. I genuinely love jewelry that is something I have not done. I have many ideas.
The Academy of Art University School of Fashion presented the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter 2019 collections of 17 of their student designers during NYFW on Saturday at Pier 59 Studios. The San Francisco based art school has an elite fashion design program with notable alumni such as Anna Sheffield, Lauren Conrad and Raven Symone.
The new generation of young designers from the university’s Master of Fine Arts program introduced their work on the runway to a diverse audience of recruiters, industry executives, fellow designers and media. You can get a better look at the runway pieces from each student below:
Nicholle Jones, an online graduate student at AAU, took advantage of unconventional materials to create these looks. Her inspiration behind them were masks and the idea that they essentially used to hide something or someone.
Throughout his academic career, Justing Kong Jiang’s focus began to shift from kinetic art and mechanic structure to incorporating the ‘spirit of surrealism’ in to his work. Justing’s collection were definitely designed to stand out with their shiny, metallic details and futuristic-inspired garments.
Tingting Cai and Esther Qi collaborated on a retro futurism and asymmetrical collection, drawing inspiration from vintage books and the unusual linked bodies of Siamese twins. The layer and shape of fabrics give off a gradient effect and really taps in to the traditional 70’s retro aesthetic.
Currently working on his masters in fashion design Yoonsuk Lee integrated different patterns like houndstooth and plaid to create a familiar yet unconventional perspective of womenswear and menswear combined.
Serbia native Snežana Aničić-Van Pelt gained inspiration for her collection from the constant evolution of our social climate. All the different materials used in these looks, from human hair to lamb’s wool, manage to work together rather than clash which is the concept she wanted to convey in this collection.
This collection is a collaboration between three graduate students: Mark Kazu Mekaru, Katy Fang Liu and Amo Chou. The menswear consisted of loose, dark garments perfect for the fall and winter season, using wool, cotton and polyester.
Longwen Li and Kiwon Kang collaborated on this menswear collection and to bring together Li’s twist on the typical “nerd” style and Kang’s interest in photoshop and graphic design.
Zibo Wang used her early life growing up on a military compound as a child as inspiration for these pieces. The military themed tones are evident in the heavy, layered pieces to bring together a balanced blend of masculinity in the womenswear collection.
Jessica Lai drew inspo from graphic illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli who uses bright, vivid colors and large shapes in her work. Similarly, Lai incorporated the ‘pop art’ theme in to her collection, using organic cotton and wool.
Lusha Wang’s collection was heavily influenced by the movie We Need to Talk About Kevin and its main character Tilda Swinton. Wang combined thick, wool blends along with yarn and patent leather to create these oversized yet cozy garments.
The haunting scenes from the film Shutter Island influenced Zhihan Liu womenswear collection. These looks represented the emotionally dark scenes throughout the film, mixing the concept of standard black and white evening wear with sheer, ruffled details.
Vivid Yunan Ma created the ideal winter essentials. Her collection of fuzzy sweaters and skirts, and crochet knit tops and dresses were inspired by teddy bears and stuffed animals from Mark Nixon’s book Much Loved.
Changsheng Yu took the cultural route, drawing inspiration from his mother’s upbringing and his Chinese heritage to incorporate in his collection. The earth tone fringes give great detail to these stunning pieces.
Following the student’s debuts’, the School of Fashion allowed industry professionals a more intimate opportunity to view the students’ work at their two-day showroom at Kimball Studio in SoHo.
All runway photos are by John Perez.
Follow the School of Fashion on all social media channels: @AcademyUFashion
As a part of New York Fashion Week Friday, Visa teamed up with ‘The Talks,’ and a group of female fashion entrepreneurs to present the “Fashion is Changing” panel. With a roster of of big names rising in the fashion industry, the panel came together to discuss inclusion, supporting each other, and avoiding having their voices stifled.
This NYFW, Hot Now China presented its first runway show in New York. The show sponsored by the CFA (China Fashion Association), Tencent News, and the Global Fashion Industry Academy gives a platform for both emerging and established Chinese designers to break into the American market. The program also expands into other European markets such as Paris, Milan, and London, where designers not only have an opportunity to study local culture but also learn and receive training.
Claudinette Jean’s smile lit up Pier 59 Studios as she took several interviews backstage while tending to her models and squeezing in a rehearsal. She practiced her closing remarks in front of the presentation’s forest-like background which was draped in greenery. This theme set the tone for Fusha’s latest collection which was nature inspired.
The Spring/Summer collection featured bright, spring colors and differs from previous collections as it is the first to be a women’s only line. Claudinette takes pride in her creations being unique and explains, “It’s the cut, it’s the fabric used, it’s the combination of different fabrics put together,” she says, “a lot of designers don’t like taking chances doing that, and that is what you’ll be seeing tonight.”
During the presentation, the models stood on risers to present the designs while people flowed freely through the space, taking tons of pictures and enjoying the music provided by Claudinette’s husband and well-known musician, Wyclef Jean. 
Explaining the collections target audience was seemingly one of the easiest tasks of the evening. “I make clothes for all women,” says Claudinette, “for each piece, I’m thinking about different women of all ages everywhere.”
She continues, “This is the first time I will be doing all sizes for women of all sizes. I have a lot of unique pieces and I’m always twisting it to keep it very different.”
Be sure to look out for more pieces from Fusha on their website.
“We were friends in High School of Art and Design and then we parted ways,” explained Scott Chester. “We went to different colleges and didn’t see each other for 15 years,” Evelyn Luna adds, completing her partner’s sentence perfectly.
Scott and Luna beamed on the red carpet after the completion of their show which presented the summer/spring collection from their clothing line ACID at Nolcha Shows.
The business partners turned couple spoke in sync and completed each other’s sentences as they explained how they reconnected after 15 years before deciding to build a brand together. Scott studied industrial design during his college career, while Evelyn stayed in NYC to study fashion at the Parsons School of Design; before beginning a 13-year position on Diane Von Furstenburg’s design staff where she became Director of the Textile Department.
“Somehow, we ran into each other again,” Evelyn says. Scott recalls, “Two days before 9/11. I remember when it happened, all I could think about was her and her parents. When we got back together it was more about us working well together and taking advantage of that.”
Evelyn concludes, “We started out working together and eventually that lead to more.”
ACID stands for Arielle Chester Industrial Design, named after Scott’s daughter, and was originally a company that specialized in designing custom furniture in 1990. Clothing came into play after Evelyn reached out to Scott to help with a graffiti project under DVF. After continuous collaborations, the two began to create their own vision.
“We didn’t want to design prints that everyone else did, we wanted to look outside the box. One of our mottos is ‘beauty in our surroundings,’ they’re the things you see but don’t acknowledge to be something you could wear,” Evelyn says. She continues, “They are statement pieces but if you look at the make of them, they are classic pieces you could wear for a very long time. It’s taking a classic piece and adding the prints.”
The prints being referred to range from plant cells, a reflection in a puddle, a transmission print from a car, and so much more. Scott and Evelyn are able to capture these prints through photography and zoom in or flip the images any which way to create the design they desire for a piece of clothing.
Sony Records artist Nick Hissom, known for his music promoting equality, approved this seasons collection. “I think it’s important to stay cool and current when it comes to your fashion, your image, and your styling,” Nick stresses, “the designer took a lot of risks and it paid off. It was colorful and exciting. I really enjoyed it, it was fun.”
Head to the ACID website to check out the latest pieces from the SS’18 collection, and be sure to use your 10% discount for first-time orders.