NYFW SS23: Jason Wu, Ulla Johnson, anOnlyChild, and More

Jason Wu introduced a tribute to the rebirth of New York City and to the art of dressing up for Spring/Summer 2023. Suggesting that we should celebrate every single second, the collection’s splendid silhouettes encouraged wearers to enjoy life to the fullest, right down to the way they dress. Inside-out constructions were a staple of the collection, highlighting the garments’ pristine craftsmanship on delicate gathers of silk, clean tailoring, and sheer-all-over tulle shapes. Prints were based on art by Leonardo Pucci, pairing the strength of the Japanese bondage technique of Shibari with images of florals. Some of our favorite designs included a blue trousers ensemble featuring an off-the-shoulder sheer blouse; a dreamy feathered lavender look with matching lace-up heels; and a black bodysuit that gathered down the front, worn under a sheer skirt with tiny ruffles of swiss dot tulle.

A lightheartedness synonymous with the vibrant whimsy of spring permeated the Beaux-Arts Court at the Brooklyn Museum, where Ulla Johnson’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection was presented. Amid an installation by the florist Emily Thompson, garments in deep pigments and saturated hues of green, red, purple, blue, and yellow could be seen floating down the runway, their palette informed by the artworks of Lee Krasner, and also pulling influences from creatives like Louise Bourgeois and Bryan Lavelle. After color and prints (which unfolded to include muted flowers, contrasting stripes, and other flora), volume was the next thing to catch our eye—exemplified in our favorite details, including extra-long crocheted sleeves, pillowy skirts with structured hips, and in contrasting compositions of cinching and ruffles.

Titled “It’s Getting Late,” anOnlyChild’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection focused its creative energy on the reason for being alive (love) through the lens of balmy summer nights. Sultry tones of red, green, gold, and pewter were the chosen palette for sumptuous silks, satins, and summery velvets. These were seen on party-ready silhouettes mingling unexpected styles, like a supple, pajama-reminiscent three-piece suit in deep red; a two-piece skirt set with a collar and silky ruffled stripes, reminiscent of a rugby jersey; and a pair of ultra-mini high-waisted shorts with a structured hem fell just above the white lace bodysuit worn underneath.

It was at the crossroads between fashion and nature that Bronx and Banco’s designer Natalie De’Banco created the brand’s new collection, “Burnt by the Sun.” Fueled by the designer’s personal care and passion for animals and nature preservation, as well as the brand’s own ethos of responsible practices, each of the collection’s 61 looks was made with unusual or nontraditional materials like recycled metals, ropes, and tulle, handmade crochets, and printed linens—though you wouldn’t know at first glance. The stunning looks that came from this conscious approach employed bold details, body-hugging silhouettes, and a glamorous allure—like a strappy skirt and top in brown leather, a high-low dress of salmon-hued tulle, and a long see-through piece in sparkling mesh.