NYFW SS19: Tom Ford

TOM Ford has taken some time to think about fashion. And his thoughts have arrived at such: in a world of much harshness, clothes are his way of constructing a silhouette that surfaces as both beautiful and flattering. Last night, the American designer translated that thought process into material for his SS19 collection. Manhattan’s Park Avenue Armory was donned in a curtained sea of lilac, paving the way for a pouring entourage of pastel garments – styled on both boys and girls.  This was Ford’s statement of sensuality, and with it, fashion month began.

Opening the show was Yorkshire-born model Fran Summers. Pre-pastel takeover, Ford’s mastery of head-to-toe black was affirmed. He believes the colour to frame the face of its wearer, and Summers certainly looked striking in his sharp structured, leather crocodile-finished suit – fake, as noted by the designer. Paired with an under-layer of lace and topped off with a turban, Ford’s female frontier suggested a solid security. Seasonally appropriate? Most certainly, for the same fabrics followed in an outpour of soft hues. Lilac lead the way for a revelation of languid sensuality, directly corresponding with the romantic mood which ran through the collection.

That constant sense of passion was framed through other fabrics. A romantic battle manifested itself through a contrast between hard to soft: leather against lace, chiffon, georgette and silk. Ford’s fabric topper was the inclusion of feathers – injected through sweeping floor-length gowns, glamorous oversized coats and skirts styled with leopard-print blazers. As for structure, clothing cuts were often asymmetrical, with gathered midi skirts fitting to communicate an ease of softness. This was balanced with the addition of corsets, anchoring and emphasising the waist. A seasonal mastery of colour and cut was evident in Ford’s menswear too, as a unified feeling of fragility took centre stage between both genders.

Kicking off the hectic schedule running in New York this week, Tom Ford’s SS19 collection set the starting tone for our upcoming season of warmth. And evidently, he wasn’t afraid set a sensual tone for the ultra femme. With countless shows lying ahead, the upcoming seasonal attire now has high expectations. Ready for fashion month? Let’s go.

by Faye Fearon