New York Fashion Week 2017
by Falaknaz Chranya
Graphics by Deanna Kilma-Rajchel
If there is one word to consistently describe New York Fashion Week, it’s bold. New York City is a statement, fashion is the syntax; fashion week in New York is an unimaginable slurry of concepts and creations. And, through the plethora of people strutting the Manhattan streets between runway shows, trends emerge. These trends embody the common denominators of thousands of bloggers and fashionistas who get up each morning to assess fashion science, and to attack the cameras with their killer ensembles.
Fashionistas were strutting their stuff in looks that were not minimalist or quiet this past fashion week. Instead, New York Fashion Week 2017 Street Style was bold. The daring styles sported by fashions favorite It-girls and trendsetters complimented the loud city that is New York. Street style during Fashion Week has become a phenomenon in itself, setting the stage for what is to come in the realm of fashion. And, this past season, we saw legs and we saw long lines. We saw how not even a foot of snow will stop show-goers from their catwalks in the streets of NYC. Rather, we see the fashion world adapt to the weather world with statement jackets: trench coats and furry cardigans. We see new twists on classics like denim, and we see color––bold color. It’s so simple that it’s brilliant...literally. These colors are bright, and they’re out there.
Legs and Long Lines:
One specific trend captured in between shows was the aesthetic of long verticals. We see this with over-the-knee boots, long pants, long straight jackets, midi dresses and even bare legs. This look in incredibly flattering, and creates an illusion of length and leanness. Street-goers rocked this trend through combinations of high-waisted jeans, pants and trousers with cropped or tucked-in tops, long coats and of course a few of our favorites topped it off with sky-high platform heels. Lack of fabric also created a statement of length on the streets! Legs upon legs, even in New York’s February, gave off the “model-tall” look with mini skirts and dresses.
Jackets: An Adaptation:
This NYFW, it was all about the statement coat. With New York receiving almost a foot of snow at the start of NYFW, show-goers had to improvise! Instead of canceling plans and/or dressing down, fashionistas used this as an opportunity to show off some of their true winter ensembles. Trench coats (as mentioned above) were used to create long lines and a classic winter workday look. Another popular look was experimenting with very daring and very furry cardigans. Not only did these pieces keep people warm and able to strut around, but they also made for interesting aesthetics!
Denim Takes:
Denim on denim, two-toned denim, denim with studs and denim with prints––basically denim anything was everything! Even though denim wasn’t the most dramatic and jaw-dropping focus of this year’s fashion week, its dominating presence on the streets proves it’s a classic. At the same time, there will always be unique ways to manipulate denim and make the timeless material trendy. Even after we saw denim on denim: jackets and jeans, denim bellbottoms and off the shoulder denim dresses, we still see styles and outfits made of materials that look similar to denim in color. There are so many outfits that rest in the spectrum of sky blue to white; these delicate colors contrast the heavy winter feel from overwhelming thick winter coats and cardigans.
Color Blocking
Probably the most notable trend from NYFW 2017 is bold colors. From bubblegum-pink jackets and deep-caramel, furry cardigans, to firetruck-red midi-dresses and bright-yellow accents, fashionistas were not shy about experimenting with color this season. Not only did we see big, solid colors, but we also saw color blocking. Almost like an abstract painting, jackets, undershirts, dresses, tops and jumpsuits were sported in prints or color blocks.