Jason Wu Kicks Off A Very Different NYFW
We’re dreaming of a socially distanced jungle escape…
One of the biggest dates in the fashion calendar, the opening of New York Fashion Week is usually unavoidable, even if you’re not lucky enough to be in attendance. However, this year you may have missed the kick-off as your Instagram feed continues to show celebrities and influencers hanging out at home, instead of parading their best street style looks around Soho.
Despite this, last night one of the seasons few live shows took place as Jason Wu opened NYFW for the first time. While there was technically no front row to speak of, there were a limited number of invited guests, sitting socially distanced and wearing masks, so far so 2020. Wu and his team transformed the rooftop of Spring Studios into a tropical getaway, complete with sand, palm leaves and crashing wave sound effects.
Activist and Pose star Indya Moore opened the show, which consisted of a modest 34 looks. Designs were bright and very wearable including flowing maxi dresses and colorful crop tops paired with breezy tailored shorts. Playful prints clashed with stripes for a relaxed and carefree vibe. (Remember carefree?!) Loose silhouettes gave ease of movement as the models glided round the winding boardwalk runway as if making their way down to the beach. Creating the illusion of ‘escape’ was the aim, and one they succeeded in, as even viewers at home were able to picture themselves transported to an island getaway for a full 8 minutes.
Critics may argue that a fashion show has no place in the current climate as the pandemic and Californian wildfires continue their destruction, but Wu’s tropical journey did offer a mini escape which a lot of us are longing for. The NYFW schedule looks very different this time around with a lot of the big hitters sitting this one out, most notably Marc Jacobs who closes each season. Maybe this is truly the end of Fashion Week as we know it, now is the time for much-needed changes in the way the industry operates to make way for a more creative and sustainable future.
Top Image by Buddy Bleckley courtesy of MADWORKSHOP
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