This week, of the many designers who showed their collections during New York Fashion Week, whether on or off the calendar, they shared a similar sentiment: that impactful design can have an impact, and in typical New York fashion, instead of waiting for things to change, many designers decided to be the change themselves. From leading with purpose to leading with craft, America’s designers are doing what they’ve always done best, creating with heart.
The young suiting label that first staged a runway on Anna Delvey’s East Village rooftop has come a long way in just two years. Designer Shao Yang — who presents her eponymous label under her first name alone — unveiled her latest collection, Futures of the Past: Chrome Legacy, at Artechouse in Chelsea. The venue, an immersive art, science, and technology museum, felt like as much a character in the futuristic storyline as the humanoid projections on the walls — or the clothes themselves, which, for the record, were fabulous.
Drawing on fashion from the 1970s through the imagined 2070s, Yang crafted a century-long narrative populated by characters ranging from dim sum servers to Chinatown power players. The opening look — a sharp-shouldered patchwork blazer paired with trousers and a matching paperboy cap — evoked the swagger of a zoot suit. A windowpane check dusted with metallic glitter dazzled, while jolts of highlighter yellow, pink, and purple injected optimism into the lineup. Unexpectedly, the brand’s first foray into streetwear landed just as strongly.
Models wore gray contacts and silver grills that echoed the glint of jewelry on their wrists and the hardware in their hands, heightening the chrome-infused vision. For any young label, fame may be the dream, but longevity is the goal. For Shao, raw talent may well be the key to endurance.
