The thread of fantasy single-handedly stitched New York Fashion Week into one cohesive seam. 

One second fashion week-goers were present within the ethereal world with designs so light and airy, the models appeared to be angels floating down the runway. The next, they were transported by space ships to the realm of superficiality where alien-like creatures made it known that each human is “just a toy.”

Yes, it was just as confusing as it sounds, as NYFW felt like one of those dreams that toggles on each string of your imagination to the point in which it becomes impossible to interpret.

One common thread, however, was sewn through each design of Jonathan Simkhai, Lisa N. Hoang, Misha Collection and Namilia, despite the confusion of my seemingly endless NYFW “dream”.

It all began with Misha Collection’s fantasy world of nostalgia, inspired by fashion icons of Studio 54, classic vintage shapes of the seventies and eighties, and a powerful sense of extravagance. Here, fashion week met the red carpet.

What better way to emulate the glamorous vibe of old-Hollywood red carpets than by sending supermodel, Jourdan Dunn, down the white runway in a deep-v neck lined, leather wrap dress and leather gloves that exposed everything but her fingers.

Courtesy of ELLE

The Australian label also featured leopard femme-fatale coats and body-con silhouettes followed by dresses adorned in lace embroidery, red-hued silk and statement ostrich feathered shoulders, a clear indication of their yearning for the past.

Courtesy of ELLE

However, the collection was more of a mishmash of vintage ensembles hanging in the theatre’s wardrobe than what was expected to be one “enhanced by breathtaking new textures, prints and colors”, based on the collection’s notes.

Next came the sheer, dream-like world of Lisa N. Hoang, who made her first appearance at NYFW this season with a collection that emphasized the necessity of haute couture in an industry slowly (or rather quickly) being overcome by “fast-fashion”.

The collection heavily featured extravagant luxury gowns in a variety of forms as a sheer shift dress with lace embroidery, an all black lace bodysuit paired with a detachable ball gown skirt, and classic ball gown silhouettes swayed down the runway. One of the shows highlights included a look pieced together by a denim bodice, white pants and a floor-length sheer skirt with denim flower detailing attached.

Courtesy of spiceukonline.com

Perhaps, it was the repetition of a variety of sheer silhouettes and details that made the show so special. Or perhaps, it was the atmosphere forming as we witnessed a fashion designer’s actual dream come true.

The NYFW dream quickly took an unexpected turn with Namilia’s SS17 Collection, “YOU’RE JUST A TOY”, which welcomed attendees with a manifesto urging them to let their “inner most fantasies run free”.

Namilia designers clearly had no difficulty in doing just that as alien-like creatures invaded the runway of Skylight Clarkson Square, wearing leather face masks, designs made of a patch work of denim and leather, dresses featuring UFOs and light beams, as well as chains draped from the waist to the floor. There was no doubt that Nan Li and Emilia Pfohl were inspired by the punk, rock and goth music scene with AC/DC’s, “Back in Black”, blaring through the seams of The Gallery’s entrance.

Courtesy of Basic Magazine

Whether a fan of the mashup of subcultural styles or not, one can appreciate the Berlin-based brand’s efforts to not merely send clothes down the runway but cultural messages as well.

The collection addressed the superficiality of “the madness of teenage fandoms”, with manipulative designs of pop heart-throbs, Justin Bieber and Zayn Malik, as well as the political atmosphere present in the Unites States with other looks that vowed to “Take Down Trump”.

Courtesy of Basic Magazine

Courtesy of WWD

Courtesy of Basic Magazine

After being transported into an other-worldly portrayal of our society’s reality by Namilia, fashion week-goers were quickly elevated into the ethereal world of Jonathan Simkhai.

Simkhai’s SS17 Collection featured a shift from previous seasons characterized by body-con dresses of intricate lace as it was inspired by the Watts Towers in Los Angeles, the dream-like complex of steel sculptures adorned with broken glass, pottery and other sparkling materials. Instead, the collection highlighted new deep-v and loosely asymmetric necklines, softer and more fluid fabrics, and trims made of rope, mirrors, lace, and cotton balls, similar to the elements encrusted in the tower’s mosaic.

Courtesy of Vogue

The show’s closing look captured the brilliance of Simkhai’s collection, as an intricately beaded and embroidered sheer evening dress that transported the fantasy world of fashion to the almighty celestial realm.

If you thought fashion couldn’t be elevated to higher heights, it just did.