Glitz and Glamor at NYFW with the Lisa Nicole Collection

Image by Donsolis Garifuna

The Rolls Royce showroom on the west side of Manhattan was bustling as celebrities and socialites made their way in to see the preview of the new Lisa Nicole Collection for Spring/Summer 2023.

The evening began with hors d'oeuvres cognac cocktails, and attendees taking photos next to the Rolls Royce cars on the floor. Celebrities were interviewed on the red carpet, unphased by the flashes and buzz of the media surrounding them, and guests made their way to their seats beside the runway, and the show began.

Image by Anika Czander

Models glided down the runway, brimming with confidence and empowerment—two central messages of the Lisa Nicole Collection. Having designed a number of pieces for Atlanta’s elite, Lisa has become a fresh face in fashion circles nationwide. Her design style is known for accentuating the silhouette of a woman with an edgy, timeless appeal.

The collection featured shades of bright cherry red, similar to that of Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance outfit, making it clear that the hue will soon be trending in mainstream fashion. Some of the silhouettes were more structured, calling back 1960s Dior or Givenchy. These looks had varied hats as accessories from pillboxes to lace fascinators to theatrically wide brims. 

Image by Donsolis Garifuna

Other looks dipped in glitter, gold, and feathers, bringing a sense of drama to the runway. There was a wide diversity in the models as well, showing that the Lisa Nicole Collection can be worn by any woman who wants an expensive and timeless look. Be sure to check out the collection and keep updated on the brand at https://lisanicolecollection.com/

Dan Liu SS19 Collection

On Tuesday evening, September 11, fashion enthusiasts flocked to TriBeCa’s Spring Studios to view the Dan Liu SS19 Collection runway show amidst the excitement of New York Fashion Week. The Canadian designer, originally from Hong Kong, paid homage to his Chinese and Japanese heritage with a collection infused with East Asian themes and patterns.  

The show opened with a bold performance from a dancer cladded in a traditional red robe and a white masked headdress. The dancer advanced through the aisles in a series of lunges, kicks, and sharp arm movements led by the twirling of his fan, which, in combination with the dimmed lights and low drum rhythms, made an exciting and energetic prelude to the show.

What followed was a series of beautiful and sophisticated dresses, beginning with whites and pale hues of flowing skirts with recurring motifs of crochet and lace overlay. The color palette then fluidly transitioned to pinks and reds with floral patterns, including embroidered roses and Japanese cherry blossoms, which were complimented by thin fabrics exuding a petal-like delicacy.  

Paired with the elegant lines of the dresses were sharp pops of color on the face; the models wore turquoise eyeshadow, cherry doll-like lips, and bright pink blush over porcelain skin.  

The variety of floral patterns remained consistent as the collection moved into deeper and cooler tones, and from there fluctuated from star-studded navy blue to black and white chic all the way to rainbow striped vibrance, all of them ultimately returning to the very romantic and feminine feel.

Through their fluttering sleeves, ruffled cuffs, and pleated skirts, the designs embodied movement and texture, drawing out a very sensual and tactile essence. This, in harmony with the presentation’s mood, embraced the ethereal, dreamlike quality that characterized the collection.

Maison the Faux Show SS 18 Collection

On September 8th, New York Fashion Week got a little bit more fun and mysterious. MAISON the FAUX showed off its new collection, “#Fauxmosapien the evolution.” The Dutch fashion house approached its show as a “Faux” ritual, which consisted of a model, who also served as a wordless actor.  The performer began spraying the water on the models as they were walking by -- almost as if they were being “baptized” into a new population; a population MAISON the FAUX likes to call "FAUXmosapiens”.

The collection portrayed an alternate world, in which the designers, Joris Suk and Tessa de Boer, were letting go traditional  ideals of beauty and embracing a relatively new spin on an old movement in fashion: individuality. Models of every race, sex, and body type carried valiant confidence strutting down the runway, which made MAISON the FAUX even more special.

The collection itself was borderless and inclusive, just as the models. Red striped plastic bags, faux-furs, mermaid dresses with striped tutus, sequins, gallons of milk, and computers were just some of the things and fabrics the models were seen wearing. A male model in a red tutu with a plastic cape; another male model in a pink faux-fur coat and mismatched heels; a female model with a plastic bag for her purse and another plastic bag on her head; and a male model in black-and-white striped capris with a laptop on his arm to serve as arm candy, were just some of the outrageous yet fascinating looks designed by the designers for MAISON the FAUX.

MAISON the FAUX did not just produce a very curious and fun collection; it also had a front row to match it. The Fat Jewish and the Urban Bush Babes were just some of the A-listers, who attended the show. Others were fashion photographers, young musicians, and bloggers. Yet, all members of the audience, VIP and otherwise, had one thing in common: they were watching a show that was produced by a liberal, forward-thinking and anti-standard fashion brand.

After watching the show, one could confidently say that this collection was not the last for MAISON the FAUX. Filled with designs that reflected a forward-thinking and thought-provoking brand, MAISON the FAUX managed to leave its attendees speechless, causing the audience to not just reevaluate their perspectives, but also challenge society’s views. The show was not just a fashion show; it was an artistic movement with various powerful messages hidden within.

Photos courtesy of EB Consults

Maison The Faux Presents Faux Cosmetics

A lipstick brand that is proud to help you find your inner FAUX-self? Maison the Faux takes pride in the humor and sense of irony instilled in their brand image, and Faux Cosmetics will surely be no different. The fashion house has created a cosmetic line of dramatic looks encouraging individuality, expression, and rebellion. In fact, their debut collection is said to be composed of only a few main ingredients such as confusion, desire, recyclable trash, and glamour.  

Maison the Faux, translated to the “Fictional House”,  is renowned for their slight mockery and reactive responses to mainstream fashion.  To embrace the individual style of potential wearers, the line consists of shades given clever and distinct names such as ‘Shocking Suede’ and ‘Narcissistic Nude’.  The brand encourages all to be a little rebellious with their choice in color.  

The premiere of Faux Cosmetics took place on February 11, 2017, during NYFW in Pier 59 Studios. To present the brand new collection, a runway show was held in pure Maison the Faux fashion. Models were dressed in ensembles of lacquered jackets and lace-up sets of tops and bottoms completed with fishnet tights and thigh-high boots.

A few models fled down the runway in a hurry, lipstick in hand, to tease the crowd with the new product.  Others carried full trash bags or pushed trash cans of pink flowers, all of which were at some point left on the catwalk during their walk. However, each model had one unmistakable detail: dramatically smudged lipstick.  The ultimate ironic aesthetic: challenging the norm of perfectly lined lips with the humor of purchasing a lipstick to wear it messy.  The show closed in a fury of supportive claps and hollers, ensuring the concept of Faux Cosmetics had been well received. 

Photos courtesy of Maison The Faux