Scene, by All: Set Design at NYFW S/S15
Stunning displays rival for attention at this season’s bevy of runway shows
With every Fashion Week, brands go great lengths to compete for the attention of buyers and editors. And while the clothing and accessories are the most important element of each runway show, we’ve noted before that there’s far more to the spectacle. This year, elaborate sets, mystical floral wonderlands and exemplary uses of space stood out among the standard catwalk showcases. Although we couldn’t personally see every show, Instagram was there. Here are some social media highlights from some of our favorite attendees.
Writer Jim Shi captured the essence of this year’s highest profile collaboration: Altuzarra for Target. With lights and mirrors aswirl, and mirrors offering a psychedelic intensification, there was real power to the reveal. Shi tells CH, “I appreciated the straight-forward starkness of the mirrored, maze-like set up of rooms. The funhouse atmosphere projected a bit intense for some, but this was the fashion crowd—so self-reflections were a (cheeky) no-brainer.”
On the 54th floor of World Trade Center 4, Jason Wu showcased his second women’s wear line for Hugo Boss. While the impact of the venue was felt and the collection wowed, the set design exemplified it all. Bureau Betak, the team who designed it, snapped the best photo, landing both the height of the location, the mirrored ceilings and the serene set decor which invoked a Wu staple: nature.
This year, Tommy Hilfiger constructed another elaborate set and this time it was inspired by The Beatles. BlackBook magazine had their fashion assistant Emily Ovaert in attendance who describes the scene succinctly, “It immediately brought to mind the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover, giving attendees a sense of what was to come during the show. It was a visually appealing layout that fit seamlessly with the music and the collection itself.”
At Calvin Klein‘s Reveal fragrance launch, a tale was silently told by actors in silhouette, behind a veiled screen, before the stage opened up to attendees. DJ Chelsea Leyland snapped a photo within and notes, “It felt very Kubrick-esque and I also loved that it felt iconically NY in every sense.”
The world has come to expect the uncanny from Thom Browne, and once again he outdid himself. Tomoko Sakurai, the Contributing Editor/NY Correspondent for Harper’s BAZAAR Japan, snagged the essence of it and further shares, “Upon entry, the space enchanted us with the tableaux of spring and summer over the atmosphere of a Secret Garden with human sculptures wearing Thom Browne’s S/S 2015 collection pieces, and it was just a start of the fun. As soon as the show began—with the narrative tale of six sisters—this time again, Thom Browne navigated us to the most inspirational show with the absolute creativity and the ‘tailored’ women’s wear that shows his speciality to the fullest, in such theatrical, magical and whimsical setting.”
To a more minimal degree, but also invoking a mystic garden setting complete with poised still life placement, CH enjoyed Devon Halfnight LeFlufy‘s Milk Studios presentation, where neatly placed orange trees cast a chilled out energy which happened to reflect that of the clothing and the models.
Continuing down the floral path, Fashionista‘s Editor in Chief took a pretty photo of Oscar de la Renta among abundant pink flowers at his showcase. “It was lovely and fresh and much-Instagrammed,” she shares with CH.
Refinery29‘s Executive Creative Director Piera Gelardi, took a picture of the site’s fashion-inspired mini golf R29 Country Club, a location celebrating 29 sartorial creators. She says, “Our mission at Refinery29 is to inspire our audience to live a more stylish and creative life. So for our events, we want to create a striking visual, interactive experiences that are just begging to be photographed and shared. When we look at the set design for events, we think about how the audience can participate, what they can take away and what moments we can create that they’ll be proud to share.”
Gareth Pugh wasn’t the only designer to go digital this season. Ralph Lauren brought attendees to Central Park for his Ralph Lauren Polo for Women showcase, which happened to be a 3D projection onto a water fountain for an added dimension that meant the models appeared to be walking on water. Fashion stylist and consultant Mike Bogard recorded a video which demonstrates the full breadth of the experience, which wowed with its future forward energy.
At Marc by Marc Jacobs, housed in a warehouse complete with a neon triangular centerpiece and stacked speakers, some severe club vibes perfectly matched the collection. Website StyleLinkin’ captured the glowing sculpture and those walking around it.
Designed by one of Cool Hunting’s favorite duos—Snarkitecture‘s Alex Mustonen and Daniel Arsham—the set for the Public School show even allowed for a musical stage and performance by Twin Shadow. Milk Made‘s Joelle Hyman landed a moment of music, fashion and design.
In contrast, The Row, established by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, went minimal and let the space itself dictate experience, which many described as causing goosebumps. Daisy Nguyenbao, founder of WEPHOBIAstudio snagged an image that reveals the brick and hardwood’s full grandeur, especially in contrast to a beautifully muted line.
Scene, by All highlights festivals, openings, parties and other events through multiple perspectives of people who were there. Our editors select social media posts by participants, guests and our own contributors, pairing images with quotes, history, audio and other relevant content, to create multimedia collages that dynamically capture a moment in time.
