As we speak, brands are debuting their Spring/Summer 2023 collections as part of New York Fashion Week. Here, we’re looking at the latest from Fendi, Marni, Christian Siriano, Ekhaus Latta, and Altuzarra.
Courtesy of Fendi.
The 25th anniversary of Fendi’s iconic Baguette called for a special collection paying homage to the “it” bag that first became popular in New York City after Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie Bradshaw stated “It’s not a bag, it’s a Baguette,” on the beloved television show, Sex and the City. To honor the chic purse, the house’s Creative Directors Silvia Venturini Fendi and Kim Jones invited a team of collaborators including Marc Jacobs, Tiffany & Co., Parker, and the Japanese luggage brand Porter to help imagine an entire collection expanding on the elongated rectangular body of the Baguette, which was otherwise informed by the fashion at the time of the bag’s rise to fame in the late 1990s/early 2000s. The resulting garments highlighted perfectly the dualistic nature of the handbag, which is at once glamorous and utilitarian. Brought to life amid luxe fabrications, all-over sequins, and pops of neon, there were Baguette legwarmers, gloves with tiny satin Baguette pouches at the wrist, parkas with Baguette-informed pockets, and even tote bags with pockets to hold Baguettes. Our favorite ensembles included a look worn by Lila Moss featuring a blush bustier-and-ruffle blouse and a skirt in gray with Baguette cargo pockets, a skirted tracksuit and fur overcoat styled with a gem-studded Baguette in hand, and a sky-blue alligator leather jacket with Baguette pockets paired with satin pouch legwarmers and a matching cow print trucker hat and handbag, each laden with mini Baguettes.
Courtesy of Marni.
Considering the interconnectedness of us all by way of sunsets (or sunrises, depending on your location), Marni debuted a colorful collection full of movement and energy for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2023 season. Mimicking the shape of the sun and the phenomenon the brand likened to “setting the sky on fire” were blazing sunset hues, stripes reminding us of its rays, and a motif that placed the fiery star directly on the body of the wearer by way of color and cut-outs alike. Silhouettes were strong and memorable, including crisp trench coats, figure-hugging maxi dresses, barely-there brief shorts, wide trousers, and asymmetric knits held together by safety pins and loose threads—in pieces like a sunset dress with flowing sleeves that merged into its train, a mini-skirt and bra glittering with mirrored beading, and a look in lavender with a see-through cut-out tank and matching pants and overcoat.
Courtesy of Christian Siriano.
Inspired by icons like Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor, Christian Siriano’s Spring/Summer 2023 debuts invited its wearers to find the glamor in their own life and style. Descending the curves of the stone staircase at the Elizabeth Taylor Townhouse were looks bearing traces of the timeless poise and beauty of Old Hollywood, though their details—like asymmetric ruffles and geometric shoulders—bore the designer’s signature flair. Varied hues like cobalt blue, icy gray, and magenta accompanied textural delights like rippling plissé, silk faille, flowery appliques, and a fluffy teddy fur—making up pieces like a ballgown with a striped skirt and wide-brimmed black hat, a miniature silhouette in red fur and knit, and a ravishing gown of black tulle with a fitted shape down to the knee, where the skirt flared dramatically with layers of ruffles. The collection also encompassed collaborations like denim by Gloria Vanderbilt, jewelry from Marla Aaron, and models’ skincare by BeautyBio.
Photo by Adam Katz Sinding, courtesy of Ekhaus Latta.
Abundant texture and color were staples of Ekhaus Latta’s latest collection, which took a non-gendered approach to the Spring/Summer 2023 season. Accordion knits, distressed hems, yarn tassels, seersucker, graphics, shag-carpet fluff, and fish scale metallics were just a few of the tactile elements we saw gracing the selection of loose-fitting garments. Presented in a nonchalantly stylish manner were statement looks like a fishnet sheer dress worn over a thong and paired with leather peep-toe mules, a pair of checkerboard denim pants and a seersucker top in blue with a matching bag, and a pair of orange zip-off shirts with a printed sweater vest.
Courtesy of Altuzarra.
The inventive shapes and worldly allure embodied in Altuzarra’s newest collection were the product of designer Joseph Altuzarra’s interest in the 1968 publications The Teachings of Don Juan and Desert Solitaire. Ideas of desert mysticism and the psychedelic awakening provided by the designer’s inspiration of choice shone through in elevated tie-dye, ornate beading and fringed elements, beautiful prints, and kaftan-esque shapes, which were reinvented with the codes of the brand—like a pink and blue patterned dress with cut-outs down the front and a one-shouldered shrug detail, or a layered denim-and-leather look comprised of a skirt, blouse, vest, and jacket with long, dangling ties. Looks maintained a contemporary appeal through utilitarian- and sportswear-inspired details like cocoon parkas, chic sneakers, and Parka bags.
