Skingraft is always an edgy youngster/hipster collection; yet luxe and very much sophisticated. For FW15 designer Jonny Cota created a high-end nomad, survivalist silhouette showcased at the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week.
His inspiration derived from the Peruvian mountains, the people trekking there, the folk and heritage of the people living around for centuries, and the legends of alien activity attributed to this vast, remote region. Throughout the collection you could see folk-inspired ponchos and cozy scarves, activewear details (backpacks, jackets etc.) but also robotic/extraterrestrial silhouettes with a severity in terms of structure.
Wool was trimmed with leather and decorated with shearling, but also leather coincided with hand-woven tapestries, silk, wool jersey and cashmere. Everything was meticulously finished to perfection, and despite the casual spirit of the outfits, those styles were meant to ooze luxury. Zippers and other modern elements juxtaposed with artsy-craftsy details and materials. Heritage and continuity as well as innovation are part of the same universe.
Stripes, ancient symbols, and other complex geometric patterns dominate the collection in terms of forms, shapes and motifs. There is lots of black & white, as well as black & red; the two most prominent contrasts according to FW15 trends. Total black looks, mostly made of leather, are also part of the game!
I was very much impressed by the degree of craftsmanship represented in this collection, the functionality of some outerwear pieces, the futurism mixed with tradition, and the designer’s successful attempt to create his own tribe of fashionables; quite distinctive and recognizable.
Finally, a special reference should be made to the menswear part which was equally exquisite to the women’s, with amazing leather jackets, cool baggy/sporty pants and statement accessories. Belting, quilting, paneling, and other forms of detailing made all these all-black uniforms look like being colorful!
The Skingraft AW15 show featured hair by Jon Reyman for Aveda, makeup by Kelly Thompson for Kryolan, casting by Anna Lev, nails by Pattie Yankee and styling by Joanne Blades. Front-row attendees included Fabolous, Whoopi Goldberg, Bishop Nehru, Natalie Bergman (Wild Belle), Miss J Alexander, Nini Fabi Haerts (Singer for Haerts), Kate Nash (UK singer), Lizzy Plapinger (MSMR), Nick Simmons, Ivy Levan and more.
It was an upscale hipster collection full of tactile and visual surprises, made of pieces that one can easily keep in their closet for years to come!
Love!!!
Elena Sendona
