Five New Designers to Watch from Parsons’ MFA Graduates, ranging from gender fluidity to national pride through the streetwear craze.
Every year, Parsons, one of the world’s most prestigious design schools, offers its MFA graduates the opportunity to showcase their thesis collections during New York Fashion Week, with fashion editors and writers all keen to see the industry’s next generation of talent make their first foray onto the catwalk. It is a chance for the graduates to be seen on the global fashion stage. This year, there were thirteen designers who presented an array of aesthetics, ranging from sheer and deconstructed suits to traditional men’s wear suits reinterpreted through the use of silk.
Five in the crew need to be recognised: Gahee Lim, Snow Xue Gao, Kozaburo Akasaka, Anna-Marie Gruber and Jahnkoy. Gahee Lim seemed perfectly in tune with the gender-fluid movement, putting men in pumps and women in pants. She stressed fluidity further with diaphanous layers in soft rainbow hues. Hailing from Beijing, Snow Xue Gao borrowed from the men’s wardrobe for her collection, which featured asymmetrical assemblages of neckties and houndstooth. Among the men’s wear highlights was Kozaburo Akasaka, who took a stab at his interpretation of the Eighties via superfitted, high-waisted denim, voluminous suits and a elongated, fitted navy topcoat paired with semiflared trousers.
One of the most notable women’s collection was Anna Marie Gruber’s slick youthful designs: skin-tight, above-the-knee dresses with sheer paneling and color-blocked linear graphics. And Jahnkoy, who closed the show, went absolutely HAM with their range of whimsically wacky sportswear creations. Iconic brand logos were repurposed, sleeves featured ornate beaded details, tassels and feathers hung from headbands, tank tops and joggers. National pride seemed to be a principal theme throughout, with various flags emblazoned on everything from tracksuits to capes.
Just in case you were wondering, here’s our highlights from MFA graduates who showcased this season: