Fashion Week Brooklyn (FWBK) SS2020 closed off its runway shows with a strong contingent of designers bringing dramatic flair and couture to the stage. Foraign, Fatale Maison, Dreu Beckemburg, Lava Woman, Alexander King Chen, and SanGiulio Moda each brought a distinct feel to the FWBK final showcase, which was under this year’s fashion week theme, “Fashion Ball.”

Foraign opened the show with a streetwear styled collection titled “Salvador,” inspired by the designer’s trip to Salvador, Brazil. Large, bag-sized cargo pockets dominated the collection, which boasts a mix of utilitarian and trendy pieces for both men and women. “The use of large cargo pockets was the idea of us [people of color] having to always be on the move and not being able to carry a lot of bags with us,” designer Kortney Williams said after the show.

Another standout brand, Dreu Beckemberg, brought his best high low runway show, merging his high-end custom suits with his casual ready-to-wear pieces. The lineup was reminiscent of Ralph Lauren, but with cricket replacing polo or rugby. The Jamaican American designer grew up playing cricket in the islands and took the opportunity – with a wide variation of stripes on tees, bomber jackets, and matching blazer/trouser sets – to flex the sportswear arm of the brand during this showcase. The ease of the Beckemberg Cricket Club sportswear was only bested by the crisp, sharp and impeccably cut Made for You Beckemberg suits that demonstrated the craftsmanship the menswear brand has come to be known for.

With the general concern surrounding climate change, designers are finding new ways to create unique work, and still promote sustainability in their brand. Alexander King Chen’s couture collection tackled climate change in a future dystopian Japan. Chen’s show notes stated “We must take action for the things we love, before we run out of time,” a jarring metaphor about saving Mother Earth. Hand-painted vinyl jackets and gowns created a dismal scene of a future Japan destroyed by unaddressed issues relating to climate change.

“Every [model] in the show play a character: one is a rebel, one is a seductress, one is an oracle,” Chen said backstage after the show. “What I’m trying to express is everybody can be a hero, do what we all need to do now to save Mother Earth when it needs it so much.”

Fashion Week Brooklyn SS2020 ran from October 06 – 12.