fashion wake-up/fashion week: nyfw so far
fashion woke
I’m sitting on lau 5 right now (for non-Hoyas, that’s the fifth floor of our beloved, windowless hub for learning that is Lauinger Library aka the second-ugliest building in DC), and I just watched a girl at the table next to me quietly choke down tears and wipe her eyes with the sleeve of her Georgetown sweatshirt. At that point, I decided I might as well put away my homework and jot down some reflections on this past week, because I might start crying over my upcoming math quiz, too.
I wasn’t even in New York for the first few days of fashion week (I was actually in Providence, RI, visiting my bestie who goes to Brown for her birthday, and then I was in Boston and then Baltimore, I am a terribly last-minute impulse traveler and couldn’t get a return flight from Providence to DCA), but it still managed to give me digital overload. I’m hoping that building out this newsletter will help me condense my myriad of thoughts on these matters and then dispose of them for good.
I’m going to break down everything you need to know about what’s happened so far during NYFW, by dividing up the content into lists of shows (what I liked and what flopped), events (if you don’t already know that Chanel opened a diner in Brooklyn, then you probably live under a rock, or worse - you have a healthy relationship with your phone), collabs, and news.
This is going to get really long, so I recommend opening it up in your browser so my rambling doesn’t get cut-off. Let’s get into it.
PS: I will not be discussing Victoria’s Secret’s attempt at returning to the zeitgeist. I’m bored just thinking about it.
Shows
Ralph Lauren
The King of American designers returned to NYFW for the first time since before the pandemic.
It was very Ralph Lauren. The Harper’s writer who covered the show wrote “On four separate occasions, four different fashion editor friends described the show to me as “Very Ralph.” Period. And it struck me how the brand has turned a fairly common first name into shorthand for classic Americana. No elaboration needed; I knew exactly what they meant.”
For those of you who don’t know what “Very Ralph” means: my best synthesis is old-world New York glamor, lots of gold lamé, drapey silhouettes, chunky Western belts, embroidered denim, and Christy Turlington.
They’re definitely not re-inventing the wheel, but I don’t care. I love when Ralph Lauren taps into their more bohemian side with Western detailing and fringe. It looks quintessentially American, but refined and cool.
I would wear this to a party in the mountains. In fact, I’ve probably worn a very similar look. 
Actually, here’s proof that I’ve worn a similar look. I love you Ralph Lauren. 
The guests in attendance UNDERSTOOD the assignment. I’ve had my eye on the coat that Laura Dern is wearing since June. Ulla Johnson
The press pics for the show aren’t even out, but I screenshotted some from Lauren Santo Domingo’s fashion week broadcast channel on Instagram. She’s had great show coverage for anyone looking for live updates from someone who’s on the ground.
I fear that Ulla’s brand identity is confused between wanting to appeal to the preppy-Veronica-Beard consumer and wanting to appeal to “serious” fashion people. There’s always one or two standout event looks (see below), but I unfortunately tire of them before the collection even hits stores because they’re the looks worn in most ads and by many influencers. If only she stuck with making more of a good thing…
She had five different silk looks with lace inserts… this one in particular is very Ulla. Helmut Lang
The Cut agreed with me: “My thought while watching the show was: ‘These clothes are not cool. And they could be.’”
It’s a shame because I was so excited for Peter Do to take over Helmut Lang. However, as the talented designer that he is, I think he will definitely grow into this role.
Sandy Liang
Stunning. Maybe too clickbait-y, because I legitimately was glued to my phone this morning watching the show and suffered from immense fomo. Not sure how these microtrends will age if they’re already all over everyone’s Instagram, but from a design perspective they are so much fun.
The collection is called “The Virgin Suicides”, inspired by Sofia Coppola’s debut film about sisterhood and entrapment. Interestingly, these looks feel very liberated despite being structural and angular.
“Sandy Liang Spring/Summer 2024 is girl dinner. Liang serves NYFW's main course for a certain sect of fashion girlie, a meal that nourishes the soul of women who crave clothing that's equal parts Lisa Frank, Sailor Moon, and Sofia Coppola.” - Highsnobiety.
The 2010s are back… and what’s more twee than the collar on this trench coat? I love the whimsy.
I love how she incorporated the shell details. Shells are everywhere right now, from necklaces to knitwear detailing.
Speaking of shells, the shell seat-holders from the Ulla show were apparently repurposed by guests as necklaces. Mark my words, shells will be everywhere next summer.
Events
J. Crew x The Strokes (potentially another newsletter to come inspired by this)
Emily Sundberg from Feed Me is a STAR. She spoke to the Washington Post about J. Crew’s brand revival (she’s been covering them for ages) and hit the nail on the head.
I think what J. Crew is doing right now is interesting. From what I can see on Instagram, they’re clearly tapping into influencer marketing in a great way (even Blanca Miro is wearing it), and their cool factor has certainly gone up. I walked past their store on Madison Ave last week and it was packed. They’re tapping into their carefree Americana brand identity, and amping up the cool-factor with Brendon Babenzien (formerly Supreme, founder of Noah) at the helm of menswear and Olympia Gayot leading womenswear. Gayot is amassing a cult following on Instagram, where she posts mirror selfies in artfully-curated J. Crew outfits that look even cooler against her tousled golden locks. Essentially, she’s imbuing the brand with a certain European je-ne-sais-quoi, and it seems to be working.
Emily does have some concerns about where the new J. Crew womenswear is going, however. Who is their intended customer? “Is it a Tribeca mom?” she asks. “Is it a young, cool person who hangs out downtown and understands style? Is it somebody who’s going to work? Is it for somebody who’s staying home?” She raises some good points. The pieces look elevated and very French on Gayot, because she knows how to style them. The clothing gives me the vibe of something I’d impulse buy in the name of utility, but I’d rarely get around to styling.
Getting the Strokes to play the event definitely won them cool-factor points. However, even though the internet seems to be freaking out about this crossover, I did some digging and this union doesn’t seem all that revolutionary. J. Crew already got the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (another indie rock NYC band of the same flavor) and the Strokes to play their fashion week event last year.
“It’s been real… and a little bit fake.” - Julian Casablancas at the end of his set.
I lol-ed at this TikTok from Rolling Stone at the event. The crowd looks so bored and awkward.
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Trends
Doily dressing
“If Prairie Core was the 2010s version of the feminine-meets-flowerchild aesthetic, doily dressing is today’s ideation.” - Vogue
As a lover of everything that makes you look like Laura Ingalls Wilder, I endorse this trend.
I’m a huge fan of this Ulla Johnson lace dress. I bought the bra version and I wear it as a crop top with oversized trousers, but I’ve been pushing my mom to buy the dress for herself.
Here’s Michal Kurtis in the aforementioned dress at the Ulla Johnson show today. For more options, check out Sea and Cecilie Bahnsen.
Collabs
Miu Miu and Church’s launched a collection of four different brogues in brown and black earlier this week. Brogues are about to have a HUGE moment, tailing on the popularity of loafers for women in the past year.
I love these because the sole is chunky but not a lug sole. Sometimes lug soles channel 2019 TikTok e-boy and I don’t like it.
Sorry, but don’t bother. I love vintage Gaultier but their rebrand appears contrived. It feels too on-the-nose, like they’re trying to reproduce the looks that were revolutionary in the 90s even though sheer tops and screenprints just aren’t revolutionary anymore. They had such a good opportunity to re-invent the wheel by doing something like Miaou with fresher, more original prints. This collab just looks like Iamgia.
The jury’s still up on this one. Online, it looks great. I love Wrangler jeans (we already know that anything Western-inspired is totally my vibe). However, I do find that Staud sometimes looks great online and then flops IRL in terms of construction and fit.
I’m a big fan of the detailing that spells out “Staud” on the waistline. I might order a pair and do a try-on for you guys.
Chloë Sevigny x Fucking Awesome
Sevigny designed a skate deck for Fucking Awesome back in 2014, which is now a super-expensive collector’s item.
The it-girl has been back with a VENGEANCE this year. She’s headlined a Proenza campaign and a Chopova Lowena campaign, and according to Sevigny, Fucking Awesome called her up to say “‘There’s a whole new crop of kids who are really coveting this board. It’s really expensive on eBay, so let’s give the kids what they want’.”
Sevigny and Madewell also took over Raoul’s in Soho to celebrate the brand’s collection on Thursday night.
Pretty much everything from the collection is sold out already.
Notable figures
The Coach show crasher
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Sisto has been one to watch this week because it’s her first NYFW since leaving PR at Loveshackfancy and transitioning to OTB, the group that owns Marni, Jil Sander, and Maison Margiela. She’s a rising star with an Americana-meets-kooky british girl look, and her fashion week coverage and outfits have been out-of-this-world.
The Collina Strada models who faked their smiles for the camera. Hilarious.
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It’s only Sunday night, and we have three more days of NYFW content left to pore over. Lots of love,
Cami
Such excellent coverage.
Love your written voice! 😍💫
Love everything about this