New York Fashion Week: Prabal Gurung at the UN; Badgley Mischka and Tommy Hilfiger go live; Carolina Herrera’s secret garden; Michael Kors mixes urban and resort

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AS an alert to the status quo, designer Prabal Gurung presented his spring 2023 collection of bold and bright colors on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the old Japanese consulate on the United Nations Plaza.

Models of all sizes and gender, including the step-daughter to US Vice-President Kamala Harris, Ella Emhoff, helped the designer showcase his line of soft sheers coupled next to metallics and liquid-like gloves and leggings. (See the show here: ).

“It represents everything that we want to see in the world,” Mr. Gurung said of the location.

He said his line also gives voice to the underrepresented.

“You know, spring 2023 is a celebration of those who are often monitored, scrutinized, watched, but rarely seen. You know, these are the people, misfits of the world.”

BADGLEY MISCHKA, TOMMY HILFIGER
For the first time in almost three years, Tommy Hilfiger and Badgley Mischka presented their new collections in person at New York Fashion Week.

“It’s really exciting to be back in, you know, real life fashion shows, real life. You know, interaction with people instead of just by Zooms and by Facetimes. It’s so much better,” said James Mischka, who with Mark Badgley makes up one half of American design duo Badgley Mischka.

A recent trip to Morocco inspired their latest collection, which featured evening wear with the bold and bright colors seen in spice markets. (See the fashion show here: ).

“We spent some time there at the beginning of the summer and hooked up with some beautiful sample rooms there that helped us with the collection,” Mr. Mischka said.

“We do oftentimes do neutrals, but to us, evening clothes just come to life when they’re in color,” said Mr. Badgley. “We find that our friends, people, the press, whatever, they’ll remember her and that beautiful tangerine dress.”

The inspiration for Mr. Hilfiger’s more casual looks came from late artist Andy Warhol.

“When I met him in the ’80s he inspired me to be, I would say, surrounding my brand and myself with pop culture and pop culture icons, which is what he did,” said Mr. Hilfiger.

Mr. Hilfiger showed designs with the brand’s new logo in the rain at Brooklyn’s Skyline Drive-In theater, with an audience looking on dressed in plastic ponchos. The runway show, which included pop culture stars like Ashley Graham and model Kate Moss’ daughter Lila Moss, closed with drummer Travis Barker performing an exclusive song.

CAROLINA HERRERA
Carolina Herrera unfurled blossoms at New York Fashion Week with a collection that plays with the fresh colors of an unkempt garden. (Watch the show here: ).

“I like this idea of creating a garden for a spring collection,” said creative director Wes Gordon, who found inspiration from his favorite childhood book, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, as well as an archival floral fabric book.

“The secret comes from the injections of black and the touches of the black accessories, giving it that little bit of mystery and sensuality.”

Sexy yet sophisticated cutouts on dresses helped to create an unapologetic mix of glamour, beauty and joy.

Models at the Plaza Hotel sashayed to fun songs by Barbra Streisand designed to lift the mood on a gloomy day.

“We started with ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’ and then we went to ‘Guilty’ and then we ended with ‘Hello, Dolly,’” Mr. Gordon said. “So, if everyone wasn’t tapping their feet and humming those songs the rest of the day, I don’t know what’s wrong with them.”

The show closed with the five women who are the face of the brand’s Good Girl fragrance, led by supermodel Karlie Kloss.

MICHAEL KORS
Designer Michael Kors brought resort chic to the city at New York Fashion Week, in a versatile collection inspired by his post-pandemic travel binge. (See show here: )

“When I go to a resort now where people would have before been totally not dressed, they’re dressed up. When I go to cities now, people are kind of dressed like they’re at a resort when the weather is warm,” he said.

“So, it’s sort of urban resort because… I’m a big city boy, but I’m a beach bum.”

Models in billowing shirts and kaftans zigzagged down a runway flanked by large palms before landing on an outdoor sidewalk. Poppy red, palm green, and turquoise declared spring and summer, while metallics provided shimmer and glamor.

“It can go to a resort or it works in the city,” said Mr. Kors. “And then on the other hand, black done in a very sort of linear, graphic way that can again go from the city to a resort. And then, yes, electric, electric shades worn head to toe.”

Serena Williams and Anne Hathaway were among the celebrities who attended the show on Wednesday.

From Sept. 9 to Sept. 14 more than 140 designers showcased their collections in various locations around New York City. — Reuters