New York’s Spring 2021 Collections Were a Lesson in Effortless Fashion

Over the past few days, editors, buyers, and stylists alike streamed fashion shows from their beds, couches, countertops, and more, clad in anything from sweats to denim to dresses, to watch as designers attempted to woo us from afar. Was the first virtual New York Fashion Week as effective as its previous counterparts? As many of the NYFW power players (Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Pyer Moss, and many others) sat out this round, it was up to the smaller designers to set the tone.

Some brands treated the virtual platform like an ad campaign—their spring lookbook in motion, set to a soundtrack (a key part of an in-person show). Marina Moscone used the video to explain the inspiration behind her collection, while others forwent the “fashion show” entirely. Wes Gordon sat down with the label’s eponymous founder Carolina Herrera to discuss the history of the brand—lookbook to follow? We’re still not sure.

Others decided to rethink the purpose of the show. Catherine Holstein of Khaite toyed with augmented reality, allowing viewers to cast images of shoes directly into their own homes. A few aligned themselves with a cause: Studio 189 and voting, Social Work and inclusion, and of course, Collina Strada and climate change—we highly recommend giving that wonderfully weird video a watch.

On top of that, the fashion, along with the way we feel about it, has shifted. As New York Fashion Week grapples with something of an identity crisis, we are forced to question the concept of “American fashion.” The irony here is that so many collections seemed reminiscent of what the country’s fashion was originally known for: sportswear. According to WWD, the concept originally emerged as “coordinated separates that could be easily mixed and matched, such as blouses and shirts worn with skirts or shorts.” Sportswear emerged to cater to the shift in women’s lives as they migrated from cities to suburbs and needed comfortable, less restrictive clothes in easy fabrics that catered to their active lifestyles. Sound familiar?

“They’re clothes for women who are working from home—or are at least spending more time at home—and want to ‘get dressed’ without feeling ridiculous or uncomfortable,” a Emily Farra wrote about the Nellie Partow collection. Tibi’s Amy Smilovic posited a good rule of thumb: She would think of herself wearing the clothes in her living room, and if she felt ridiculous, the ensemble was cut from the collection. Once again, sound familiar?

This season was less about trends and more about an overall change in feeling. That said, there were some standout moments, so we decided to highlight the styles we think expertly cater to this current period in our lives.