Most of us have never had the privilege (we use that term loosely) of sitting on the sidelines of New York Fashion Week’s runways. After all, those seats are filled by the who’s-who of the industry, from Anna Wintour to Kanye West. Didn’t know Kanye was a fashion industry insider? Neither did we, but an internship with slowly tanking retailer GAP and a closet full of Louis Vuitton works wonders.
Thankfully, you probably won’t see Kayne’s face at Philadelphia Fashion Week (PFW), and that’s exactly how we like it. PFW creative director (and head buyer for Philly boutique Matthew Izzo) told the Inquirer, “Fashion is much more democratized. It doesn’t live in a glass house where people can’t get to it, and people want to participate.” The week’s shows feature both ends of the spectrum: Moore College of Art & Design, among other schools, will showcase designs, but so will national streetwear favorites Triple Five Soul. This inclusiveness made for a night of familiar faces, but not ones seen on TMZ.
After chugging a few of the free bottles of Fuze we sneakily stuffed in our bags at the show, we contemplated exactly what we love about PFW. Here’s what we came up with.
The clothes are wearable.
Aside from the robotic-industrial swimsuits shown in Moore College’s show, nearly all the designs shown at PFW are easy to wear. Our favorite pick from opening night was Brooklyn Royalty, whose fashions artfully mix edgy and classic. Most likely, you’ve never considered ripping the front of a nude pencil skirt to shreds (understandable), but Brooklyn Royalty made it look completely natural—and really, really good.
The models are well-fed.
Let it be said: we’ve seen too many ribs for our own good. The fashion industry has received endless criticism for its models’ sunken-in eyes and decaying noses, but thankfully, PFW sets a new precedent for nutrition. Wilhelmina provided 30 models, each of which looked well fed and at least two years out of rehab. To meet the models’ ringleader, check out the video below.
The music is awesome.
Chanel’s recent show was backed by a live performance from Lily Allen. Remember her? While PFW didn’t have any MySpace has-beens on the roster, it did have fantastic Philly Djs, including DJ Manny, DJ Tiny Pants, and DJ Alan Astor. The Cleveland Scene magazine named This Is A Shakedown 2009’s band to watch. Their performance on Thursday night legitimized that title; their sound is part The Bravery, part Bjork (they covered “Army of Me”). They played on a stage above and behind the runway, with the DJ booth tucked away next to it.
Max Kaplan
