NYFW SS23: Sandy Liang, FFORME, Tibi, and More

Based on a commission by Philippine de Richemont titled Danse Encore (“Keep Dancing”), the Spring/Summer 2023 debuts from Alejandra Alonso Rojas placed form and movement at the forefront of designs treating the body as a blank canvas. Soft, elongated shapes and supple materials were painted vibrantly with a spectrum of hues, each outfitted with careful details like rouching, intricate crochets, silky bows, and delicate seams implying structural boning. Looks we’re still thinking about include a multicolored crocheted set with a printed scarf detail on the skirt; a pair of high-waisted trousers in red and a pink strapless top; and a long white dress adorned with crocheted flowers.

Sandy Liang’s Spring/Summer 2023 presentation offered a coquettish play on uniform, featuring a total of 45 new ensembles. Suited tailoring, school uniforms (both that of the teacher and student), and the utilitarian were juxtaposed against ballerina details, lingerie styles, and fairytale flounces for a collection imagined in black, white, beige, and the occasional pastel. We saw pleated skirts with petticoat ruffles peeking out from hems, cropped suit jackets with Peter Pan collars, pinafore dresses worn over tailored bras, and pink gingham layered under rigid khaki work jackets. Each look was accessorized with pieces like oversized hairbows, large shades, patchwork clutches, flower anklets, and the crossover between a ballet shoe and a classic flat, the Mary Jane Pointe.

Laura Vazquez and Nina Khosla debuted their fashion label FFORME under the care of Creative Director Paul Helbers during New York Fashion Week. Centered on everyday archetypes with an understated confidence, the 29-piece collection was crafted in Italy and made with four modernist design principles in mind: line, texture, volume, and detail. Combining visual elements of minimalism, the ease of sportswear, and the sensibility of European fashion, the collection launched a series of leather, outerwear, and knits—like a collared duster with no visible buttons, a streamlined leather jacket sans pockets or hardware, and a cable-knit sweater dress with wide sleeves.

Designer Carly Mark’s Spring/Summer 2023 concept for her brand Puppets and Puppets was one that combined sophistication with an edge of dark humor, pulling imagery from New York City parties, Gustave Doré’s illustrations of Dante’s Inferno, and the film Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrick. The garments birthed from this artful amalgamation were bold, indulgent, and beautiful pieces where shapes, fabrications, prints, and textures each found their time to shine. A few looks still on our minds include a long-sleeved dress in a fiery Inferno print with a cowl neck that fell below the wearer’s belly button, leaving the breasts to be adorned in a collection of colorful butterflies; a revealing bodysuit with soft green lace appliques and black beading worn with leopard velvet mules; and a suit and matching hijab in an all-over print featuring extravagant, detailed illustrations.

Likening the business of getting dressed to existential musings on meaning, Tibi is of the mind that the wearer will find a way to give any piece of clothing meaning: “More is always there… you just have to know how and where to look.” The garments as they existed on the runway were styled minimally, allowing the viewer to take in the lines of each piece, savoring understated but important details like a strong shoulder, a perfectly-cinched waistline, or the tasteful pitting of cut-outs against sections of layering and bare skin. This thoughtful approach shone through in pieces like a look in gray plaid playing off of traditional suiting, a long dress in purple with detached sleeves worn over a muscle tank in lavender, and a mesh-and-silk dress in buttery yellow with an oversized blazer worn off one shoulder.