For the second show of Calvin Klein’s “205W39NYC” collection held at New York Fashion Week last night, we were served a delectable SS18 continuation of the new tone set by Raf Simons and Calvin Klein Creative Director Pieter Mulier earlier this year. Since that debut was such a pace-changer for American fashion, this renewed assertion of modern Americana was more than welcome. It’s worth noting that the organic shift of many different houses to new fashion week destinations have made fashion month a much more even-keeled fare, with New York taking pride of place again thanks to high-flyers like Raf Simons and Tom Ford, showing earlier this week.
A celebration of American life in all its horror and beauty was the leitmotif expressed in the show notes, manifesting in many different ways. Opening with silken renditions of AW17’s instant classic turtleneck and Western shirt combos, the collection played artfully (emphasis on the ‘art’) with the duplexity of American pop culture.
Most of the attention was drawn to the Andy Warhol Foundation-provided prints, scattered from tees to full denim looks (hi Luca!). This continues the long postmodern love affair between Simons and Warhol, one we all remember from the Dior days. Another staple collaboration has been the one between artist Sterling Ruby and Raf Simons, manifesting in new ceiling installations at the Calvin Klein headquarters / runway space. Elaborating on the American horror and beauty theme, the piece felt like it represented this duality perfectly by the use of suspended Damoclean woodcutting axes and brightly coloured pompoms.
The elegance and fluidity of cinched light rain coats was complemented by spray-paint serial killer leather coats. Colour-block shirts and more steel-tipped cowboy boots found contrast in Prince of Wales coats. Accessories were drama-filled in the shape of logo quilts and long tasselled clutches.
Eveningwear silhouettes flirted with the utilitarian (as much as a floor-length gown can be, obviously) by using tent nylon to create classic fifties high fashion looks, or neo-flapper tassel dresses attached to fishnet bodices. If horror was the inspiration, let me get over my age-old fears real quick and get into the genre because I could deal with a slasher in plasma-soaked Calvin.
Shop Calvin Klein 205W39NYC AW17 online now via e-stores like MyTheresa, LuisaViaRoma, Farfetch and in-store in Belgium at Smets.
Images: Vogue Runway & Calvin Klein
