If socially conscious is the modus operandi for our generation, then Pyer Moss fits right up our alley. Designer Kerby Jean-Raymond did not take this mantle upon himself, but enlisted none other than music legend Erykah Badu to collaborate and make her styling debut in his Fall 2016 RTW collection.
The atmosphere was expectant — it’s not everyday you hear of a music legend collaborating with a fashion designer and the collection is not plastered with their name (see Fenty x Puma). If you’re not familiar with Erykah Badu’s forays into fashion, she recently graced Riccardo Tisci’s spring 2014 Givenchy campaigns and has been known to rock ‘top hat’-‘torn overalls’ gypsy style for a number of years. Badu contributed a large assortment of her own personal accessories to style the Pyer Moss collection, including her signature chauffeur hat with pins — a style many of the models rocked on the runway.
The mood was heavy given the collection’s focus on human emotion and depression. Entitled Double Bind, the collection found its footing in a theme of two contrasting things in conflict. Exhibit A: a group of choral singers draped in white with ‘Pyer Moss’ in simple text across their chests singing opera interpretations of traditional trap songs. Luxurious alpaca fur, sheepskin and floor-length teddy-bear coats were accessorized with graphic tees featuring ‘Why So Blue’ and ‘Suffer No More.’
The front row had its fair share of supporters, including Robin Givhan of The Washington Post, Julee Wilson of The Huffington Post, Nikki Ogunnaike of ELLE.com, and model-adovocate extraordinaire Bethann Hardison. The show closed with the poster “My demons won today, I’m sorry,” but from the audience’s perspective – no apologies were necessary. Jean-Raymond did his thing and we’re looking forward to seeing more from the brand on the horizon.
What do you think of Pyer Moss’ Fall 2016 RTW Collection?
Images: New York Times