Girl This, Girl That: Girlhood At New York FW SS24
As the baddies contemplate girlhood and its modern meaning in digital realms, designers have taken to fashion week's physical plane to herald the celebration of girlish nostalgia that was early aughts style. This New York Fashion Week, we witnessed sustainable designers interpreting girlhood through romantic, whimsical, and enchanting collections. These designers painted their visions of femininity, youth, and nostalgia, with the bow anchoring the narrative of girlhood in fashion.
Photo by @bl0ndita on Instagram
Mila Sullivan's NYFW runway debut played with girlish details like ruffles, bows, and ribbon juxtaposed against fleshy fabrics like mesh and lace—details that connote the innocence and purity traditionally associated with girlhood set against the sensuality and self-discovery that often come with growing up. Taking place in a church, models walked down the aisle-turned-runway with bows not just on their clothing, but also in their hair. Hair artist Andrita Renee transformed tresses into bow details. The bow also took a new form as the silhouette for a skirt.
Photo by: Astrid Stawiarz
Allina Liu's SS '24 collection drew inspiration from the mythological story of the abduction of Persephone, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and her own experiences as an Asian American. Her presentation captured the fleeting moment before Persephone's kidnapping, highlighting the relationship between the mother and daughter, Demeter and Persephone. Liu’s collection embodied darkness, light, and the feminine urge to transform the earth's decay into something captivating.
from @Noedresses on Instagram
At our very own NYFW exhibit, designers incorporated emblems of girlhood into their collections. Spilt Milk's collection, Frost Fair, resembles something an antique porcelain doll might wear. Noémi Jouas, when discussing her collection, shared her inspiration from Madeline, the beloved cartoon whose Peter Pan collar undoubtedly had an effect on the indie sleaze era and now, adult girlhood. Vendetta’s collection, made from deadstock fabric, was also inspired by a childhood tale, The Princess and the Pea.
Photo by Maya Spangler
Independent designer and mother of bows Sandy Liang drew inspiration from Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides (1999) for her S/S 24 collection of the same name. And while Liang may not explicitly describe her designs as sustainable, her collections, particularly her iconic use of bows, continue to influence contemporary girlhood fashion trends. The film comments on the interplay of girlhood, religion, and virginity through the Lisbon sisters, who grapple with their burgeoning womanhood within the confines of a conservative, religious upbringing. Liang echoed the film's explorations of the tension between youthful innocence and the desire for autonomy; bows became belts, bags, and epaulets, and served as details on delicate garments.