SET IN a subway, the Tom Ford SS20 show for NYFW was more like an underground ‘90s rave than a catwalk show. Techno and intermittent beams of iridescent light were all that cut through the moodily dark space – those and the famous faces of the Tom Ford catwalk.
Models Gigi Hadid and Kaia Gerber were hard to recognise in their punk personas. Back-combed hair partnered with eyeliner rimmed eyes heralded a return to the punk movement. Ford made it seem so alluring, it was hard not to leave the show and want to smudge on a bit of extra kohl before carrying on with your evening.
In traditional alternative style, leather featured heavily, assuring that this material will carry you through the seasons. Shorts were layered over black hosiery to elevate the look, giving it a sophisticated edge. White tailoring and coloured satin clambered for attention, piercing through the shadows. Forms were masculine, one moment in the guise of oversized suiting, the next in the form of gladiatorial style breast-plating.
Front row guests included Miley Cyrus, who jumped on board with the dress code, adorned in a dress shirt, satin trousers, velvet ankle-length coat and a furry cowboy hat – all in black. Joan Smalls arrived in a crimson suede suit, and Diane von Furstenburg in a red and black paisley skirt, making the peace sign with her left hand.
The SS20 Tom Ford collection is a polished approach to punk and proves that fashion with an edge never goes out of style.
by Alicia Pountney