Sam Smith shut down the Brit Awards on Saturday in an inflatable black latex jumpsuit by emerging London designer Harri. In New York this week, they brought their sartorial A-game once again by taking a seat on the front row at Christian Cowan’s New York Fashion Week show in a glittering silver coat.
The singer, who is reportedly dating the New York-based British designer, was joined on the f’row by rapper Lil Nas X and actress Bella Thorne.
Earlier in the evening the fashion pack had descended on the New York City Public Library where Joseph Altuzarra unveiled a romantic, sunset-hued vision for Autumn 2023 heavily inspired by mythology and nature.
The show marked the half-Chinese, half-French designer’s fourth since he returned to the New York Fashion Week schedule from Paris in September 2021, and the culmination of a four-part series inspired mythological texts.
The collection began and ended with parkas. The first came in watery leaf prints evocative of Rorschach tests, and were followed by a series of ombre knit sheer maxi dresses. Botanical prints abounded throughout, as twinkling golden leaf embellishments on gowns or flowery landscapes created using the shibori dying technique that’s become a brand signature.
Eveningwear was the strong suit: draped and hooded stretch jersey grecian gowns, floor-grazing leather fishtail skirts and leather column dresses.
The parkas that closed were in fact full-skirted satin ballgowns with dramatic fur-trimmed hoods. Altuzarra’s dressed the likes of Rihanna, Cate Blanchett and Lana Del Rey and these kooky coat-gowns had obvious awards season red carpet appeal.
