Ah, New York Fashion Week. The special time that comes around only two times a year, where the finest and most extravagant (and sometimes the most ridiculous) creations are sent down the runway—all to the watchful eyes of critics, buyers, stylists and hoards of eager fashionistas. This season, however, it was less about the outlandish, and more about the political, the polished and the parting. From Raf Simon’s big women’s debut to Proenza Schouler’s final show in New York, here’s a look back at the best collections from New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2017.
1. Altuzarra
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New York’s favorite fashion boy, Joseph Altuzarra, isn’t afraid to commit to the wants and needs of his increasingly loyal customers. Every season, he sends out feminine, edgy looks and oh-so-chic risks, from high-slit skirts to this particular collection’s bold prints, embellishments and textures, with its series of heavy velvets, light silks and busy floral prints paired with extra-tough biker boots. On top of all that, he added pearl trims and Eighties-inspired sleeves for a surprisingly maximalist collection—a tasteful abundance of this season’s best looks.
2. Delpozo
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Inspired by the works of Post-Impressionist Hungarian painter József Rippl-Rónai and Swiss architect-sculptor Max Bill, creative director Josep Font swathed his models in a fall-winter collection of cozy cashmere hoods, oversize iridescent sequins and the latest variations of this whimsical designer’s signature sculptural folds. In addition to his organic, voluminous silhouettes, Font’s architectural background emerged boldly throughout an elegant range of circular shapes, crisp pleating and day-ready trousers, all in a spectrum of rich tones from amber and deep green to cobalt blue. This fanciful collection, with clean lines and magical decorations, was easily one of the best shows of the week.
3. Proenza Schouler
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For their final outing at New York Fashion Week, before taking to presenting their upcoming collections during couture week in Paris, Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez sent out a signature lineup of high-intensity elegance and utilitarian outerwear. Inspired by New York City itself, this fall-winter collection pilfered the streets and downtown grit for a range of graffiti-inspired prints and the same super-cool aesthetics we’ve come to expect from them. This season, however, they excelled with more wearable separates, twisting and slicing away at dresses with daring nonchalance. We’re said to see them go from the NYFW roster, but can’t wait to see what Paris holds for these talented lads—stay tuned!
4. Alice + Olivia
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So enchanted by the strong female protagonist in Salman Rushdie’s ninth novel The Enchantress of Florence, designer Stacey Bendet made a return to her girl power aesthetics with a presentation during New York Fashion Week filled with empowering silhouettes atop Persian-style rugs. The gowns this season were par none, effortlessly bringing back the high-neck and floral prints to glam town with ostrich feathers, silver sequins and graphics reading “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” All in all, a dramatic offering of edgy femininity with camo army jackets, torn denim and covetable romantic shapes.
5. Thom Browne
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When it comes to sending out fantastical creations onto the New York runway, no one does it quite like Thom Browne. After an exceptional men’s showcase in January, we had big hopes for his fall-winter women’s runway show, and oh did he deliver. Onto a runway dressed up as a frozen pond (complete with rowboat), he sent out a masterful menswear-inspired range of textures, textiles and prints all based on his animal of the season—the penguin.
The result was an imaginative collection of top-notch craftsmanship in tailoring and fabric research, which sourced tweeds, argyles and houndstooth popping with bright color for updated old-school suiting and puffer blazers. Some of the best looks this season included clever tuxedo motifs (because penguins will always go hand-in-hand with tuxedos), boots made to look like ice skates (blades and all) and the countless feminine variations of icy grey men’s suiting.
6. Calvin Klein
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At the most anticipated show of the week, of the season really, Raf Simons revealed the new look of Calvin Klein’s women’s—a collection inspired by American culture and classic suiting. As the new creative director of the iconic American label, Simons went about updating the vibe of the brand with a variety of new denim looks and a bold array of cowboy boots, cheerleader and majorette references, and laborious quilting. From there, he introduced the highlight look of the collection: lux fur coats wrapped in clear, protective plastic for pure elegance with street cred—and an easy sartorial hit for fall.
Brent Taalur Ramsey is an American writer living in Paris.