One of my dream goals is to experience Fashion Week in the big cities like London, Milan, Paris, and New York. I was so lucky to attend a couple of shows at London Fashion Week, and I wrote about them here. I saw incredible fashion, sat right on the runways, and met other amazing women who were all about the art of designing a great outfit. And guess what? I even met Jimmy Choo! That was totally unexpected and felt like a sign from the universe that I was exactly where I needed to be.
Last September I decided to use some of the lessons I learned from my London excursion to attend the shows in New York City. Unlike the London shows list, the New York City shows list is not as easily accessible and you really have to dig for the publicist contact information (which you need in order to request extra tickets). When looking up designers and shows, I was particularly intrigued to check out the Willy Chavarria spring collection hailing from the mind of the California-born Mexican American designer who has reached the upper echelons of the fashion world (he was invited to present at Paris Fashion week in 2025!). His ability to weave his Chicano, queer, and social justice perspective throughout his brand and collections has made a splash in the runways across the world. Climbing up the ranks of the fashion house of Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, before starting his own Willy Chavarria label in 2015, he has been noted by the New York Times as one of the most influential Latino creatives and designers working in the fashion industry. Known for making the Mexican American/Cali aesthetic global and mainstream with the Pachuco oversized suits, pants, and blazer, as well as the classic bolero jacket, Chavarria has dressed the likes of Bad Bunny (seen below), Sam Smith and Tracee Ellis Ross.
Unfortunately, as much as I was excited to have the opportunity to attend, I wasn’t able to get in contact with the label’s publicist and did not score any tickets. Very different from my LFW experience. But maybe next time?!
I was grateful to score tickets to the shows of two up-and-coming fashion designers. On the first day, I attended The Green Show to celebrate sustainable designer Michelle Adepoju who is the creative force behind the brand Kíléńtár that uses this Yoruba word for “What are you selling?” to further challenge the fashion world to create sustainable design based on long-lasting artisanal craftsmanship. The following day I attended a show in the lower east side by designer Ontavia Roulette.
The Kílẹ̀ńtàr show was held in the MasterCard headquarters in the Flatiron District and the new collection ranged from summer dresses, beachwear to beautiful references to Nigerian cultural in the prints and textures. According to Forbes, the brand has dressed celebrities including Tracee Ellis Ross, Naomi Osaka, and Victoria Monét. My friend and I had the privilege to see her very first NYC fashion week show. Here are some glimpses from the runway:
The Ontavia Roulette show had more of an edgy and provocative feel to it and so it was fitting that the runway took place in a nondescript building in the Lower East Side. The clothes, as well as the models, carry a vintage punk tonality that amounts to a nonchalant glamour for those who want to stick out in the crowd but also don’t care for your approval. Her clothes are well tailored, bold in colors and somehow both futuristic as well as vintage. When not independently showing her own collections in NYFW, Mr. Roulette is a tailor to the stars (such as Cardi B) and a costume designer for Saturday Night Live and Law and Order. Her talent is expansive and her output (Youtube Channel, Collections, Styling) is versatile. Here’s a taste of her 2024 collection!
In conclusion, though I was able to attend fewer shows in New York than I did in London, it was wonderful to have the opportunity to see the next generation of designers carve out a space for themselves in one of the biggest platforms of fashion. I also had fun hanging out with my friends in the city and encouraging them to dress up with me. My friend, Jill, who is a native New Yorker and has a stylish minimalist professorial vibe, also had fun venturing beyond the black color palette. What I love about fashion week is not only the clothes but the atmosphere that it creates for audiences to try out a different persona or even tonality—ever engaging in the age-old American practice of self-fashioning.
What is your day-to-day uniform? And is there a particular event or type of travel that allows you to try out a new look and persona? For me it has been fashion week and music concerts. Would love to hear from folks what inspires your own alter-ego looks!
Critical Chica 