Philly Fashion Week Recap

By Erika, Resident Fashionista

Hey guys! As I mentioned last week, YCS is covering a TON of fashion events and giving you all of the scoop. On Friday and Saturday September 20 and 21, YCS Alexis and I attended Philly Fashion Week’s Ready-to-Wear and Couture Runway Shows. Nearly 30 designers were on hand to present their latest collections for all to see!

While there were plenty of memorable moments and pieces, here are my favorites from the weekend.

Faithful by Michael Thomas
Once again, Michael Thomas did not disappoint. Originally scheduled to close out Friday’s shows, Michael ended up opening the show with a bang! The cobalt blues, yellows and silvers that weaved throughout this cohesive collection were a beautiful, bold statement made by the designer. Per usual, Michael’s tailoring was impeccable and it was clear from this collection that he has the construction skills and understanding of woman’s body to back up all the hype. Michael’s spring/summer 2014 collection was ultra-feminine, which was a sharp contrast to his fall/winter 2013 collection. The luxe and sophisticated fabrics moved beautifully down the runway. Once again, we were presented with a stellar collection from Michael Thomas.

The Menswear Designers
Aside from Michael Thomas, other standouts of the weekend were the menswear designers, particularly Friday night’s bunch. The collections Chevalier Homme, Extraordinary Gentleman, and Modish presented were among my favorites of the weekend. Some thoughts I used to describe the collections in my notes were, “impeccably tailored men’s pieces; cross between hipster and nerd but much, much cooler; cohesive and confident,” (Chevalier Homme); “crisp, clean, easy; mixed materials but still no fuss; effortless; a cool mix of male and female silhouettes,” (Extraordinary Gentleman); “worked the leather beautifully; from the runway to Yeeze’s closet to mine; beautifully constructed; thoughtful, well planned and executed collection,” (Modish).

Check out our YCS TV video featuring Michael Thomas’ full runway presentation.

Couture Designers
One of my disappointments was that many of the designers in the couture shows actually presented ready-to-wear collections and would have been better suited for Friday’s runway. However, two Saturday standouts were Closet by Christobal and Cory Couture. Closet by Christobal presented beautifully designed (and wearable) pieces accented with over-the-top headpieces and accessories. If you’ve hung around YCS enough, you know I LOVE a fantastic headpiece! They even threw hats into the audience during the finale walk – and you know I was able to snag one! Cory Couture presented one of the only true couture runway shows of the evening. The pieces displayed the over-the-top whimsy and designs one hopes to see at a couture show. While some seemed slightly over-worked, the quality, craftsmanship, and overall beauty were undeniable.

Here are some photos from Saturday and video from the weekend’s events.

To get details on FBH Philly Fashion Week and all the presenting designers, visit the Philly Fashion Week Website.

Which looks are your favorites? Anything you’re dying to get your hands on? I’m currently hunting down the leather sweater/sweatshirt from Modish – how cool would that look with a ultra-feminine skirt?? You know we want to hear from you in the comments!

And don’t forget, you’ve got a few more days to vote for YCS at www.blackweblogawards.com!

Your Chic is Showing,

Photo Credits: All photos were taken by Erika for Your Chic is Showing, LLC.