Mara Hoffman opens NYFW show with Women's March leaders
Fashion typically endeavors to make a statement, but few designers spoke as strongly as Mara Hoffman at New York Fashion Week on Monday.
Debuting her Fall 2017 collection, Hoffman started the show not with a supermodel in a killer dress but the four leaders of the Women's March, who opened the presentation with powerful words and a call to action.
Bob Bland, Tamika D. Mallory, Carmen Perez, and Linda Sarsour stood at the top of the runway before the models came out, reciting famous words from Maya Angelou, Angela Davis, and Audre Lorde before encouraging people to stand up.
In the spotlight The leaders of the Women's March on Washington opened Mara Hoffman's fashion show this week
Pictured: Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour, designer Mara , Bob Bland, and Carmen Perez (left to right)
Before models took the runway, the women spoke about equality and fighting for all women
The designer followed the speeches up with her Fall 2017 collection, which featured mixed chambray and denim looks with pops of color
Mara said that she chose to user her voice as a designer to spotlight the issue
The women spoke together to say that women's rights are human rights
The show's notes explained that Mara was 'inspired by the women whose songs are not yet sung, the allies, the named and the nameless,' and 'women who are constantly creating in the name of change.'
But while the collection was packed with her signature flair for color — models, some of whom were professional dancers, wore bold and colorful prints, mixed denim and chambray, and pops of orange and yellow — the speakers at the start of the show were much more sedate in their dress, outfitted from head to toe in black.
'We come together in the spirit of democracy, unity, love, and strength, with a message that women's rights are human rights,' began Perez, quoting Hillary Clinton. 'We stand together in solidarity recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country. Hear our voice.'
Only a few of the pieces in the collection featured Mara's signature bold prints
The women said they are 'changing the things that I cannot accept'
They said they were there 'honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice for those here and those before us'
The speakers got a loud round of applause before the models stepped out
'I am no longer accepting the things that I cannot change,' chimed in Bland. 'I am changing the things that I cannot accept. We stand together recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us. Hear our voice.'
It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences. We work peacefully while recognizing that there is no true peace until there is justice and equity for all. Hear our voice,' added Mallory.
Sarsour said: 'Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, and penetrates walls to thrive at its destination full of hope. We affirm our shared humanity and pronounce our bold message of resistance and self-determination. We must create a society in which all women are free. Hear our voice.'
'We stand together, honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice for those here and those before us. We dedicate ourselves to all the women around us,' said Bland.
The speakers called out several groups they represented, including the undocumented and the LGBTQIA community
Mara said she wanted to push for 'human rights, dignity, justice, and love'
The show featured lots of plaid and was more understated than past collections
The women went on to say that they are fighting for justice and people of all groups — women of color, those with disabilities, indigenous women, the undocumented, women being held in airports, the LGBTQIA community, and those behind bars.
At the end of the joint speech, all four raised their arms with fists, for an audience that applauded.
'We have witnessed these four women lead the largest human rights protest in history,' Mara explained in a statement. 'I stood in solidarity with them in D.C., and I will continue to support and lend my voice to them whenever I can to push their work for human rights, dignity, justice, and love forward.'
'This is what I’m doing with my spotlight,' she told the Washington Post. 'This is what I’m doing when people are paying attention to me.'
Frame Denim also debuted its Fall 2017 collection at New York Fashion Week, too
Switching it up: Models rocked velvet suits in a variety of colorways
Founders Jens Grede and Erik Torstensson held a star-studded event at Caviar Kaspia
Ladylike blouses featured ruffles, high collars, and bell sleeves
Naturally, the collection was also packed with casual denim looks
Frame Denim also debuted its Fall 2017 collection this week with a dinner at Caviar Kaspia in New York.
Founders Jens Grede and Erik Torstensson looked to the '70s for the designs, paying homage to 'Paris through the lens of American sportswear'.
The new collection featured velvet tailoring in black, spice, and an abstract Persian print; three-piece suits; button-down vests over blouses; frilly necks and puffy sleeves, and leather jackets and skirts.
'The piece de resistance of the collection is the midileather trench, furtively elegant in it's slim-line, doublebreasted, and belted silhouette,' press materials from the launch read.