I recently had the opportunity to attend the Lan Yu runway show at Industria Studios on February 8, 2018, the kickoff of New York Fashion Week FW18.
I was fortunate enough to also have riser access, so I had a viewpoint that not every attendee, and often only the press photographers are privy to. This was a nice perspective, as it allowed me to fully appreciate the garments from the front, side and back angles, from a pretty close distance at that.
The Venue
I’d done a little homework so that I would have some insight into the designer’s creative style prior to seeing her collection walk the runway. She’s a young designer residing in Beijing, who’s been named as one of the most influential Chinese designers among the country’s new generation of designers. Two additional accomplishments… she’s already introduced her first Ready to Wear collection at NYFW in 2016, and was the first Chinese designer invited to Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week in 2014.
As I was walking throughout the venue, grabbing backstage snaps and a few fun videos for the Fashion Mingle Instagram story, I was able to watch the pre-show runway walk- through. The team of stylists, hair & makeup artists and the designer’s assistants were runway-side making final changes to the lineup, confirming the opener and closer in addition to last minute decisions on look changes. It was fun to watch their vision coming to life before the first garment was ever put on.
[envira-gallery id=”19282″]The Garments
This was a show that was pure joy for me to have front row access to and one that I truly appreciated. Aesthetically pleasing was an understatement; The flowy garments, silk fabrics, satin sashes, neutral palettes with an occasional pop of color and earthen tones in a large, white, airy space with ambient light radiating in from outside was the setting.
Each of the models looked perfectly coiffed in a simple, non-stuffy way, tying into the fresh and airy appeal. The collection was cohesive while still allowing each piece to shine. An addition that spoke to my personal style was the pairing of a striped, one piece swimsuit with an unbuttoned, flowing trench loosely over top. For the woman looking to dress herself from this collection, she had the option of a loose midi dress, midi flowing skirt, short flowy dress, mini fitted dress, ruffles or sleek to a structured blouse with flared pants, and of course, not to be forgotten, the swim pieces with jackets. The array of looks was a pleasant feast for the eyes.
I was so excited to be in attendance at this NYFW show and now truly understand why Lan Yu is considered “The Chinese Queen of Couture Wedding Dresses.”
