A FAVOURITE among style icons such as Michelle Obama, Tilda Swinton and Sarah Jessica Parker, Maria Cornejo has long been making waves as a one-of-a-kind international designer. Throughout the span of her illustrious career, she conquered fashion scenes in London, Paris, Milan and Tokyo by making a name for herself as an independent feminist designer. Now she’s made New York her home-base, Maria Cornejo has committed herself to the mission of sustainable fashion.Â
Following Re:Style, her revolutionary capsule collection collaboration with South Korean car company Hyundai, Maria Cornejo has switched gears to her SS20 show. The sophisticated collection bore semblance to the unfaltering ethos of Zero + Maria Cornejo: less is always more and ecological awareness is the essential ingredient to creating durable fashion.Â
And what a better way to showcase such a sensational earth-conscious collection than during golden hour in New York City. Orange hues of a fading sunset brought each look to life and highlighted the magnitude of Maria Cornejo’s creativity. Eye-catching colour blocks infused with intricate tailoring create mesmerizing silhouettes for the audience to soak in. As always, Cornejo stuck to her brands effortless simplicity. She designs light, breathable clothing out of long stretches of fabric and subtle prints, consciously keeping her seam usage to a minimum. This collection included the use of polka dots, vertical stripes and light washes of paisley, which added an essential depth of dimension to each piece.
An expertly tailored ink-blue turquoise jacket with fan-like sleeves that had been shaped with delicate ruffles definitely stood out as one of the more awe-inspiring pieces. It was representative of the dedication Maria Cornejo has to the art of geometrical figures. Another notable feature was the wrap corsets that several models were seen sporting. They managed to create intriguing shapes on totally mono-coloured garments. Interestingly, the corsets didn’t appear constrain in any way, but rather a device to accentuate a subtle femininity.
Along with Re:Style earlier this week, the SS20 collection proves once more that Maria Cornejo is one of fashion’s greatest hope for the future. By focusing on the theme of An Age of Possibility, the designer continues to explore how to create beautiful clothes with less impact on the environment and less overall waste, a philosophy that should be adopted throughout the world of fashion. By approaching fashion with an intelligent understanding of sustainability and a desire to work with local manufacturing, Cornejo continues her legacy as a fashion revolutionary.
by Maria Noyen