I didn’t know quite what to expect when I headed into Skylight Moynihan Station for the 10 AM BCBG show. There is no denying that the neighborhood itself has a completely different vibe than the Lincoln Center area (seedier to be sure and without all the great restaurants, services, etc.), although I had always liked this venue and thought it worked well for the shows and events I had previously attended there. On a personal note, since I live downtown on the far West Side, for me, it was a very quick subway ride (which is certainly a plus). It felt like old home week upon seeing the reassuring and familiar faces of Ty Yorio and his trusty Citadel Security force that have consistently done such a masterful job keeping the Tents at Bryant Park and Lincoln Center safe (his crew is also stationed at The Space at Skylight Clarkson Square). And boy oh boy, was security TIGHT! Show goers had to pass through about three check points before entering the Arc, where the show was held which ensures there will be no gate crashers.
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| bleachers |
That being said, the initial scene inside the reception area was completely chaotic and it seemed very disorganized. There were multiple lines and nobody quite knew which one to stand on. And it was about 100 degrees (since it was the first show, things undoubtedly needed to be ironed out). What hit me the most was how much smaller this space is as compared to Lincoln Center. There are magazines and newspapers in one area, and I picked up WWD and the Daily Front Row. The only seating is a set of graduated bleachers on a far south wall (that’s where I had a chance to thumb through them. I thought The Daily Front Row’s two page portfolio, “Here, There & Everywhere” which clearly maps out where everyone is showing, was clever.
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| This is what fashion week has become? (Photo: Laurel Marcus) |
I agree totally that a helicopter might come in handy this season (quite frankly, I wish I owned stock in Uber). I looked for a place to get something to eat or drink but found that while there is a concession that offers free espresso, coffee, bottled iced tea and water (the espresso was very good by the way!), there is no food being served at all. But that’s a good thing because it insures there will be no loitering. Also on the plus side: the neat, tidy, bright, and private restrooms for men and women, which offer boutique soaps and convenient hair styling products by Tre Semme.
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| BCBG (Photo: Vogue.com) |
Getting back to the Arc. The space itself is large, spacious, and industrial looking, the complete opposite of the soft, feminine, laid back, Southern California inspired BCBG collection. With its boho Festival vibe (better suited for the young), it featured cool looking patchwork bucket hats, leg warmers, offbeat color, pattern and textures, eased up proportions, crochet, knitwear. Meanwhile, there was a palpable 60’s, 70’s vibe, which was highlighted by the recurring soundtrack towards the end of the show: the Rolling Stones’ iconic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”. No kidding, I thought to myself, because at that moment in time, all I wanted was a cold shower and an iced cold beer!.
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| Erin Fetherston vermillion pleated chiffon baby doll dress and Love hoop minaudiere (Photo: Vogue.com) |
The smaller venue, The Dock, is where Erin Fetherston staged her 11 AM show. Admittedly influenced by the impressions of David Hamilton and Deborah Tuberville, Erin, known for her unapologetically sweet, feminine, girlie aesthetic, was also inspired by two muses this season: Jane Birkin and Anne of Avonlea. There was a hard to miss nostalgic 60’s vibe throughout, thanks to the soundtrack (Peter Paul and Mary’s “If I had a Hammer” and Simon and Garfunkel “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”), and while there were plenty of dresses in a variety of lengths and shapes (a Fetherston signature), there was the addition of knitted and denim separates and a capsule collection of charming, delicately stitched minaudieres.
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| Supima Design Competition Award winner Kate McKenna with her designs (Photo: Getty Images) |
The Eighth Annual Supima Design Competition was held at noon at the Gallery at Skylight Clarkson Sq. It’s always wonderful to get a glimpse into the future of fashion. The work of 7 talented finalists, all of whom made use of Supima cotton in their designs (twill, denim, corduroy, knit, shirting) were highlighted: Karen Dang, Academy of Art University; Nnamdi Agum, Fashion Institute of Technology; Paige Meacham, Kent State University; Leetal Platt, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising; Lauren Nahigian, Pratt Institute Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator; Julia Han, Rhode Island School of Design; Kate McKenna, Savannah College of Art and Design. The award (a $10,000 prize) went to Kate McKenna who described her collection (which included a denim ball gown and jacket with hand woven detail; an exaggerated knit A line dress in indigo ombre; a twill tea length dress hand brushed in indigo and gold with hand woven detail; a hand painted and hand woven corduroy strapless mermaid dress) as “West African and Haitian voodoo in the deep south, with a focus on traditional indigo dying and basket weaving.”
– Marilyn Kirschner
