Fashion

Christian Siriano kicked off the NY Fashion Week Spring 2022 edition on Tuesday night with a colorful (some called it over the top) collection. Siriano remains the same sassy, creative genius we first met and fell in love with during the fourth season of the Project Runway. He is the man who famously wrote Dresses to Dream About, a television star himself who dresses celebrities like Michelle Obama, Oprah, Rihanna, and Heidi Klum for star-studded events. It seems only natural for him to err on the side of opulence after such a long break from the runway. “We’re getting the most insane requests,” said Siriano, talking about client demands and what inspired him to be more “fierce” than usual in this particular collection.

A sign of the times we live in and proof of how much we’ve changed in these 18 months was Vogue editor’s review of the collection and her suggestion for Siriano and implication for all of us that the sensible thing to do might be to exercise restraint when faced with the temptation of being “extra”. Great advice at any time, but in the current economic situation, it was particularly auspicious and surprised us only because it came from Vogue:

“Yet this push-and-pull between restraint and self-expression, opulence and minimalism, mirrors the chaotic times we live in. Mixed messages are everywhere. We know we must consume less, yet are tempted by the thrill of being ‘extra’ that a life led on camera and social media seems to demand. We’re enticed by a world in which everyone can be a star.”

Last year marked a defining moment for the fashion industry. The social justice movement that followed George Floyd’s murder forced a difficult introspection into an industry riddled with inequities, racism, and elitism. Brands and magazines rushed to express their unflinching support for the BLM movement, hired and promoted new black employees, released statements, wrote apology letters (see Anna Wintour) and sold a lot of slogan T-shirts. There were also initiatives like Black in Fashion Council and 15 Percent Pledge that we hope are here to stay.

The Siriano show opened and closed with Precious Lee, the first black curve model to appear on the pages of American Vogue. This was not the first time Siriano featured diverse models, in fact, throughout his career the designer built a reputation for supporting inclusivity and diversity by dressing actresses and models of all sizes and ethnicities, and actresses that other designers won’t dress. He was famously once the only designer willing to dress Leslie Jones for her Ghostbusters premiere and later on was one of the first designers to cast “curve” models. While his “People are People” mantra shows Siriano was ahead of the curve in terms of body positivity and inclusivity, the industry has had some catching up to do. In addition to designers like Siriano, companies like Savage X Fenty and SKIMS have successfully introduced body positivity and the industry has no option but to follow at this point — if it hasn’t changed yet, it has to.

Before the pandemic, we were questioning the validity of a wholesale business model and the importance of traditional media in this context. While these problems haven’t necessarily been solved we are faced now with the reality of an industry more aware of its excesses and past injustices and prejudices and hopefully honestly willing to make amends.

Image credit: Daria Golubeva via iStock by Getty Images

Affordable Art Fair NYC will return to the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea this Fall for its 30th edition in the city. Here, visitors can find an inspiring and friendly atmosphere to browse thousands of original contemporary paintings, sculptures, photographs, and prints showcased by a myriad of local, national, and international exhibitors. With contemporary artwork from more than 400 established artists and rising stars, and price points ranging from $100-$10,000, there is something to suit every taste and budget whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned collector. With two fair editions held annually, Affordable Art Fair NYC is the ideal family day or creative evening with friends.

With one edition already under its belt within the world of COVID’s “new normal”, the fair has lined up a boutique roster of over 60 local, national, and international exhibitors. A handpicked selection of both new and returning exhibitors, artists and partners will set up booths across the Metropolitan Pavilion from September 23rd through the 26th, offering a safe layout for patrons to peruse, shop and discover contemporary art around every corner.

In honor of its 30th edition, Affordable Art Fair NYC will bring back popular late-night events and special hours, such as Art After Dark, the “after-hours” soiree for adults on Thursday, September 23rd, and Stroller Hours, the family-friendly hour dedicated to parents and little ones, with doors open ing before the public for a hassle-free shopping experience on Saturday, September 25th and Sunday, September 26th from 10am-11am. In addition, we’ll bring back our Trade Hours on Friday, September 24th free for interior designers and decorators, architects, art consultants, and their clients, to explore thousands of artworks while engaging with our galleries on a professional level like never before at Affordable Art Fair NYC Fall.

For more details, visit AffordableArtFair.com.

WHEN: 9/23 – 9-26; Th (noon-9), F (noon-8), Sat (11-8), Sun (11-5)
Private View 9/22; W (6-9)
Art After Dark 9/23; Th (6-9)

WHERE: Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011

Victoria’s Secret has been busy during the pandemic doing some damage control, quite necessary for a brand affected by years of poor management and a toxic, albeit third degree, association with Jefrey Epstein.

The company was founded in 1977 by Roy Raymond who got the idea for a lingerie store while shopping for his wife. Forty-four years later Martin Waters, Victoria’s Secret new CEO decided to dramatically change things. He told the New York Times “We needed to stop being about what men want and to be about what women want.”

After years of customer complaints the company decided to reduce the super skinny models in half-clothed attires.
In an Instagram post last week Victoria’s Secret shared “We are proud to announce an exciting new partnership platform, #TheVSCollective, designed to shape the future of Victoria’s Secret. These extraordinary partners, with their unique backgrounds, interests and passions will collaborate with us to create revolutionary product collections, compelling and inspiring content, new internal associate programs and rally support for causes vital to women.”

The first partners are Priyanka Chopra Jonas, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, mental wellness supporter Adut Akech, equality activist Amanda de Cadenet, skier Eileen Gu, body advocate Paloma Elsesser, and LGBTQ activist and model Valentina Sampaio.

Image credit: FashionStock.com via Shutterstock

The only thing I knew for sure about my clothes prior to the pandemic was that they were tangible and that they could be reliably found cramming my closets. It turns out that I was wrong. As life moved online during COVID-19, so did our clothes. And our artwork, if we are a little posh.

The news buzz about digital fashion for the benefit of “commercial growth and marketing activation”  turned into a lion’s roar about digital fashion “overtaking physical stores”  to further “consciousness and identity shift.”

WOW! Talkabout COVID-19 accelerating trends! As fashion brands cancelled runway presentations, they had to come up with projects to get their vision across. Ballenciaga created a video game and Gucci entered into a digital collaboration with Pokemon for the player’s avatars. We are starting to see the formation of a market for these projects and their designers need to receive credit and be paid, which requires a special technology that protects ownership. This past February’s first ever Crypto Fashion Week was an example of such a platform that couldn’t exist if it weren’t the blockchain technology.

As proof of ownership is one of the fundamental properties of cryptocurrencies, the traditional high end fashion industry is also becoming increasingly interested in blockchain technology. Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Prada have built Aura on blockchain technology to fight the counterfeit goods war.

Despite this avalanche of adoption, crypto fashion is still in its infancy. It is a complex field that goes beyond NFT’s into gaming, metaverses and augmented realities. Natalia Modenova, co-founder of the (exclusively) digital fashion retailer DressX thinks that “it’s going to take leaders in the market to push mass adoption.” It will be interesting to see what happens and if the push will come from the fashion industry or somewhere else.

So far the biggest news splash was made by Andreessen Harowitz and its $8 million investment in the virtual fashion platform RTFKT, which specializes in digital sneakers and other virtual accessories. I personally find it hard to believe it’s just coincidence that Marc Andreessen was also one of the first investors in bitcoin. Remember how we discussed that the future of bitcoin depends exclusively on whether there are reasons for it to exist? I believe Marc Andreessen and his investment in virtual fashion just gave bitcoin a stylish raison d’etre.

Image credit: 3DSculptor via iStock by Getty Images