With all that has occurred over the past two weeks as the remnants of Hurricane Harvey devastated large swaths of Houston and other parts of Texas, we considered forgoing coverage of New York Fashion Week, which kicks off today. But then we thought of the future. Fashion is always about what's next. And spring — the season showcased on the catwalk during the next seven days — is a symbol of renewal and hope. We can all use a touch of fantasy and beauty right now.
In this kickoff, established designers as well as some up-and-comers give CultureMap an exclusive look at what inspires them for the upcoming season — and the possibilities are endless.
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Designer: Alice + Olivia.
Inspiration: Chelsea Hotel.
Designer: Badgley Mischka.
Inspiration: Capri.
Designer: Marchesa.
Inspiration: Romance.
Designer: Christian Siriano.
Inspiration: "My spring 2018 collection feels like a dream, almost a psychedelic hallucination of what's inside my fantasy greenhouse. All the different plants and flowers inside come to life in the most romantic and beautiful way."
Designer: Christian Siriano.
Inspiration: "I've used a bright and bold color palette, including electric fuchsia evening looks, sunny yellow day dresses, and grass green suiting."
Designer: Christian Siriano.
Inspiration: "The collection is playful, bold, and feminine: a perfect mix of something new and exciting for our customer."
Designer: Milly.
Inspiration: “Loving ourselves as women.”
Designer: Nicole Miller.
Inspiration: “This season I was inspired by a city girl on a safari that can’t quite ditch her high heels and sense of style.”
Designer: Kimora Lee Simmons.
Inspiration: The vibrancy of Morocco.
Designer: Kimora Lee Simmons.
Inspiration: The vibrancy of Morocco.
Designer: Kimora Lee Simmons.
Inspiration: The vibrancy of Morocco.
Designer: Rebecca Taylor.
Inspiration: “Lately I have been feeling really nostalgic about a time in my life when I first became captivated by fashion. Reemerging photos of Princess Diana recall a time when clothes were romantic and we were all filled with hope.”
Designer: Jill Stuart.
Inspiration: “Floral Arrangement”
Sun, 1931, oil on canvas, with frame, by Florine Stettheimer
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Designer: Leanne Marshall.
Inspiration: Green Wall Diamond Portal — A transportation to the Other Side of the Green Diamond Wall.
Designer: Desigual.
Inspiration: “Desigual couture, dahling,” - newly-appointed artistic director Jean-Paul Goude.
Designer: Rochambeau.
Inspiration: “Cartesian Geometry.”
Designer: Snow Xue Gao
Inspiration: “Balancing tradition through the use color and prints inspired by the Beijing Opera."
Designer: Galtiscopio.
Inspiration: Time to shine.
Designer: Son Jung Wan.
Inspiration: The French Riviera.
Designer: Dennis Basso.
Inspiration: “The international woman traveling the world to exotic locales.”
Designer: Novis.
Inspiration: “Looking to antique botanical drawings for inspiration, I evolved the floral theme of the last couple seasons into the world of the ethereal jungle and enchantment for the spring/summer 2018 collection, using laces, custom prints and embellishment to explore this theme in a palpable way.” – Jordana Warmflash, founder & creative director
Designer: GCDS.
Inspiration: “The spring/summer 2018 collection takes an ironic approach to streetwear, transporting the sporty aesthetic into a vibrant yachting club. Wearable knits and bright colors showcase Italian craftsmanship and technical fabrics, exuding equal parts sophistication and fun.”
Designer: Colovos.
Inspiration: Multiform.
Designer: Noor By Noor.
Inspiration: Modernity.
Designer: Dan Liu.
Inspiration: The Lonely Beach Feeling.
Designer: Dan Liu.
Inspiration: The Lonely Beach Feeling.
Designer: KÛR.
Inspiration: “This collection uses Beeralu lace and etching prints to explore all ranges of femininity and formality, melding the lines between upscale dressing and urban street style.” -Kasuni Rathnasuriya
Designer: John Paul Ataker.
Inspiration: Slow fashion.
Designer: Hakan Akkaya.
Inspiration:"For spring 2018 I mixed black and white geometric prints with soft pastel hues to create a collection full of edgy contrasts.”
Designer: Jarel Zhang.
Inspiration: Beauty in the chaos.
Designer: Jarel Zhang.
Inspiration: Beauty in the chaos.
