Let’s take a moment to discuss Brandon Maxwell’s meteoric rise in this cutthroat world of fashion. This being his third collection makes him relatively new to the New York Fashion Week scene, but he’s always managed to leave a lasting impression on those who view his creations and those who wear them. So it’s no surprise that longtime friend, Lady Gaga and muses Naomi Campbell and Jourdan Dunn shimmied to music as they observed his latest offerings from the front row.
The Russian Tea Room served as the backdrop for Maxwell’s collection as a stunningly diverse cast of models sauntered in ankle strap sandals. Despite the aristocratic and ostentatious surroundings, the garments were completely devoid of embellishments and jarring patterns. Simplicity worked in Maxwell’s favor, as it always does. But this time, he lay the velvet to the side and utilized lighter fabrics like silk and crepe. With lighter fabrics come lighter colors, and petal pink was on the menu. A sexy bandeau top paired with wide leg trousers and a gown with a plunging neckline swished down the catwalk, among the company of other looks sporting this delicate hue.
Sex appeal was aplenty without compromising elegance. A black, strapless column gown with a thigh high slit and origami pleated neckline proved this point flawlessly. An olive cocktail dress featured cut-outs at the sides and a slit grazing the thigh shared the same sentiment as well.
Separates also made a statement this season. Coats were draped across the shoulders and bounced with each step. Exceptionally tailored jackets in black and the purest of white served as exclamation marks when paired with trousers and silky tops. Crop tops were also exhaled down the runway, but these ones flowed loosely from the body in lieu of form fitting ones worn by many a street-style star these days.
With athleisure and sporty, slouchy silhouettes seeming to dominate the runways as of late, Maxwell is proudly defying the notion that all things oversized that evoke a grungy aesthetic aren’t the only things currently trending. Refined construction and alluring silhouettes still have a place on the catwalk and on the frames of our favorite fashionistas. Oftentimes, less is more, and it seems Maxwell just championed that adage.
What say you?
Photos: Vogue.com