Leaving the first night of Philadelphia Fashion Week, there was a certain excited energy among the crowd. After an exhausting day of shows and performances I looked around the 23rd Street Armory and people seemed genuinely excited for Philly. There’s a nervous splendor about Philadelphia Fashion; a sort of ‘you do you, I’m gonna do me’ attitude. So when one sees the works of Philly-based designers all in one room, its pretty extraordinary.
Delicious Boutique opened the week with a leather, club-inspired collection. Their wares were tough and edgy, with men in super-tight bondage pants and sleeveless work wear-inspired jackets and tops. Delicious is known for their corsets, and the show was full of them. One particular piece was in a black and white herringbone with cap-sleeves (think dominatrix on Wall Street). While the collection wasn’t entirely wearable for the everyday woman, it was a bold way to open the week.
Lolliepop Collection showed a handful of reworked denim pieces. A standout was the punched out, Vivienne Westwood-esque jackets. Their eco-friendly means and creativity was a welcome break after the slightly scary Delicious collection.
After Delicious came Ban Thor Phan, a Philly/Thailand-based brand that focuses on sustainable practices and Middle Eastern techniques. Their show was spectacularly easy. The prints were ethnic without being costumey, with cuts that were trendy, youthful, and organic. The great part of Ban’s collection was the accessibility. I could see men and women of any age wearing the clothes. Some dresses were a little short for Mom, but then there were finely knit, calf-length shifts and the men’s looks balanced classic mens wear with an Afghani vibe.
The Northern Liberties favorite, Arcadia Boutique, showed an extensive collection of girly and modern pieces. Everything down to the black chain and rough stone necklaces were perfectly fresh. The Arcadia girl, it seems, likes to treat herself to a little frill and frou frou, without losing that Philly, tough-girl attitude. Some standouts were the teal and yellow abstract prints juxtaposed on black jersey dresses as well as razor blade-printed knit dresses.
Finally Carmelita Couture started and everything went Gaga. Carmelita, a financial analyst-turned-designer, used a fabulous palette of gold and black, with sequins and beading galore. It was gaga meets Madonna meets 1997. Sure you won’t be wearing these pieces to class, but you will be the most bad-ass bitch wherever you go (after 10 PM).
All in all it was a great way to open Philly Fashion Week; an ode to the city. Thursday is all about students, with collections from the nearby universities. Then Saturday and Sunday will be a a balance of local stars and international up-and-coming designers. Stay tuned!