The NYFW Nolcha Shows Featured Seven Promising Contemporary Designers

Seven designers showed their collections and all were equally captivating. 

The NYFW Nolcha Shows is dedicated to bringing attention to new and upcoming designers. The featured design brands included Amnesia, Kavenliu Dimor, Høst and Vår, By Gee x Speetra Design Studio, Tribe Alive, Mikage Shin, and Alterre shoes. The latter five were all part of the Wear the Future collective, founded and curated by Annabelle Azadé, that focuses on showcasing sustainability-focused designers.

Amnesia by Eva Prokai began the show with black and white looks that transitioned into bright, neon-colored looks by the end of the show.

The models were styled with either voluminous natural afros or crowned braids. The collection was inspired by Budapest, Hungary, the birthplace of Prokai, and depicted a woman that is exciting and takes risks.

Amnesia’s collection had various elements of streetwear and had us particularly longing for the shimmering trench coats.

Kavenliu Dimor began his show with a fun and sophisticated white dress with blue zig-zag patterning and red details. When the second model, a small child in the same outfit as the first model, walked out, she instantly stole the crowd’s hearts and kept us on the edge of our seats waiting to see who else would pop out from backstage.

As the rest of the models walked down the runway, we were treated with a very cosmopolitan color palette and style. The cotton, knit, and leather fabrics created a variety of looks that represented today’s city woman. The models had on glitter paint streaks on each side of their face, in a warrior-like fashion, alluding to what appeared to be a theme of women conquering city life.

Høst and Vår showed only 5 looks but they were enough to mesmerize us all. The collection featured fuschia, bright yellow, blues, and greens and gave us a very tropical feel.

There were gorgeous maxi dresses, flowy pants, and even a robe turned dress that featured the brand’s logo on the back. Some looks were paired with novelle mule-style heels designed by Alterre that were created in pastel colors with a silver, needle-like heel that we absolutely fell in love with. The models sported fresh faces and wavy hair. This collection was not only great visually but it’s amazing for our conscience as all the clothes are completely biodegradable.

Alterre NY shoes were featured throughout the Høst and Vår runway collection. The shoes were all made from recycled plastic and were vibrant and colorful. They complimented the looks beautifully and could easily be styled to be statement pieces with more toned-down looks.

The shoes are made for a woman who likes to have fun and be unique in every aspect. They are the perfect spring/summer shoes and left us wanting every single pair that we saw down the runway.

By Gee x Speetra Design Studio showcased 4 signature looks and they gave us New York Hamptons realness. Designer Ghina Ghandour teamed up with Speetra to incorporate 3D printed textiles into the looks and the results were astonishing. In two out of the four looks, the 3D designs were placed as part of the waistband of the maxi skirts, giving the illusion of an intricate corset.

In the other two designs, the 3D designs were placed as part of the tops, creating the illusion of armor and giving more depth to the designs. It was definitely interesting seeing how technology and fashion can be combined.

Tribe Alive debuted 4 looks as part of its SS20 collection. The collection was built on a soft, neutral color palette, inspired by Southwestern desert colors. It featured clean lines and minimalistic designs.

Every model had their hair down and loose and wore beige wedges. Each look was so versatile that they could easily be styled for any event and could easily be mixed and matched in a fun way.

Mikage Shin‘s collection was the designer’s first-ever debut since graduating from fashion school and it truly showed promise. The color palette was comprised of neutral tones, from black to beige to white. The collection was all about layering and creating new looks with various pieces.

The designer’s take on a trench coat was absolutely stunning and was definitely one of our favorite pieces, right next to the gorgeous cow-print coat.

The models all sported varying chain earrings, including one that connected both ears to create a necklace and earrings all at once; it was quite innovative and could be the next big trend.

All six shows left us wanting to see what else these seven designers will do next. To learn more about the designers, check out the Nolcha Shows website.