Parsons Paris Fashion Show 2019

ALEXANDRA POLLEY COSMIC SPIRITS Alexandra’s collection explores alternative forms of spirituality through animal spirits, chakras, fetishes, talismans, and healing crystals. She channels the spirit of her homeland, Texas. Wishing to nourish and empower people’s belief in magic, dreams, and possibilities, the designer analyzed symbolic meanings of animalistic iconography, minerals, colors, and shapes to create unexpected ensembles. Crystal-inspired structured angles are juxtaposed with flowing, amorphic forms. Interwoven healing crystals for handmade modern fetishes adorn the body to express Alexandra’s vision of strength, fragility and energy.

 

ALEXANDRIA LOZICKI UNTITLED POEM Alexandria was brought up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her inspiration started with a poem by Nayyirah Waheed: I don’t pay attention to the world ending, it has ended for me many times, and began again in the morning. This poem evokes the intense feelings experienced by the designer and how she could overcome difficult periods through the use of color and painting. Her collection is a unique combination of prints, colors, volumes, waterproof fabrics, silk chiffon and organza, vinyl, wools and embellishments inspired by her own paintings and drawings.

AYIDA SOLE NAZAIRE BLACK BODY Ayida Solé was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was taught to be proud of her Haitian heritage despite persisting stereotypes around the Haitian community in the US. The designer states that black women have been historically demonized for their features and curvaceous forms. Her collection aims to change the narrative about the “black body” by enhancing these physical characteristics and giving curves to all women. Finally revealing and concealing some of the most sensual parts of the female body to empower the female form. Ayida Solé collaborated with sculptor Elie Hirsch to design and produce the handmade metallic pieces in her collection.

CHRISTINA BLUM DAVY JONES LOCKER Christina was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and practiced scuba diving from her early childhood in the Cayman Islands, and later became a professional diving instructor. This experience brought her to question the status of women in this industry through a collection that uncovers the dichotomy between underwater and land. References such as Jules Verne, Davy Jones and Jacques-Yves Cousteau nurtured her research and her material explorations around knits, rubber, technical and laser-cut fabrics.

DANIELA ALARCON OBJETS CACHÉS Daniela was born and raised in Miami, Florida, with a Hispanic background. Her research focuses on the reinterpretation of everyday objects into sculptural creations, and their wearable variations. The designer experiments with heterogeneous materials and forms to articulate a personal narrative that stems from childhood memories of her father teaching her and her brother to make their own handmade toys using everyday items. The capsule celebrates the feeling of unanticipated joy and excitement that accompanied this playful experience.

ELISABETH BROZ-FRAUENSCHUH BORN IN THE MOUNTAINS, LIVING IN A CITY Elisabeth was raised in Austria. She grew up dressed in traditional costumes, fascinated by local myths and tribal rituals practiced in mountainous areas of her native country. Offering her own take on these rituals, she is inspired by her heritage and its similarities with other ancient cultures and beliefs. This creative process results in an wholely contemporary wardrobe. The collection combines couture craftsmanship with ski gear, integrating traditional Austrian fabrics and deerskin from her grandfather’s tannery. Beyond the exploration of her own roots, Elisabeth seeks to reawaken the forgotten essence of shared practices of humanity.

ISAIAH CARGILL Y(OUR) CLOTHES Isaiah was raised in Miami. His collection stems from an ethnographic research on the gendered practices of dress and appearance and the blurred boundaries of femininity beyond gender differences. The designer questions the contemporary wardrobe in relation to the bodily and sensorial perceptions of ten LGBTQ individuals. He was inspired by the inclusiveness and acceptance of self-expression in the vogue ballroom scene. His humanistic approach to diversity is expressed as the subtle integration of taffetas, chiffons, curved lines and flounces into sportswear.

THOMAS LARCOMBE NEW BRITAIN Thomas was raised in southwest England, amongst the natural bare landscapes of Dartmoor. New Britain is a collection of narratives spanning the subcultures of youth in 20th century Britain, each taking a moment in history to create and challenge the current political identity crisis of the UK in the lead-up to Brexit. Each silhouette is an exploration of fragility and resistance, mixed with a sentimental reflection on history brought forward to present times.

YU-CHIEH HOU WANDER IN STRANGE LANDS Jessie grew up in Taiwan. Her capsule focuses on modern nomads who arrive in unknown territories with only bags full of hope. It addresses feelings of exile and nostalgia, common to uprooted people displaced from their homelands. Inspired by legends from Taiwanese tribes and her fieldwork experience, the designer explores the practices of those with “floating roots”. She questions the function of backpacks as a source of strength, security and intimacy, and transforms them into wearable sculptures.