7 New York Fashion Week Newbies to Watch
With Supreme Court anxiety and a nationwide heatwave, it's hard to remember that New York Fashion Week is happening right this second. (In fact, I'm ten minutes late to a fitting because I'm glued to CNN.) Still, the shows must go on—and with them, a reminder that talent, hard work, and diverse, dynamic beauty are really what make America great. Have a look at this season's new faces for a quick burst of optimism... and some need-to-know info for style addicts, too.
It’s not uncommon for Batsheva Hay to announce a new dress on Instagram with this simple, seductive caption: “Size 6, who wants it?” So it goes for a designer famous for her small-batch dresses, often made with vintage and dead stock fabric. Her pray-hard-but-make-it-fashion vibe is inspired partly by her own Orthodox Jewish life, and partly by aesthetics from Christian sects like Mennonites and the Amish. (‘80s child stars make her vision boards, too.) The whole thing is a little disturbing, especially because it looks so damn cool. The brand was founded in 2016; two years later, and a NYFW debut seems just right.
It's not Chris Peters' first time on the catwalk —as half of the design team behind Creatures of the Wind, he's been enchanting editors and stylists alike for years. But this season marks his first solo venture, with a line named for Argentinian cave paintings (Cueva de las Manos means cave of the hands) and a collection with a modern mission to bridge the gap between men's and womenswear. At the debut tonight, expect upcycled fur and leather, layered knits, oversize blazers, and maybe some celebs on the catwalk, too. (The cool kids call them "friends of the house.")
Meet Sara Lopez, a designer and artist who also works with the women’s health collective, The Doula Project. Her first collection launches with a dance performance on September 6, but she’s far from a fashion newbie: after studying under Yohji Yamamoto, Anne-Valerie Hash, and Hédi Slimane at Saint Laurent, she designed for Rachel Antonoff before embarking on this solo mission.
Back in the ‘80s, Escada was a fashion powerhouse, with Princess Diana often appearing in their bold, big-shouldered pieces. But they’ve never done New York until now, under the creative direction of Niall Sloane, a veteran of Hunter and Burberry. Does this mean rock n’ roll boots and plaid miniskirts are now on the menu? We’ll see on Sunday, September 9, when their Spring 2019 collection debuts. Here’s hoping former campaign face Cindy Crawford, or next gen babe Kaia Gerber, hits the catwalk to celebrate.
Danielle Corona pairs with Colombian female artisans to craft her handbags, which feature textured leather and intricately woven raffia. For her first-ever New York Fashion Week presentation on Thursday the 6, she’ll showcase these details up-close and personal—and probably to Insta-famous fans like Emily Ratajkowski and Martha Hunt.
Overachiever alert! Kim Shui is a multilingual designer with a double degree from Duke University and a masters from Central St. Martins. She’s designed pieces for Kylie Jenner and Samsung, and does wild things with texture—think woven metallic jacquard, embossed shiny leather, and snakeskin / lace mashups. After a buzzy indie show last season, she officially hits the NYFW calendar on September 6.
Parsons School of Design boasts Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang as former students—but even they weren’t dressing Janet Jackson before they even graduated. Kyemah McEntyre did just that, and the New Jersey native is just getting started. With almost 90k Instagram followers and a mission to broaden the parameters of mainstream American beauty, this young artist will show on Friday, September 7 as part of the Flying Solo designer competition. Win big, Kyemah!