V-Files Fall 2014

Emerging designers are always looking for a platform to showcase their collections. For their second New York Fashion Week season, V-Files has been these designers international platform. As a popular online destination for street wear-minded consumers, in this second installation, V-Files plucked three international designers whose street wear oeuvre mirrors its own point of view for an opportunity to show their collections during New York Fashion Week.

ASSK

ASSk, a Paris-based brand in its sophomore season, looked to skateboarder chic, street wear as it might look in a post-apocalyptic world. There was an outstanding pairing of digital prints and bold colors mixed in with an interesting perspective of cutouts and skater shorts. These innovative combinations helped facilitate the design duos, Agatha Kowalewski and Sarah Schofield, innovative approach to where they believe street wear is heading. Standouts in this collection were the orange hoodie and white digital print mini.

Melitta Baumeister

Baumeister’s street wear motif was diametrically opposed to ASSK’s urban skater chic point of view. Baumeister found her stride in using architectural construction and innovative fabrications to forward her fall 2014 collection. This recent Parsons’ MFA graduate’s style brought up images of Issey Miyake, but funneled through her prism of recreating staples items like ribbed tanks and fisherman knits using molded materials. Restrained volume was the key to this collection evidenced in Baumeister white neoprene dress and plunging v-neck black neoprene coatdress.

Hyein Seo

South Korean Hyein Seo closed the show by incorporating 80s–horror film graphics on oversized fur coats and jackets. Reminiscent of fashion bad boy Jeremy Scott, Seo’s concept was interesting, but failed to have the intended impact.

Though some looks from the other two designers focused more on runway impact than retail viability, there were some looks, particularly from ASSK, that street wear devotees can flaunt. Unfortunately, Hyein Seo’s fall 2014 was far too focused on concept with very few looks that can translate to the street. Theatricality and fantasy are eye-catching, but at the end of the day, clothes have to sell.

—William S. Gooch