By Brianna McKnight, Staff Writer
If fashion lovers are keeping up with this year’s Fall and Winter 2018-19 Fashion Weeks, then they’ve seen New York City, London and Milan’s Fashion Week. Paris’ Fall and Winter 2018-19 Fashion Week just came to an end on March 6 and the next shows will appear during Los Angeles Fashion Week. LA’s very own Fashion Week begins on March 10 and goes until March 18. After this, there will be bridal shows and, then, Fashion Week for Men.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) brought three design labels to NYFW, launching its fall and winter collections on Feb. 9. One of the Hong Kong labels, HEAVEN PLEASE+ by Lary Cheung and Yi Chan, also appeared in the London Fashion Week, as well. The other two shows were ANVEGLOSA, which wouldn’t be here today without Annette Chan, and the third is labeled HARRISON WONG by Harrison Wong. Thirteen other up-and-coming Hong Kong designers were also showcased with the HKTDC hosting a B2B networking event for Hong Kong designers to meet with fashion industry representatives in NYC.
Fashion Hong Kong also appeared in London’s Fashion Week. HKTDC brought four Hong Kong design labels to make an appearance in the London Fashion Week for women. The line-up consisted of the brands HEAVEN PLEASE+, HOUSE OF V by Vickie Au, Maison Vermillion by Dora Chu and METHODOLOGY by Glori Tsui.
HEAVEN PLEASE+ (pictured above) is keen on expressing the art of silhouette. Each model is dressed in a coat that has an authentic, large and odd shape to it that creates a unique silhouette. Starting at the end of last year’s Fashion Week, the idea of wild and fun silhouettes became huge in the fashion industry. Also, each coat worn consists of different styles of the famous trench coat, which has been working its way back into the world of fashion and, recently, officially made it.
Accessories have become very big recently, ranging from fanny packs to mesh socks. Hats are being seen everywhere, as every designer is creating designs and ideas for new hats and every celebrity has been wearing them. The beret is a hat that could be listed as one of the trendiest hats to come back in style. It has been seen on many celebrities and is sold in almost every store: Urban Outfitters, American Eagle, The Reformation, ASOS, Forever21, Free People, Macy’s and so many more retailers.
One of the more unique collections that appeared in Milan’s Fall and Winter 2018-19 Fashion Weeks was the RICOSTRU A/W 2018 Collection. What was interesting about these designs was that they were created based on three elements that were then transformed into four emotions. The elements in this collection were feminine, wine and stories. After using these elements to create the intangible emotions of the collection’s designs, they created the emotions of the strength of a woman’s shell, a dazing emotion, sense of illusion and disappear. These four “emotions” could be used to see the shapes and silhouettes of the collection’s designs as metaphors that capture the strength and mysteriousness of feminism.
The collection was overall focused on the silhouettes of shirts, coats, and pants, as well as head accessories. Color schemes of light and dark were something to notice, as well as texture. The texture of a single item or of an entire outfit is forever one of the greatest keys to creating good fashion and always will be.
The design from the RICOSTRU collection gives off a feeling of darkness and mysteriousness, but at the same time comes off as appealing. The romance and intensity within these designs are what the collection wanted its viewers to feel. The collection wants fashion lovers to feel deeper emotions and let them become magnified as they learn through the viewing of the designs.
The Fall amd Winter 2018-19 Paris Fashion Week that just came to an end had an amazing line-up, and men’s Fashion Week is still to come. Some of the line-up included Louis Vuitton, Off-white, Balmain, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Valentino, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Beautiful People, Miu Miu and the REVEAL PROJECT. One of my favorite brands that appeared at Paris Fashion Week is known as Chloe. Natacha Ramsay-Levi became the new designer back in 2017, filling the role of Clare Waight Keller, the prior creative director. Keller will be joining the alumnus group that consists of Phoebe Philo, Stella McCartney and Karl Lagerfeld.
The Chloe Fall and Winter 2018-19 Fashion Week show was full of mismatching colors, patterns and textures. Many people may use those three things to tell if they have a good outfit on in the morning, but recently in fashion, mismatching and the use of out-of-place accessories have become quite the trend. Natacha took sex appeal and innocence and created a masterpiece out of a 70s-inspired collection. Each outfit on the catwalk was paired with a large (some might say gaudy) necklace or thick bracelets in all gold or silver, depending on the color scheme of the outfit.
Turtlenecks are back and more alluring than ever and Chloe’s collection is proof. Accessories that are big and noticeable, silhouettes that are awkward and large, excessive layering, as well as the acceptance and love of mismatching outfits, are in. Get comfortable with these new trends because they seem to be sticking.
