Political is the new black at New York Fashion Week
New kid on the block Public School puts the emphasis on New York’s diverse populations by repurposing the Trump slogan. Photo By: Randy Brooke via Getty Images
Prabal Gurung displays feminist messages on its shirts during its New York Fashion Week show in February. Photo By: Marcelo Soubhia for the Washington Post.
By Katherine Dunleavy// Staff Writer
The second week of February. Seemingly insignificant in the string of weeks in a year, yet it’s one of the two defining weeks in the fashion calendar. It’s called New York Fashion Week, or NYFW for short. It’s a time when fashion geeks, like me, rejoice and habitually reload Instagram to watch live fashion shows. I watch these shows and pretend I’m sitting front row along with the latest ‘it girls,’ celebrities and fashion editors. NYFW is always hyped-up, but never ceases to deliver jaw- dropping shows chockful of outfit, hair and beauty inspiration.
The two fashion weeks, one that takes place in February and the second in October are responsible for setting the trends for the upcoming season. The character of Miranda Priestly from the film “The Devil Wears Prada” once said, “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” Fashion movie jokes aside, the trendsetting begins on the runways and influences what stores fill their racks with and what we end up buying and then wearing. This fashion week was filled with oversized furs, velvets, midi skirts and an element of surprise: major political statements. Unlike any other fashion week I have followed, this year’s was outright political, full of bold statements and empowerment. There were three fashion shows that stole the show and were the talk of the town: Tommy Hilfiger, Prabal Gurung and Public School.
Kicking off Fashion Week with the very first show, Tommy Hilfiger took place in Venice Beach, California. As part of his new collaboration with Gigi Hadid, this year’s “Tommyland” felt as if you had stepped into an uber-fashionable carnival, fitted with rides, food stands and whimsical performers. Staying true to who he is as a designer, this season’s show gave off major Americana vibes. Models sported red, white and blue dresses, crop tops and skirts. Each model also had a white bandana tied to around her wrist. Thankfully, this was not an ode to the crazy bandana fad of the early 2000’s. It was part of the #TiedTogether movement, created by Business of Fashion. Often times, the high fashion world is synonymous with the same, super skinny models. This movement is meant to encourage and promote inclusivity within the fashion world and outside of it. While there is major work to be done within the fashion industry as far as being inclusive, I think this is a step in the right direction.
“THE FUTURE IS FEMALE,” “LOVE IS THE RESISTANCE” and “R.E.S.P.E.C.T” were boldly printed in black and white on plain t-shirts for Prabal Gurung’s show stopping finale. Gurung, a widely respected and sought after designer is known to not shy away from politics, but it’s the first time he implemented political elements into his show. Models swapped their expertly knit sweaters and sheer and tight dresses by the designer for these t-shirts and pants and skirts. Along with the short but powerful screen-printed tees, all models sported the same white bandanas for #TiedTogether, creating a united fashion front.
Lastly, was the show from Public School. This fairly new brand radiates coolness and has attracted a cult-like following. This year, they debuted “Make America New York” red Trump-style hats on their models. Not only was this a witty slogan I could support, considering I am obsessed with NYC, it also benefits the ACLU.
Long gone are the days where fashion is just considered an art form by way of personal expression. This past NYFW cemented the fact that the fashion industry is a political force to be reckoned with, doing good and empowering people one bandana, shirt and hat at a time.