Naoko Tosa:
Naoko Tosa is known for her years of work as a zero-gravity artist as well as being a teacher. Ms. Tosa has combined her talents in the past few years to delve into the fashion realm. Her fashion designs are a combination of digital artistry melded with traditional Japanese influences. This translates to kimonos and caftans that are truly wearable art. The pieces are the perfect thing to wear to an art gallery opening party or any occasion for the woman who isn’t content wearing the same thing as everyone else. Each exit was unique, and we were hard pressed to choose our favorite, a tea length Black satin slash neck caftan with a Blue marine bubble design that began at the hip and ended at the hem.
Designer Website: https://naokotosa.co.jp
Bay Bee:
Bay Bee – This designer’s strength is rendering daywear that is minimalist in design but that also possesses a quirky, charming twist, partially due to great styling. High points were #1, a denim dress with a classic sailor treatment across the chest and interesting slightly puffed sleeves and a drop waist that gave the knee length dress a cool louche attitude. Knee highs, Mary Janes and a jaunty Black beret completed this Parisian gamine look.
#5, had the same dropped waist but this time executed as a long dress with spaghetti straps and topped with a Blue denim bolero, also with puffed sleeves.
For evening, there was a Black asymmetric top shown with a tea length tulle skirt. An oversize Ceam bow on the right shoulder gave the ensemble a strong eighties’ tone.
Designer Website: https://baybee-online.com
LeA:
LeA – The show’s inspiration statement read, “Love is everywhere anywhere”. The collection consisted of separates in a monochromatic palette of Cream and Black reminiscent of the Canadian Brandy Melville label popular with the high school crowd that counts White tank tops and torn Black jeans as their wardrobe staples. While the clothes that came down the catwalk were certainly wearable, we wondered if it needed to be shown on a runway. The most editorial outfit was #6, reminiscent of Courtney Love circa 1992, when she also wore little off the shoulder baby doll dresses when touring with then-husband, Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain.
Designer Website: https://www.le-a.kr
Mahaud:
The MAHAUD Collection hails from Paris and is designed by Mathilde Covelli, a designer whose focus is on sustainability. She uses discarded unsold socks and tights and fashions them into clothing embellished with floral touches. While the concept is a good one, we questioned where a woman would wear these designs. Ms. Covelli’s inspiration seemed to be pulled from French painter, Paul Gaugin’s masterpiece, la Orana Maria, that he painted in his last years in Tahiti. The models’ flushed cheeks gave them a sunburnt look that contributed to the Polynesian fantasy. The long basket weave tube skirt in exit #1 was fine for day if worn with a simple top rather than the floral petal bikini it was paired with. #3, a Black slash front jersey top and Nude tube skirt adorned with Red White and Blue appliqued daisies could work nicely as a pretty day to night outfit. From that point, the only destination the clothes were suitable for was the clubs. #5, a Black fishnet microskirt with clip on stocking-flare pants worn with a Pink cutoff top would be right at home in the clubs in the South of France.
Designer Website: https://www.mahaud.fr
- Vivian Kelly (@thefashionhistorian)
