To Christian Cowan, we say: ‘Long live the slaggy little dress’
The party doesn’t start until Christian Cowan walks in at New York Fashion Week (and Tinky-Winky???)
DESIGNER: CHRISTIAN COWAN
SEASON: Spring/Summer 2022
EVENT: New York Fashion Week
LOCATION: A late-night party venue somewhere…anywhere.
Do you remember that episode of Sex and The City when Samantha says, “I don’t believe in the Republican party or the Democratic party, I just believe in parties”? I simply couldn’t help but think of that line whilst looking over Christian Cowan’s latest collection; the designer himself saying, “I just wanted it to be a bunch of different women heading to the same party.” After all, following a mind-numbing era of luxury sportswear, it’s all about long live the slaggy little dress now, am I right?
The CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS educated British designer has been showing in New York for some time now after becoming the go-to designer for party favouring looks, and his latest offerings will certainly be spotted on the hottest of hot girlies soon. The silhouettes were sexy and mobile - all long legs, clingy fabrics, and a cacophony of marabou feathers. The looks were strappy around the tits, there were sheer nylon tights, sequins, and nip slips. It reminded me of a good SAINT LAURENT collection or MARC JACOBS’ (who starred in Cowan’s campaign film mid-pandemic two seasons ago) farewell collection for LOUIS VUITTON, but with a downtown New York twist. A favourite look of mine was the PACO RABANNE-esque column dress made out of chunky chainmail, which coyly shimmied onto the runway. “Come on a little peekabo” RuPaul’s Drag Race winner SYMONE cheered from the front row as the look was sent down.
For beauty, Cowan went big - there were bouffants, bushy brows, and over-lined lips, it was Valley of the Dolls meets CINDY CRAWFORD. The collection in general was an eclectic mix of party dressing over the decades - ‘60s mini dresses, ‘80s Grace Jones-esque hoods, ‘90s style shirts tied at the waist, and the beloved ‘00s low-rise mini skirt could all be spotted.
Cowan has accumulated an incredibly chic roster of celebrity clients since founding his name-sake brand, including; LADY GAGA, PARIS HILTON, SAWEETIE, and my personal favourite: DORINDA MEDLEY of Real Housewives of New York. Attending his fashion week show last night was a guest list no less stellar: GIGI GOODE, AQUARIA and ISSAMAYA FFRENCH sat #FROW, and er… Tinky-Winky from Teletubbies? You may have to fact-check us on that one…
Circling back to my opening line - this is what thrilled me so much about Cowan’s collection - the party will never die. We’ve had some abysmal times over the past 18 months, and I think even before the words lockdown and quarantine became our everyday vocabulary, we were being suffocated by normcore. Alas, what goes up must come down and the only logical way to balance out years of Essentials hoodies is, in my opinion, very short hemlines.
Images courtesy of Getty.
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