Anna Reznick

After a phenomenal Paris Haute Couture week, half the fashion world begged for more jaw-dropping construction while the rest waited for a palate-cleansing month of elegance. Both audiences would find satisfaction in the collections presented this season.

While the desperation for a viral collection was painfully obvious this season, the true success of ready-to-wear relies on creating art within what is deemed simple. To weed out the attention-seekers from those who deserve recognition, there is only one source to trust: Reznick’s Runway Rundown.

New York: Elena Velez

Since her debut collection in 2022, Elena Velez consistently proves her ability to bring intrigue and experimentation back into fashion. For her latest collection, Velez did not rely on gimmicks or bright colors like many other up-and-coming brands, but instead focused on draping and deconstruction. 

Though the collection was small, a common occurrence for newer brands, Velez created several stand-out looks. The first, a sheer piece of cream fabric, clung to the model’s body as if soaked in water. The drenched look faded towards the bottom, where the dry cloth gathered at thigh-length. Constructed without any distinguishable stitching or cuts, the look held a windswept look that played into the earthen influence of the texture and color of the dress. 

In accordance with the natural theme, a white, crackling bodice paired with painted-on gloves created the same splintering effect. The textile used in both the skirt and the bodice were reminiscent of tree bark, though held the raw nature of fresh plaster. The collection had a gritty undercurrent common to Velez’s collections, which refuse to romanticize culture, as seen when one model carried Velez’s award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America as a weapon. Her brutal methods are undeniably successful as the attraction to nature is felt by every viewer. 

London: JW Anderson

The name of Loewe’s creative director Johnathan Anderson has been everywhere since the release of his eggshell shoes for the Spring-Summer 22 collection. However, his attraction to the weird and wonderful caught the fashion world’s eye in 2007 with the creation of his eponymous brand. His most recent collection, born from a collaboration with choreographer Michael Clark, referenced both past collections and the counterculture that inspired the late Vivienne Westwood. The irony of a dress crafted from Tesco plastic bags hitting the high-fashion runway was palpable. Through Anderson’s magic, tube tops with kangaroo pouches managed to come off as chic when paired with tailored pants. 

Anderson shared his take on simple elegance through exaggerated suits with contrasting fabrics such as leather and suede. Some of the textural components failed to land, such as the leather vests engraved with columns of diagonal lines. And, at times, the branded looks were overkill. The line between wacky and tacky is dangerous in fashion, yet Anderson manages to pull off the balancing act with bravery. While the collection may have missed the mark with some looks, it stood out from the sea of elegance and simplicity draped across London. 

Milan: Ferragamo

Maximilian Davis’s most recent collection for Ferragamo brings the phrase “effortlessly chic” to life with an array of full-length jackets, tailored sleeves and monochromatic looks. Though this is only Davis’s second collection for the brand, the 27-year-old is already demonstrating his vision. The past two collections were synonymous with elegance as Davis played with long, slim silhouettes and darker colors. 

The first third of the looks consisted of mostly white, navy blue and black looks with conservative styling, making a latex minidress with a plunging neckline all the more shocking to create a turning point within the collection. The rest of the looks played between a contrast of bright red against black with various textiles. A black leather motorcycle jacket with red accents was followed immediately by a clean-cut red coat. Diversity in fabric choice, such as leather, fur and latex, helped maintain variety within the collection. 

Davis’s take on a puffer jacket, a staple for a Fall-Winter collection, was easily the highlight. Slices of red puffer material were stitched next to slivers of black fabric, creating a simple but engaging texture. The collection as a whole represented the intricacies of elegance often missed in ready-to-wear collections and left all eyes on Davis for his next collection.

Paris: Courrèges

With social media dictating the success of collections, phones have taken a noticeable presence in the hands of front-row guests at runways. In a direct callout to the guests watching the collection through their cameras, the creative director for Courrèges, Nicolas di Felice, placed phones in the hands of his opening models, their faces illuminated by LED lights. 

The statement paired perfectly with a sleek collection of monochromatic outfits with flat disks present in nearly every look, clearly illustrating the mechanization of fashion. Conservative knee-length jackets lost their innocence to low-cut necklines as the collection transitioned from oversized leather jackets and sweatshirts to sheer sets with circular cutouts around the navel of the model. A new rendition of the popular vinyl jacket, as well as several 60s-inspired dresses to reference the brand’s opening in 1961, showed di Felice’s understanding of Courréges’ audience. Cropped suit jackets added playfulness to the work-wear style of most looks and also spoke to the target consumers of the brand. Courréges is for the young workers, those walking into the office with leather jackets at 9 a.m., later shedding their formal attire for sheer party wear in the evening.