For his Fall/Winter 2020 show, Tom Ford welcomed stars and special guests to his show in Los Angeles. Presented on a shiny black runway, with a large mirror as its backdrop, the new collection heightened the brand’s DNA that its supporters know and love—illusionistic lace to trick the eye, tailoring that supported the strong and the confident, and a careful selection of fabrics that hug and drape the body. On Ford’s collection notes, he mentions that he doesn’t particularly like jotting down which colors, silhouettes, and fabrics are of note. Instead, he wishes to zone in on what the season’s “attitude” is. “The important thing for me has always been the ‘attitude’ of a season. The ‘mood’ and the ‘character’ of the man or woman that defines that moment in time,” he said in his notes. What made up that attitude was one photograph—taken by Bob Richardson in 1967 for Vogue Paris—of Baron Alexis de Waldner and Donna Mitchell. Ford describes the mood of this image as “louche,” and thought it was “chic, possibly slightly stoned, and very sensual.” With Alexis holding a smoke up to Donna’s mouth, we understand his point. The sensuality of this image finds its way into Ford’s following looks, heightened in barely-there details that play to the imagination of attraction.
He went on to mention that staying relevant is important, but that you must always be authentic. Today, he’s leaning away from being overly sexual (a trait he’s exuded in the past) and focusing on deliberate desires. “Today I find my work to be more sensual than sexual, which is a reaction to the climate of our time and also perhaps a reaction to my age,” continued Ford. As he’s always talentedly done, clothing—mainly jackets and dresses—enhance and accentuate the human body’s form. Extravagant pieces are made to be more casual, paired with sweatshirts; pants are wider and softer, coupled with thick, sculptural heels; jackets are smaller, but coats are bigger; denim takes on a new meaning and is seen as a fashion piece, rather than just jeans; and athleisure—like track pants and trainers—are seen modern, updating the wardrobe. Toward the end of his notes, Ford also mentions his true love of eveningwear (saying he has more of it than day clothes) and provides plenty of pieces in that category for those like him. For the finale, an array of pieces fall elegantly into the “Black Tie” category—a category he’s reinvigorated with looks that he hopes re fresh and hopeful. And for the first time, he ended the show with a classic bride.
Photo by firstVIEW, courtesy of Monse.
30 Wall Street in New York was the industrial space that Monse welcome its guests to for its latest presentation. Inside, a not-yet-complete interior was the perfect setting for its latest looks—a collection that led to the return of grunge. Spread throughout the space were winding seats that allowed each attendee to sit front row, and a handful of small bulb lights that hung from the high ceilings. When the show began, climactic music played to set the tone of the designers’ show; lending to the understanding the Monse’s designers, Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim (also of Oscar de la Renta) understand more than just the cut or construction of a garment. It’s all about ambiance. Notably, that thread traveled from the first to the last look in details like plaid, safety pins, and tears in fabric. We made note of a few deconstructed trench coats (some featuring plaid patches of fabric as the body, with the khaki collar flipped over the bodice line), sweater dresses (some that dangled bits of thread, and some with high slits pinned by oversized safety pins), and reimagined fasteners (with some dresses connected by straps at the chest and sides, and a sweater with a strap pattern that hypothetically held the front together). It wouldn’t be Monse without an unforgettable touch, though, and for us that was the fishnet detailing—seen on some legs and arms, adorned with beads, sequins, and safety pins. For those coming to the show from uptown, welcome to downtown! And for those walking to the show from their downtown hideouts, welcome home.
At Hudson Commons in New York, Longchamp presented its latest collection—Creative Director Sophie Delafontaine’s fourth New York Fashion Week show. It was a bright welcome for the latest looks, with light flooding into the space’s floor-to-ceiling windows. A block-striped runway made up of mirrors and carpet led models from one side of the show to the other, giving the crowd something new to gush over at every turn. In the presentation, we saw new and familiar faces (like Kaia Gerber and Liya Kebede) and styles for every age. In the past, Delafontaine has made the on-the-go woman the star of her collection. For Fall/Winter 2020, we see nothing different—a line created for, and celebrating, a woman who goes after what’s new and what’s next. A complex, multi-dimensional individual, she, like her outfits, are comprised of many layers. For Delafontaine, the starting point was the 1970s—a decade that encapsulated this self-expressive mindset—and French women that starred in this era, like Catherine Deneuve, Romy Schneider, and Stéphane Audran. For Fall/Winter 2020, there are ample designs that aid to individuality. Bomber jackets have pronounced shearling collars; black dresses feature embroidered stitches in light wool; Bermuda shorts are seen in leather, paired with patterned sweaters; and coats that fall to the shin fit snug at first, then flare to an easy shape. A ‘70s vibe is surely seen, but a modern-day approach is effortlessly felt.
Photo by firstVIEW, courtesy of Monse.
Photo by JP Yim for Getty Images, courtesy of Longchamp.
