It was a fitting tribute to legendary fashion model, actress and businesswoman, Beverley Johnson who was honored with the Fashion Innovator Award, before the “Emerge” runway show kicked off its Spring Summer 2015 collection during New York Fashion Week.
The Broad Street Ballroom was a flurry of excitement as Johnson, wearing a black mini dress was presented with a plaque from Denise Williams, creator and producer of Emerge Management.
The beauty that became the first African American model to grace the cover of Vogue Magazine 40 years ago, sashayed to loud applause before being greeted with a standing ovation, and flash bulbs at the end of the runway.
The iconic model set the tone for a night of classic looks, avant-garde collections and demure creations from emerging designers.
The roaring 1930s came to life in Danny Nguyen’s lavish gowns, embellished with glitter, and a mix match of fabrics to finished the eclectic pieces. He stayed true to his roots, by using red, green and black Asian cloth to trim and decorate his outfits, some with leather, jackets mini dresses in his prêt-a-porter line.
The spring/summer 2015 will certainly be colorful, thanks to the beautifully fitted outfits created by fashion designer Michael Alan Stein. His collection of pencil dresses in bold color-blocking patterns and black and white finished the elegant ready-to-wear apparel.
Tina Hughes of TinaMarieStyle went for a more demure look. She used simple fabrics to dress up her models. Floor-length dresses, shirts and a patterned dress matched with vintage white coat and a pink dress topped with a cape showed simplicity.
The debonair look was up on the runway with creations by master tailor Eaden Myles. The craftsman saturated the runway with chivalrous looking suits in bold colors. His suits were a cut above the rest in grey, brown and blue and accessorized with neckties and handkerchiefs. He topped off the collection with an African print jacket that garnered loud applause.
Jonathan Bund’s mysterious Zhizhu collection was an extraordinary showcase of flowing gowns cut from black and white trash bags.
The models sashayed down the runway, some with faces hidden behind fabric. The designs stunned onlookers. Like the full-body lace jumpsuit with a plastic cape and an embellished topless frock completed with a fishtail design.
Areal Art by Seanna Shape showcased acrobats wearing black skintight outfits with cutout designs. The models dangled from the ceiling, and stood on their hands on the runway while other pirouetted on point for a wild end of the show.
Photo by Tangerine Clarke
