Sartorial Bliss

Minimalism Shines at Academy of Art University Graduate Fashion Show

One of my favorite showings from New York Fashion Week was from my very own school, the Academy of Art University. Each season, a select number of graduate students are given the chance to show their collections at Lincoln Center. We are the only fashion school in the country who has this privilege so I had to show some love to my fellow Academy fashion students!

For many of the looks from the Academy of Art University Graduate Fashion show, minimalism was the focal point. Sharp silhouettes and geometric details were heavily featured in the runway show, which featured collections from nine Academy of Art Graduate students. Though the show was comprised of nine different points of view, neutral colors and sleek styling brought cohesion to this excellent presentation.

The first collection was by Wu Di, who was inspired by the dark, geometric work of printmaker Aaron Coleman. Using a neutral palette of black, white, and taupe, Di in a way used fabric to create her own prints. The first look sent down the runway was an asymmetric turtleneck made of cashmere and wool paired with a grey pencil skirt. This look was accented with zippers and bold grey stripes, which added to the sharpness seen throughout the collection.

The next collection was by Amy Bond, who was inspired by intricate construction and shapes. Bond’s goal was to make complicated silhouettes appear minimal and she succeeded. Her collection contained a lot of full-length dresses and long sleeves. The color palette was soft, with black, ivory, beige and eggplant accents. Bond mixed elegant drapery with constructed pieces and accented them with leather gloves and loafers to minimize the femininity of the drapery.

Next was the collection by Xiang Zhang, who was inspired by Plato’s theory of the golden Rectangle. The color palette was strictly white and beige tones. His collection featured a mixture of feminine and masculine aspects. All of his looks featured a white oxford shirt underneath a feminine garment, like a silk cape or sheer dress. The models were styled with baseball caps, adding to the masculine aspect of the collection.

The next collection was from Deanna Pei-Ju Lo, who strove to create a rougher vibe with her collection. She used a lot of lambskin and bulky silhouettes to add a masculine edge to the clothes. Her color palette was mostly black and deep violet. She used pleats, knee-high boots and A-line silhouettes to add femininity to the collection.

Next was Donghyuk Dan Kim, who presented the lone menswear collection. He was inspired by vintage military uniforms. The color palette for this collection was khaki, brown, and olive green and features a lot of leather, wool, and fur. Kim’s leatherwork is stunning and really adds to the militaristic feel. The addition of fur is successful and works beautifully with the plaid in the collection.

The next collection was from Farida Khan, who was inspired by unconventional beauty. She wanted to create her own unique prints and shapes so she used unconventional materials like polyurethane and punched leather. Khan’s collection was primarily in black and white, with her prints taking center stage. She used shiny fabrics to accent the quirky nature of her collection.

Next was the collection from Kate Y.K. Lee, who was inspired by architecture and sculpture. Her collection featured a color palette of light grey, black and navy. Lee used a lot of leather in her collection, which she sculpted into beautiful coats, skirts, and dresses. Her collection exuded minimalism, as the leatherwork took center stage.

The next collection was from Jeanette Au and it was the only knitwear collection to grace the runway. Au was inspired by the Ballet Russe, which is regarded as the best ballet company of the 20^th century. Her collection was the most colorful, with garments in red, gold, ivory, grey and brown. The knitwear was beautifully ornate and incredibly detailed.

The final collection was from Jade Juanyu Liu, who was inspired by French artist Damien Blottiere and his collage techniques. She used a lot of fabric layering to emulate Blottiere’s techniques. She used wool, fur, and jersey to achieve the look. When paired with simple angular silhouettes, her collaged fabric adds an air of sophistication to Liu’s collection.

Now that New York Fashion Week is coming to an end, who are you looking forward to seeing in London?