NEW YORK

The great diaspora. How else to define the fact that a number of brands that until last season were seen as significant landmarks at New York Fashion Week have now fled to other cities? Proenza Schouler, Rodarte and Altuzarra have vacated the New York runways, leaving a gap that not even a show-event like Philipp Plein’s can fill, despite its featuring stroboscopic lights, fetish fairy-tale heroines and Dita and the search for consensus (especially from the social media audience rather than the ‘real’ world) seem to be a front to mask a lack of creativity and, as we have seen, a shortage of big names. In a New York Times article, journalist Vanessa Friedman wrote about a New York Week that has lost its identity but the opposite could also be true, i.e. that, having lost those brands, the Big Apple is seeking a new identity, thanks perhaps to iconic names such as Calvin Klein, who with Raf Simons seems to have a new-found verve and inspiration from sources that are different yet still closely connected to the , like cinema and art. It’s no wonder that his was one of the most applauded collections, a stylistic representation of the American dream in muted tones, because the beauty and horrors of America are two sides of the same coin. Elements taken from and were incorporated into clothes in the form of and , while traditional fabrics such as wool and denim were paired with , and nylon. The American spirit was alive and kicking in two other collections, as different as they were significant, by Derek Lam and Tom Ford. The former had daywear, in which contemporary life blended with and touches. The latter had a strong-willed, sexy style that focused on the , and body-con looks but with and that kept it anchored to a kind of deluxe everyday. The American dream goes hand in hand with what, despite crises and presumed losses of identity, should be the driving force not only behind the country but also its fashion system, i.e. optimism and the idea that the fashion world somehow still represents a sort of ‘caravan of dreams’ that brings relief and shelter. So many collections bore witness to that: from Carolina Herrera’s clean, colourful offering, comprising mainly , and Victoria Beckham’s fluid, , to the many packed with , and/or , confirming that the ’70s, so on-trend in recent seasons, are still a rich source of inspiration. The fact that several designers teamed with , elegant skirts and urban, refined garments, was a symptom of an , approach that revealed a general desire for and, again, optimism in the sector. Perhaps the exodus can be an opportunity for New York to dust itself off and come back with some exciting new proposals, because it is precisely in times of crisis that, following an initial impasse, a kind of inspiration, courage and drive to look forward can be found.