Without the demanding structure of an in-person New York Fashion Week schedule, designers were free to debut digital shows, consider events in locations outside NYC or opt out in favor of different, independent presentations. Plenty of big name labels did just that—with several noticeably absent. That left room for emerging and mid-level designers to show some riskier, off-kilter, playful productions. This fashion week, we found ourselves …
The third collection from NYC-based designer Xiang Gao’s Penultimate label—titled “Good Night, God Bless, Beautiful Boy”—blurs the boundaries of both gender and garment. Part sculpture, part collage, and entirely wearable, each piece feels concurrently elegant, beautifully crafted and DIY. Gao’s fantastical arrangements of fabrics (from knits to denim, quilt and flannel) drape in unexpected directions and draw the eye to atypical details—subverting traditions of couture. …
Amidst the tidal change rippling through the luxury sector—one that involves reduction of carbon footprint, protection of animal rights and dismissal of plastics—only one leather alternative adheres to such standards and still feels premium. That product, Reishi, launches this week. A fungi-based “fine mycelium” grown in labs under proprietary circumstances, Reishi emulates many sensory aspects of genuine leather and eschews the plastic soul of synthetics. …
