Last Friday marked the end of New York Fashion Week, where both nearly unknown and legendary designers alike showed their fall and winter collections to fellow designers, magazine editors and celebrities dying to be the first to guess this year’s new trends. While many shows left us crying over clothes we couldn’t have, some designers knew how to make us laugh (and left us saying “huh”) with some strange runway choices.
1. Hood By Air — With his fresh take on class menswear, Hood By Air designer Shayne Oliver rarely disappoints during fashion week. Oliver’s collection at the tents this year didn’t fail to offer showgoers something a little outrageous, from pants that looked like they could be worn by a scarecrow to an expertly designed shoulderless coat. The real showstopper at the HBA show, however, was the incredibly terrifying pair of stockings worn over the models’ faces that gave off a murderous alien vibe. At least we now have a way to repurpose ripped stockings.
2. Thom Browne — For his fall and winter ready to wear collection, Thom Browne delivered a show that was dark, intriguing and filled with coats that would make anyone look good in the Binghamton cold. Maybe it was that same cold that gave Browne the inspiration to cover his models’ faces with various sheer black veils, but there was one in particular that seemed just a little off. With what looked barbed wire crossing the model’s mouth and whales covering the dark circles under her eyes, it seemed like Browne may have gone too far with his “Moby Dick”/”Prison Break” crossover.
3. Delpozo — For the majority of the Delpozo show, designer Josep Font offered up brightly colored, whimsical designs that were quite simply cause for a smile. When Font offered up a knit, oversized sweater that looked like a set of pom-poms threw up on it, it suddenly felt like you were laughing at the show rather than with it. Having fun with your clothes is important, but this sweater looked like a kindergartener’s first attempt at knitting.
4. Thaddeus O’Neil — Thaddeus O’Neil’s presentation at NYFW was actually pretty great. Their laid-back men’s wear style is casual, a little offbeat and accessible to those fashion-challenged guys trying to up their game. The fashion-forward brand got a little medieval this week, with one of their models sporting a chain mail-covered beard and another looking like he just stepped out of “Game of Thrones.” The good news? If you’ve been saving that costume from your stint on the renaissance fair circuit, now might be the time to rock it.
5. VFiles — It takes the mind of a genius designer to fall this hard, creating a menswear look that more closely resembles carpets draped over the model than a carefully constructed garment. Designer Julia Seemann took the “boxy” look to a whole new level with this oversized jacket and skirted bottom. Topped off with a fuzzy sandal-slipper hybrid, this VFiles look brings hope to those who want to channel their nearest furniture store, or maybe just the floor of their dorm room.