NYMD Timo Weiland

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Scene: Timo Weiland at Men’s Day New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2020. Designers Tim Weiland, creative director; Donna Kang; and Alan Eckstein are popularly known as Timo Weiland. They described this collection as a downtown eclectic take on uniform dressing. The brand follows the opposite of classic fall and winter trends. They utilize bright colors and pops of colors throughout their designs and this season was no different. A spectrum of hues were used from pastel pink and mint green to bright red. Models sported sleek suits paired with Dr. Martens and black studded belts which added a slight punk vibe to the classic looks. The layering of t-shirts and sweaters gave the looks dimension.
The trio has partnered with Groupe, a platform that lends infrastructure and shared resources to emerging designers and gives them a physical space to meet with customers in its Bowery showroom.
Talent for the show: hair by Oribe team, lead hairstylist Christian Ceja-Compin; makeup by Makeup Pro New York, lead makeup artist Mua; fashion editor/stylist Haley Loewenthal. Tinted sunglasses, created in partnership with Zenni. Shoes throughout Dr. Martens. Above and below photo, Nick Page, model, represented by Bri’geid Agency, New York Models, and Why Not Models in Italy.


Scene: Back stage before the presentation.


Scene: Nick Page, model, represented by Bri’geid Agency, New York Models, and Why Not Models in Italy.

A special thank you to Helen Oppenheim, US Correspondent for Peluquerias Magazine, archivist, blogger, and hair guru, for asking me to collaborate during Fashion Week.

 

 

 

NYMD David Hart

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Scene: David Hart at Men’s Day New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2020. Operating under the alias “R.Mutt,” a reference to Marcel Duchamp who worked in ready-mades. Similar to Duchamp’s Fountain or Bicycle Wheel, he wanted to reinterpret things that exist like the pilot jacket, and the Western shirt instead of reinventing the wheel.
Hart revisited his greatest hits which meant taking a trip through his archives and reinterpreting his favorites. Among his edited lineup of 11 looks, he spanned his focus across styles and decades. The groovy dude in bell-bottoms, ’70s-inspired suede bomber, the urban cowboy in a piped shirt tied with a silk foulard, and the executive at the office with a slouchy pinstripe suit minus the stuffiness. He mixes dapper with glam-rock, precise tailoring with a retro-cool vibe, and baggy with slim proportions to give the collection just the right amount of attitude.
Beyond the archival references, Hart found other ways of presenting the familiar in a new light — a camp shirt printed with duct-taped bananas was a nod to Maurizio Cattelan’s notorious banana Comedian, and a two-tone cardigan that reminisces college-prep.
The presentation opened with a golden camel suit embroidered with wildflowers on the lapels. Long hair on men has come back and is trending. The earthy color palette was accented with pops of gold, red, and burgundy.
Talent for the show: hair by Oribe team, lead hairstylist Kien Hoang; makeup by Makeup Pro New York, lead makeup artist Mua. Shoes throughout Christian Louboutin.


Scene: David Hart with his “R.Mutt” cast.

A special thank you to Helen Oppenheim, US Correspondent for Peluquerias Magazine, archivist, blogger, and hair guru, for asking me to collaborate during Fashion Week.

 

 

 

New Accessory

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I’m taking a break from my NYFW Series. Five more to come.

Scene: The mask. A necessary accessory that has become a way to express ourselves. I’ve noticed over the years Asians visiting the city wearing masks which is attributed to protection; from environmental harms, air pollutants, allergens, and the sun. The modern surgical mask with multiple layers of gauze dates to the late 1800s. At the beginning of the pandemic, face coverings were a health and safety precaution and still are, but as people settled into the reality, all sorts of different styles have emerged. Function and style. We all know wearing a mask is essential during this pandemic. Protecting others and ourselves when interacting. It’s not a simple cultural proposition. And, of course, the face mask is political. As the country moves toward reopening, masks are assuredly part of our future.
Wearing masks is a sartorial sign that we are willing to give up some freedom and comfort for the common good. And exhibits our individuality with different patterns, colors, materials, and styles we choose. There are masks for every taste and budget. They include bandannas, balaclava, scarves, and shields. It’s no small thing that fashion has gotten hold of masks. The designers, artists, and sewists have taken liberty in smoothing edges and heightening the look and fit. The face mask has become a symbol of our times, our armour. Stay safe xox


Scene: Helen Oppenheim, Hair Guru, wearing a Rita Starnella mask who made and sold her masks to fund creating them for hospital workers and nursing homes.


Scene: Daoud, Manager and Maître d’Hôtel of La Goulue Restaurant at 29 East 61st Street in Manhattan.


Scene: Shamba.


Scene: Semvje.


Scene: Daniel Giel, Music & Movement, offering Pilates, A.I.M., C.R.M., and Acrobatic sessions.


Scene: Sherri Jessee wearing one of her many exciting mask creations.


Scene: Atlas, the bronze statue, in Rockefeller Center, within the International Building’s courtyard, on Fifth Avenue.


Scene: Fortitude, the marble sculptor, with it’s twin, Patience, guard the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, sporting masks to encourage New Yorkers to continue to follow safety measures.


Scene: Man wearing surgical mask as G-string walks past a woman, as the spread of the coronavirus continued, on Oxford Street in London, July 24, 2020. Reuters/Simon Dawson


Scene: Surreal sculpture of face masks kissing, Still in One Piece III, by Hong Kong-based artist, Johnson Tsang, known for his astounding ability to manipulate clay into exquisite porcelain sculptures. Tsang calls attention to the transformation in how people interact during COVID-19. The gesture is touching. It’s a reminder that even with the need for separation, we can still enjoy moments of closeness. My Modern Met/Jessica Stewart

 

 

 

NYMD Mix

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Scene: Several emerging fashion designers at New York Men’s Day during Fashion Week Fall 2020 at Location05 in Hudson Yards. NYMD is an initiative intended to help nurture up-and-coming talent. This platform sets the stage for the world to see. Some of these designers include womanswear.
Starting with Mined on Denim, a men’s sustainable denim clothing line, ethically made in San Francisco. Ready to wear clothing made of only natural and organic fiber, or recycled materials. Collection by head designer Eden Slezin who utilized denim and basket-weave leather with a cool color palette of blue and white with a splash of orange.
Talent for the show: hair by Oribe team, lead hairstylist Coby Alcantar; makeup by Makeup Pro New York, lead makeup artist Chika. Shoes throughout Sperry. Above and below photo, Ilias Avaskantiras , renowned international model of Greek descent represented by LA Models and New Madison Paris. He is wearing a pacific blue recycled denim look with inverted front flap pockets.

 


Scene: The Apotts presentation. Aaron Potts was an intern for Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan. After an international career designing for Emanuel Ungaro, Anne Klein, Ellen Tracy, Escada, and Tamara Mellon, the time was right for Aaron to create Apotts. The brand embodies his embrace of creativity, diversity, artistic community, and self expression. His collections are designed to be unisex as well as trans-seasonal. Notable were the fuller pants, oversized smocks, and the big curly hair. While black was the predominant color, the use of greens, grays, and golds as well as color blocking were a great way to accentuate the pieces.
Talent for the show: hair by Oribe team, lead hairstylist Dan Nguyen; makeup by Makeup Pro New York, lead makeup artist Chika. Shoes throughout Florsheim.

 


Scene: The Carter Young presentation. Carter Altman started his career in fashion design at age 15. His first experience with bespoke tailoring came in 2014 when Altman assisted Alexander Nash learning the fundamentals of classical tailoring and garment construction. His designs are distinctive in how they galvanize influences, subvert the traditional, and synthesize opposites. This brand prides itself in creating unisex clothing with a strong anchor in utilitarian menswear. Some jackets and coats were fabricated from 1960’s deadstock olive Marine Corps wool and taupe California Highway Patrol cavalry twill. Motif embroidery  embellished some garments. And their take on jeans was with suiting fabric. Carter’s collection was made in New York City. While other presentations treaded the line to the more gender non-conforming end of the spectrum, the Carter Young brand stayed more to the traditional views of menswear.
Talent for the show: hair by Oribe team, lead hairstylist Kien Hoang; makeup by Makeup Pro New York, lead makeup artist Chika. Vintage Boots throughout selected by Michael Andrew, stylist and head of fashion at Carter Young.

 


Scene: The Official Rebrand presentation. A gender free up-cycled fashion label founded by NY/Berlin based non-binary artist and designer, MI Leggett. Remade clothing with painting, drawing, and screen printing on used garments. The nature of these pieces nods to the excessive accumulation of objects and ideas. Their story is not so much a story of birth, but one of a series of rebirths. The brand celebrates the fluid expression and our uniqueness. The presentation was part performance as the models were free to move as if to the beat of their own drummer. Accessories like the bags and hats were important compliments to the looks.
Talent for the show: hair by Oribe team, lead hairstylist Milciades Manuel Rolon; makeup by Makeup Pro New York, lead makeup artist Chika. Head pieces Leila Jinnah.

 


Scene: The Todd Hessert presentation. An eponymous fashion label. He adopts an “all possibilities” mind-set. His collection is an abstract expression of sophisticated minimalism while remaining true to the brand’s tech-influenced notion. Coats and jackets were the focus, adorned puffer coats and embossed croc jackets with Cuban link chains. Playing with the shapes and textures of the coats made the looks refreshing. But even more significant is the how the use of technology embedded in the coats made them more desirable without hindering the style. Heating elements and mobile connectivity were seamlessly incorporated into the looks.
Talent for the show: hair by Oribe team, lead hairstylist Christian Ceja-Compin; makeup by Makeup Pro New York, lead makeup artist Chika. Shoes thoughout Reebok.

 


Scene: The Ka Wa Key presentation. The collection was entitled “The Twink Prince” and was inspired by The Little Prince novella by French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The design duo of Key Chow and Jarno Leppanen utilize traditional textile crafts and sustainable materials to rework everyday casualwear. Part presentation, part performance art, models moved between the audience and were seen dressing and undressing pieces of the collection. The brand that believes everyone can be a twink regardless of their sexuality, pushed texture and color at their presentation with fuzzy sweaters.
Talent for the show: hair by Oribe team, lead hairstylist Dan Nguyen; makeup by Makeup Pro New York, lead makeup artist Chika. Shoes throughout Sperry.


Scene: More stories from New York Men’s Day fashion designers to follow.

A special thank you to Helen Oppenheim, US Correspondent for Peluquerias Magazine, archivist, blogger, and hair guru, for asking me to collaborate during Fashion Week.

 

 

 

NYFW Anna Cleveland

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Scene: Anna Cleveland at the Chiara Boni La Petite Robe Fall/Winter 20/21 show. From beginning to end. Anna, with Next Management, embraced the Spanish mood envisioned by Chiara for this collection.
Cleveland is the elegant daughter of Pat Cleveland, the 70’s iconic supermodel and Salvador Dali muse. Her father is Paul van Ravenstein, former model and fashion photographer.
Anna started modelling a few years ago and by 2014 she was a fashion week fixture, walking the runways for Chanel Haute Couture, Jean Paul Gaultier, Zac Posen, and others. Since then, she has appeared in Vogue Italia, Love, Glamour, Elle and Dazed, to name a few. Her first major advertising campaigns were for Bottega Veneta, and Lanvin alongside her mother. They also appeared together and opened the Chiara Boni La Petite Robe Spring/Summer 2020 show.
Hair by Aveda team, lead hairstylist, Jon Reyman, created a clean and contemporary look, a lovely sophisticated bun for Anna and interpreted “Salvador Dali’s” mustache; Makeup by Aveda team, lead makeup artist, Janell Geason, created a simple yet striking look with a natural lip and smokey eyes; Manicure by Color Club team, lead manicurist, Michelle Matthews, used Color Club Nail Lacquer in Chalk Board Black; Fashion Stylist, Simone Guidarelli.


Scene: Anna’s photo on the model board back stage.


Scene: A unique natural ethereal beauty. Before I took this photo I mentioned to Anna when I was fashion art director at Bloomingdale’s in the advertising department, I worked with her mother, Pat, and her aunt, Apollonia van Ravenstein, her father’s sister. And now I had the pleasure to work with her.


Scene: Centering while the hairstyling process begins.



Scene: Anna before the pre-runway walk in Chiara Boni heels, in her own clothes.


Scene: The Aveda team. The hairstyling and makeup process continues with the addition of “Salvador Dali’s” mustache interpreted by Jon Reyman, lead hairstylist for Aveda. The lead makeup artist was Janell Geason for Aveda.


Scene: Anna backstage during first looks with Jon Ryman, lead hairstylist for Aveda, and Janell Geason, lead makeup artist, fine turning “Salvador Dali’s” mustache.



Scene: Simone Guidarelli, fashion stylist, places the matador hat on Anna.


Scene: Anna and Chiara Boni minutes before the show starts.


Scene: Anna opens the Chiara Boni La Petite Robe Fall/Winter 20/21 show as she dancefully gestures and channels Salvador Dali. I find it so interesting that her mother Pat was Dali’s muse and here Anna is channeling him! She is wearing the sharply tailored waisted jacket and high cuffed pants in Bonnie Midnight, matching heels, matador hat, “Salvador Dali’s” interpreted mustache, and low bun embracing the Spanish mood of Chiara Boni’s vision.



Scene: Anna Cleveland goes all Salvador Dali on the runway. Such a wonderful performer.


Scene: Cleveland wearing gown in Black with polka dot print.




Scene: Anna Cleveland at the Chiara Boni La Petite Robe Fall/Winter 20/21 show at Spring Studios.

A special thank you to Helen Oppenheim, US Correspondent for Peluquerias Magazine, archivist, blogger, and hair guru, for asking me to collaborate during Fashion Week.

Photo: 15, 16, 18, 20, video grabs, Courtesy of NYFW: The Shows. Photo: 19, Courtesy of FWO, Fashion Week Online.