New York Fashion Week Debuts by Helmut Lang, Ulla Johnson, and More
As New York Fashion Week comes to a ceremonious close, Whitewall brings you front and center to enchanting presentations by Eckhaus Latta, Helmut Lang, PatBO, AREA, and Ulla Johnson.
Photo by Adam Katz Sinding, courtesy of Eckhaus Latta.
Eckhaus Latta Unveils Modern Artistry at New York Fashion Week
Founded by visionary Rhode Island School of Design graduates Zoe Latta and Mike Eckhaus in 2011, the New York and Los Angeles-based fashion label Eckhaus Latta weaved an hypnotic tale of modern artistry for the Spring/Summer 2024 collection. A scintillating show of color, shape, and texture unfolded at Rockefeller Plaza, presenting women’s and men’s garments which glided with fluidity and elegance over the body. Ethereal sheer cardigans, embroidered with a crimson EL logo, appeared at once chic and undone; paired with distressed leather jackets and multi-faceted denim, each look evoked a sumptuous tension between soft and strong. A fragile, corset-inspired camisole in baby blue was juxtaposed with ivory, lace trousers, topped off with a featherlight, denim-inspired trench coat. Multi-dimensional sweaters, cropped and cut close to the body, were matched with knit berets, textural trousers, and metallic jeans. Models donning airy dresses collaged with leather, zippers, geometric shapes, and breezy fabrics in warm hues of cream, powder blue, and ebony, moved with both power and grace down a glittering runway.
Courtesy of Helmut Lang.
Helmut Lang Reshapes the American Dream with a Collaborative SS24 Collection
The ever-inspired Peter Do, Creative Director of Helmut Lang, collaborated with Vietnamese poet Ocean Vuong for a striking Spring/Summer 2024 collection. Layered with Vuong’s lyrical text and photography, Do’s latest presentation was a minimalist dream, where black and white tailored jackets, shirts, and trousers were set ablaze with angular pathways of cherry, fuschia, and marigold. Stark white t-shirts with energetic phrases — “When was the last time you were you?” — were styled with luxuriously draped leather jackets and pants. Graphic suits were embellished with satin stripes that wrapped around the torso and cascaded down the legs like an armor of vitality. Geometric pops of color breathed vibrant life into sleek blouses, white jeans, and structured coats. Eye-catching mini-dresses in figure-hugging designs were shown with knee-high leather boots, or paired with perfectly tailored trousers. Mesmeric patterns collaging automobile imagery were sweeping metaphors for youth, freedom, and a revisioned American Dream.
Courtesy of PatBO.
PatBO Brings the Spirit of Brazil to New York Fashion Week
Brazilian designer Patricia Bonaldi immersed guests in an extravagant PatBO Spring/Summer 2024 collection which summoned the spirited fashion and style of her beloved country. Electric shades of lavender, fuschia, coral, and sea green meshed with earthy nudes for a dynamic and lustrous presentation. Bronze plumes surrounded the runway as models revealed Bonaldi’s meticulous attention to texture, movement, and design. Awe-inspiring beading graced fringed, ombre dresses and dreamlike jacket and shorts combinations. Skin was sensuously hidden and exposed at just the right moments — beside geometric cutouts, sashaying feathers, and blossoming flower appliques. A bevy of swimsuit looks appeared as captivating as evening wear in dazzling floral bralettes, and garnished, high-cut one piece suits. Lace was edgy, feminine, and fanciful in the form of gowns, mini-dresses, vests, and pants. Alluring glass handbags, created in collaboration with Brooklyn-based designer Josh Raiffe, gleamed like candy-coated works of wearable art.
Courtesy of AREA.
AREA’s Fall/Winter 2023 and Couture Runway Collection Embraces Carnal Beauty
AREA’s Fall/Winter 2023 ready-to-wear and couture runway was an innovative fantasy of civilization and our most primal desires. Utilizing bones and fur as essential inspirations, AREA explored these elements as both materials for basic survival and symbols of security and prosperity. Gentle crepe viscose, luminous silk jacquard, and voluminous trompe l’oeil denim took on the appearance of fur, emerging as show-stopping dresses, coats, skirts, and knee-high boots. Opulent gowns mixed shimmering or velvety fabric with bone-shaped adornments, fusing pre-historic imagery with contemporary prowess. Vests, trousers, and bustiers were embellished with Swarovski crystals, as were chiseled collars, bracelets, and face masks. A carnal beauty was harnessed in avante-garde suiting, deftly layering plaid patterns, rich fabrics, and embroidered ornaments. Cocktail dresses, midriff-baring tops, and hip-hugging trousers were polished and riveting garments for modern day adventures under the stars.
Photo by Filippo Fior, courtesy of Ulla Johnson.
Designer Ulla Johnson Collaborates with Artist Shara Hughes at New York Fashion Week
Titled “Powerhouse Arts,” a holistic universe unfolded for Ulla Johnson’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection, as an enchanting homage to art, nature, and energy radiated down the runway. In a dynamic collaboration with Brooklyn-based artist Shara Hughes, charming shirt dresses and tailored blouses were embellished with mesmerizing imagery; landscape paintings such as Cherry in Lace (2022) and Ignoring the Present (2018) provided rich and colorful allusions to life, land, and sky. The birth and passing of seasons and nature’s bounty was reflected in skilled works of twisted smocking, braided poplin, and pointillist crepe de chine. Tactile dresses in lurex jacquard and voluminous organza were reminiscent of rugged mountain vistas and blossoming flowers, harmonized with undulating tie-dye satin, tufted raffia, and elegant Victorian corsetry. The luscious shades of Hughe’s canvases unleashed a magnetic palette of earthy and rainbow tones to serene knitwear and cloud-like jersey garments. Gemstones set in hammered brass, hand-carved in Kenya, seen alongside vintage treasures from Kentshire, the premier destination for period and estate jewelry, elevated each and every look in a surreal celebration of environmental balance and beauty.
