058: New York is fully dressed
A dozen NYFW fixtures on the favorite pieces they wore this season.
With only a handful of shows left on the schedule for today (and another, implausibly, tomorrow), digestion is reaching the fourth stomach. After many combined hours of studying one another from the bleachers between model strides, it’s time to reach across the runway and say the obvious thing. “You look great. Where is that from?”
Even though I’m a child of the participation medal generation, there are already some obvious winners of fashion week. (Tory Burch is poised to take a lot of my money next season.) Of the goers, I feel lucky enough to have had many of those such nail-head hitters respond in kind and flip their labels inside out to allow me a better look.
A few themes emerged from the wardrobes of the shows’ familiar faces. Styles converged around Yohji, vintage athletic gear, and sheer. But (as many of them are editors—bless a contribution from a professional writer), they say it best themselves.
Below, 12 NYFW fixtures on the favorite pieces they wore this season.
Rachel Tashjian, @theprophetpizza
“OK I know I already posted this on Insta but it's really the best piece I wore this week!!
I am in the midst of a months-long exploration of the truest and most original meaning of the word chic, and this dress is the embodiment of my research thus far. It is Yohji Yamamoto, of course, from Spring 1993. It is a very dark but not midnight blue, and the construction is so elegantly complex that when it's not on the body, it's unrecognizable as a garment. It took me a good 20 minutes to figure out how to put it on (there is a pant leg inside). Crucially, this dress isn't really ‘asymmetrical,’ though it has just one shoulder strap. It's more classic Yohji ‘uneven.’ And when you cross your leg, your conversation partner gets a huge glimpse of almost your whole left leg. This dress is sexy and perfect and elusive and I can't believe I get to be with it all the time.
Oh I should add, I wore it to our Icons party last Friday, but because of my schedule I ended up wearing it to a bunch of shows, too.”
Amrit, @itsamrit
“My one must have this season were my Lexxola Neos in red. The red colorway makes me feel like I picked them up at a gas station somewhere along the way :) on a road trip with a really fun 2000s soundtrack.”
Mari Giudicelli, @marigiudicelli
“I love this vintage gray Nike t-shirt paired with these polished melon yellow pants from Maiden Name and my Mari Giudicelli Cae sandals in off white. It’s fresh and perfect to run around the city. Can’t forget my carry-all everyday Chanel bag that I can fit everything I need in.”
Willa Bennett, @willahbennett
“One of my favorite designers right now Saint Sintra made this beautiful suit for me for NYFW, and I will never stop thinking about it. She is such a visionary, and I am grateful to call her a good friend. The suit so perfectly captured the different juxtapositions within my ever-evolving personal style. It felt feminine yet masculine, fitted yet oversized, and highly intentional while simultaneously obvious.”
Nathan Simpson, @nathanxsimpson
“I knew I had to have this top from Bode the second I saw it. The floral embroidery and hand spun feel just perfectly encapsulate everything the brand is about. Honestly, I have never received more compliments on a piece of clothing in my life! Here I am in between shows catching up on emails and having a quick drink.
I also am obsessed with these Prada glasses. I saw them in Italy last August but didn’t pull the trigger. I mentioned them to my boyfriend once and he surprised me with them as a gift on our recent anniversary. La vie en rose!”
Jessica Testa, @jtes
“On my first day of NYFW, I found myself with an hour to kill near Dover Street Market. (Trouble!) I left with a necklace from Chopova Lowena, which I wore that night, again two days later, and also right now. It’s one of their silver curb chain chokers with a cheesy gold locket that reads ‘Someone Special.’ I like it because it’s kind of mall-punk and romantic at the same time, and I feel like it makes any outfit more interesting. (I also really want to put something weird inside the locket, like strands of my cat’s hair? Suggestions are, uh, welcome.) The other thing I wore on repeat this week were my red Sambas from the Adidas Wales Bonner collab, with mismatched laces because I lazily gave up halfway through re-lacing them.”
Lauren Caruso, @laurencaruso_
“I bought this vintage skirt suit in the middle of the pandemic and had nowhere to wear it, which usually means it's perfect for fashion week. In recent seasons, I've tried to be more mindful of my consumption habits by repurposing items I already had in new ways instead of buying something new. Although the button on the jacket broke in transit and I didn't originally plan to wear something underneath it, I loved how wearing it open meant my black lace bra would subtly peek out. I paired it with Sies Marjan heeled sandals that I've had since 2018, and a Sonya Lee bag that's been in my rotation for years.”
Kevin Ponce, @thekevinponce
“I’m always on the hunt for special pieces to add to my closet, and this Givenchy studded bucket bag by Matthew Williams caught my eye. It’s as if Claire’s took their infamous ear-piercing gun and went crazy on a bag. Everything Matthew has been pushing out has me in a chokehold and I’m eating it up. Shockingly versatile, and really edges up any look I pair with it. Alongside that bag, these Chanel tortoise square sunglasses have been glued to my face the minute I got them. I usually go for a statement, oversized black frame but this is a nice switch up for me and less in-your-face which was my vibe this season.”
Sarah Spellings, @sarahjanespellings
“After a dozen odd fashion months, I like to think I know myself enough to be realistic about what I will and won’t wear. Yes to flatforms, no to stilettos— that sort of thing. The ultimate bag is a roomy top handle. My most carried is from Mlouye: it’s elegant, it’s easy, and it has space for a computer and phone charger and a snack.
As I’m working pretty much constantly during fashion week—especially this season, with Vogue World AND the Emmys—I also don’t like to worry too much about styling and instead choose good statement pieces to carry my outfits from 8 am to…. Well whenever the hell I’m done. This season those heroes included a Dallas Cowboys jersey, this Comme kilt from The RealReal, and a sheer plissé white top from Tibi (since I’m self conscious about wearing something see-through to what’s essentially a work event, I wore it with a nude cami underneath, but I would also do a black bra).”
Mona Esser, @minettenvogue
“My favorite piece from this fashion week was something super unexpected. A few months ago my best friend gifted me these Issey Miyake pants that she found at her local vintage store. I had not worn them until last week when, through a miracle, I found them in my closet and immediately knew that they were going to have their rebirth that night.
The pants have two different legs and a light stripe in them too, which adds so much depth to the garment. I combined these silky midnight-purple-plum colored pants with a sheer mesh top that has hand stitched mini glass pearls on it (a 30+ year old piece from my mama) and a fun tube bra from my secret underwear store on Knickerbocker.
It felt very elegant to wear medium-height vintage heels with it, and I added my handmade GEMSUN platte shoulder bag that will launch this month, to be extra chic!
When wearing these pants I had so many more ideas of how to style them which is the greatest sign of having found a staple wardrobe piece wuhuuu!”
Klio Kosuth, @kliokosuth
“New York fashion week is always buzzing with fresh looks but I would have to say I stick to my roots and wear my ‘uniform’ look, which is my dad’s Yohji Yamamoto blazer. Good tailoring speaks for itself. I tend to pair it with Coperni’s black bag to give it that extra something and my Margiela Mary Jane shoes to make it more feminine.”
Laura Jordan, @lauraantoniajordan
“What I would love to tell you is that my favourite piece was my yellow Rimowa carry on. I had aspirations of being a hand-luggage-only girl this fashion week. Alas, I am too disorganised for that. Nevertheless it worked in my favour, as I was covered for all the crazy weather this week.
Honestly, I do find packing for fashion weeks a challenge. I think however secure you are it can be a bit intimidating. But I suppose I have learned after years: 1) comfort and 2) just wear what you feel good in at home (I absolutely refuse to buy anything new for show season. No way! Besides, you’re about to get a whole host of new ideas right?!).
Some of my favourite pieces this week are these Alaia clogs—tapping into my naturally boho instincts, a *bit* more grownup than sneakers (although, of course I packed them too)—a win. I am wearing them here with these wide-legged pants from Ganni and a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier mesh top that bundles away into nothing… speak of, there is a PVC coat from MNZ stuffed into my bag. Like I said… I am always an overpacker ;)”