Last week, as New York Fashion Week began, so did the inaugural Launch NYC Fashion Week. This new fashion week incorporates runway, retail and showrooms into one experience, launched by Manufacture New York, a fashion incubator and factory for independent designers. The event was also produced in partnership with photography retailer Adorama. All brands being showcased were produced locally and made in New York City.
Manhattan with a Twist attended the first day of shows, which was split into two collectives, showcasing Ready to Wear and Demi-Couture collections. The ready to wear collective featured Abacaxi, Vaunt & Sol and Heart & Noble. Abacaxi is a womenswear collection created by designer Sheena Sood. All of their fabrics are ethically sourced directly from artisan non-profits. We really enjoyed this collection as it came down the runway. The bold, pink eyebrows on the models made us fall in love, along with the rest of the styling. Some of the fabrics had tribal inspiration, but they were incorporated into looks that were more urban, making beautiful pieces.
Vaunt & Sol is a luxury brand dedicated to functional beauty and wearable art, which was made very clear as the first model walked down the runway literally wearing a painting as a top. The brand was started by Nicole Vaunt and Najva Sol. Vaunt & Sol’s designs aren’t for everyone, but do incorporate beautiful prints and bright colors. The collection definitely stands out and showcases the art that they desire to incorporate into fashion.
Heart & Noble is a bespoke jewelry label based in both NYC and London and created by Cristina Gabriele. The brand featured 3d laser-cutting designs on the runway at Launch Fashion Week. These pieces were works of art — big, bold and eye-catching. The minimal styling really allowed for the jewelry to speak for itself and be the sole point of focus of the show.
Next, the demi-couture/couture collective featured Minnoji, Modu and Mimi New York. Minnoji is a womenswear line founded by Milena Encheva that focuses on clothing that can be worn day to night. It can be described as romantic with a dark twist. This collection was exceptionally well made and featured many gorgeous jackets that I am dying to get my hands on. While the clothes were all feminine and classic, the styling really showcased that dark twist we were looking for.
Modu is a menswear inspired collection established by menswear designer Yuteng Mo and womenswear designer Shichao Du. The collection was very sportswear chic, with clean lines and filled with separates. The styling was on point, with simple sneakers and a ponytail, making for classic, simple looks that are timeless.
Lastly,
Mimi New York is known for creating handcrafted sustainable couture garments using antique textiles. The brand is created by Mimi Prober, who utilizes hand sewn haute-couture techniques to create stunning gowns. We were absolutely blown away by the gowns that walked the runway at this show. They were romantic, gothic, and were fresh and new, yet reminiscent of old royalty. The shoes were also a spectacle and deserved a show of their own.
LAUNCH NYC runs February 5-12th, including upcoming runway presentations from Carrie Hammer, Laurel DeWitt, Tabii Just, Daniel Silverstein, Gita Omri, Laquan Smith, Namm Clothing and Luar Zepol.
*All photos courtesy of Udor Photography
Twisted Talk: Which designer do you like the best? Which of these looks are you dying to get your hands on? Discuss below!
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