Spring has sprung

Lola Cristall is Paris editor of Lucire.

Vivienne Tam 

Celebrated designer Vivienne Tam sets an amusing scene to accompany her collection. Her spring 2018 collection stars famous Chinese character, Wuba, from the 2015 movie Monster Hunt. Described as a baby monster resembling a daikon radish, Wuba serves as Tam’s character of focus on the New York Fashion Week runway. As models emerged on the catwalk, a cheerfully animated backdrop with a fun dancing Wuba was the centre of attention.

Loose-fitted pieces, light blouses with asymmetrical zipped skirts, deep V-neck dresses, ruffled sleeves, denim jackets and flowing dresses were the main features of the collection. Hues from various tints of blues, pale pinks and neutrals made up the runway, with comical sequences reminiscent of Tam’s theme. 

Sechs Element 

Sechs Element highlights the importance of putting fashion-forward talent under the spotlight. In the midst of the most highly anticipated time of year for all fashion aficionados, Sechs Element presented collections from seven distinct internationally based sustainable designers. Alice Potts (England), Apoorva Gupta (India), Cen Si (Finland), Jiaren Du (China), Peiyang Zou (China), Chenhui Zhang (China) and Daria Lutskevich (Belarus) showed their pieces on the New York Fashion Week runway. Their collections juxtaposed daring, colourful ensembles with more neutral looks.

Above, from top: Chenhui Zhang. Alice Potts. Peiyang Zou. Cen Si. Jiaren Du. Apoorva Gupta.

Nina Tiari

Nina Tiari awakens the senses with her array of stunning colour schemes. The designer’s collection re-creates the upscale streets of Palm Springs on the catwalk. Tiari reimagines the ambiance with fun “out on the town” pieces as well as more wearable day-to-night ensembles. Midriff-revealing ruffled tops, loose-fitting multicoloured contemporary bell-bottoms, fishnet socks, fringes, feathers and bold patterns evoke the designer’s theme.    

Taoray Wang 

Wang Tao transformed the runway to re-create an era of lavish looks and feminine features. The new season’s collection, inspired by baroque musicians Purcell and Handel, features sophistication, elegance, and details, in a symphony of beauty. When Purcell and Handel-esque pieces were shown at the Shanghai Symphony Hall, Wang revived the composure, grace and refinement of the epoch. Wang is renowned as the leader of modern Chinese womenswear. More than simply a designer, she is also an entrepreneur.

Since Wang is also a master of draped looks, her collection includes many loose-fitting tops paired with highly well fitted skirts, as well as meticulously detailed ruffles. Hues were neutral with white, black and beige colours and accents of light blue.

Bibhu Mohapatra

A traditional east Asian theme comes alive on the Bibhu Mohapatra runway during New York Fashion Week. The wearer is powerful, defiant and seductive, flaunting delicate material vis-à-vis the structure and detail, from head to toe. The addition of crystals on some of the pieces add a touch of splendour. Mohapatra also collaborated with revered French designer, Christian Louboutin, to reveal two shoe styles, the Nosy and the Nosy Flat. 

Vicky Zhang

Vicky Zhang designer, Xinyin Xu, coordinates children’s wear with womenswear. The designer’s new collection is inspired by the Tang dynasty, combining the beauty of Chinese civilization with a contemporary æsthetic. The full collection is a graceful creation with stunning fabrics and attention to detail. Alluringly feminine gowns, simple floor-length dresses and boy’s suits highlight the beauty of the material and designs. The collection is all about embracing a special occasion to emphasize the wearer’s sense of opulence and luxury. •