New York Fashion Week is a 90s kid’s dream

Carissa Duhamel – Copy Editor

For the general American populace, September usually prompts a teary-eyed farewell to shorts, rompers, sandals, and sundresses. Members of the fashion world, however, look to the month with hungry anticipation for the new fair weather wear unveiled during New York’s Fashion Week. The stylish production was held for the seventh time in its new location at Manhattan’s Lincoln Center this Sept. 5-12 to debut American designers’ creations for the spring/summer 2014 season.

Relatively novice designer Joseph Altuzarra caught the attention of the press during the first few days of fashion week after word was released the fashion powerhouse company Kering had taken investment interest in the label, according to Style.com. Amidst immense pressure to live up to the talent of other Kering sponsored fashion houses like Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney, Altuzarra was able to produce an insouciantly carefree collection for his fifth spring/summer line. The designer dressed his models in loosely cut muted neutral separates with sparing light blue and coral accents. His silhouettes were slim and long, but unfussy – he made effortless a-line mid-calf length skirts with high side slits and relaxed full-sleeve button ups in spaced, slackened stripes. Altuzarra’s unfettered coolness in the form of casual cuts and frugal color blocking echoed minimalism of the 90s, which proved to be a recurring theme amongst designers throughout the week.

Alexander Wang played with the idea of the 90s in his own name’s line in a more direct and witty manner than Altuzarra. The seasoned creative director of both his own label as well as long-standing Spanish fashion house Balenciaga reproduced name branding popularized by fashion houses like Louis Vuitton and Gucci during the twentieth century’s final decade in his own thoroughly modern interpretation. Wang explained his tribute to the 90s, saying, “Fashion was really fun, when there was wit and humor, and it wasn’t so serious.”

The designer sent models down the runway in optically illusive dresses and tops printed repetitively with his name so as to appear like a complicated linear pattern, as well as eyelet gloves with ‘Alexander Wang’ cutouts. He also reworked menswear for the fairer sex by sending out a series of luxe boxers and collared button-ups in delicate pastel pinks and blues to create a thoroughly soft version of masculinity. Keeping with the 90s trend, Wang’s menswear came entirely in stand-alone separates which were popular during the decade.

In a refreshing burst of creativity, Brooklyn designer Rachel Comey broke away from the conventional flash and show of the runway to present her spring/summer collection. Comey invited press and buyers to venture out of Manhattan to Brooklyn restaurant Pioneer Works where she served guests dinner while models wandered amongst tables donning the designer’s latest creation. Most notably, Comey showed several pieces of intricately acid washed denim ranging in cut from loose, open trousers to skin-tight and high-waisted. According to the New York Times, buyers were able to place immediate orders for items in the collection during dinner on note cards reminiscent of waitress’ checkbooks after being lulled by good humor and socialization.

Complicated prints also proved to hold a strong presence during fashion week in both Marc Jacobs’ youth-focused line Marc by Marc Jacobs and Johnson Hartig’s Libertine collection. Both featured unique floral and line-based prints in bright, arresting colors. Jacobs continued the ode to the 90s trend by producing minimalist, color blocked menswear in shiny silks. Both kept with the status quo by cutting pieces generously enough to allow wearers an extra slice of cake without showing any visible form of guilt – this fashion week has shaped up to be very comfortable both nostalgically and physically for those of us that grew up as Rugrats.