I had never been to Atlanta before this year’s SCAD Fashion Show. I popped in last year for Charli XCX’s and Troye Sivan’s SWEAT Tour, but the most I saw of the city was the inside of a MARTA station and the State Farm Arena. But for this year’s runway, I came a day early and stayed close to the campus.
Familiar Savannah faces littered the city. I saw about ⅔ of this year’s models while at the Georgia Aquarium (which is cool but not worth a second go), and their excitement was palpable. Now, that might have been for either the dolphin show (which was incredible) or in anticipation of walking the runway, but I’ll go with the latter. Later on, I saw more models thrifting in Little Five Points. Everywhere I went, whether it be a block from my hotel,or a 45-minute train ride, there were excited, familiar faces. I felt as if Savannah had just moved four hours up north.
Around 2pm I headed to the SCAD Museum of Fashion, where I ran into a couple more models and designers. At the same time, our Photo Editor Cameron Emory went backstage to see some of the getting ready process. Models in hair and makeup, on the spot restyling, it was certainly hectic. “It was a little bit of chaos, but everyone was lowkey giving when you go on a field trip with your best friends in 8th grade. All the models were relaxing and laughing with the H/MU team” Emory said.
I eventually arrived at the Atlanta campus about an hour before the show started. After a quick golf cart ride from the garage to the courtyard (which was completely unnecessary but definitely made my night), we pulled into the runway. Student designers, friends, faculty, and industry guests were idling outside, waiting behind the non-metaphorical white tape to take their seats. After getting in, the atmosphere was buzzing and I grabbed a program that shockingly did not contain the names of a single designer or model. We then took our seats on white backless cushions on the blue runway, which was covered with a colorful carpet designed by alum Trish Andersen.
After talking with friends and faculty and having my photo taken by a dozen photographers, which might sound like I’m bragging, but as a diva who’s traditionally behind the screen, I promise you I’m not, the show finally began (20 minutes late which is early in fashion time). In a shock of an opening, another alumnus, Wayne Bucknor Jr., walked (tore) the runway whilst playing the cello. I quite literally had to pick my jaw up off the courtyard concrete. After taking his sideline seat, he continued to play while accompanying the DJ.
Cyerra Lathum opened the show with her collection, reminding me of Willy Chavarria’s “Tarantula.” Lathum used Western styles, like bolo ties, with a modern refresh, creating an ode to the old while still being new. Structured and avant-garde elements, a SCAD staple, were apparent, but expertly executed. Sara Xuereb’s silhouetted dresses looked like walking flowers, a stroll through a midnight garden. Charlie Timmons’s “Swamp Queen” was drag meets the Everglades, with illustrated portraits of women from Timmons’s own imagination stitched into the garments.
Deconstruction was also on the table. Elizabeth Erhardt used nostalgic patterns in her collection “Spirits of a House.”. Erhardt took it even a step further by deconstructing porcelain plates and using only thrifted materials. The embroidered deer bodice looked like the happy intro Bambi deserved. Brooke Snowden’s classic Americana sportswear was reworked, using catcher’s mitts as belts and football pads as shapewear, very Hilfger meets Thom Browne Fall 2012 Menswear. Jailynn Tabanico used military swatches to create pant leg patterns that were both utilitarian and chic. The result of these collections was the emergence of brand new silhouettes that still felt familiar.
The menswear was unlike any other year. Kaj Nielsen tackled form with an oversized jacket and an even more oversized jacket fastening. A sculptured blazer with padding worked all the way into the elbow, but instead of stopping at the shoulder pad, it was understated yet showed stopping. Ethan Pope did muted tones with traditional silhouettes yet made it unexpected with fur and velour material. Kelsey Hansen turned rock climbing on its head with tactical yet beautiful garments, while Ella Augustsson created incredible distinct personas inspired by blue-collar communities of Sweden. Fab yet functional.
Kieva Brady excelled in both menswear and womenswear. Her knitwear showed craftsmanship on par with Marni’s Francesco Risso, and her concept “It Always Rains in Ireland” was beautifully translated down to the smallest crystal raindrop. Hollis Maxson and their ode to Appalachia also produced an incredible unisex collection. Crafting their very own quilting, Maxson was able to capture the spirit of the region while still exploring new techniques and silhouettes…I’ll take a sweatshirt when they have a minute. Yet those beautiful looks were cut away by a drone shot for those of you who watched at home.
Before continuing, I would like to address said livestream. Students spend months upon months, dollars upon dollars to get the chance to make it into the show. It’s one of the only chances for friends, collaborators, and family to view their work as a whole. As one of the select few who viewed the show live on ground, it’s disappointing to say that this incredible experience isn’t translated the same for those at home. It would have been nice to see each designer’s looks equally, not students in a dorm or an overhead shot of the setup.
Now, back to menswear, the show closed with Logan Fluharty’s “The City Wear’s You.” In a Raf Simons for Calvin Klein or JW Anderson-eque way, Fluharty tackled the concepts and silhouettes of film noir while keeping it modern. The expert tailoring combined with a vinyl trench and mesh overall showed that even in a traditional garment, with the right eye, menswear will never be boring. Apart from the garments, designer accessories are what made the collections. Many understood that concept doesn’t end with the clothes. It’s all in the details. Fluharty’s shoes and bags, with bloodied crystal beading, were the expert craft of Sabine Josephine, and Nielsen’s shoes were designed by Will Chambers, which looked like they were ready for production.
As the show ended, I watched each designer walk with one of their garments. It was a spitting image of the “101 Dalmatians” scene where the human looks just like their dog. You could feel the sense of accomplishment. People idled after, taking pictures, and exchanging proud sentiments…and just like it started, it ended. While the show has become the pinnacle of a fashion seniors’ time at SCAD, it’s not the end all be all. These students will go on to work at ateliers, lead design teams, and create collections of their own, and that is the most exciting part. Seeing these students, even those not featured on the runway, in their prime. Feeling their eagerness to create and basking in the support they had for each other.
Some will say this school is not up to par with its competitors. It’s too flashy, too campy, too conceptual. While that may be true, it’s the school’s biggest strength. This year’s students showed that you can be both. You don’t have to sacrifice concept for wearability. It’s blending the two that creates real standouts, and you don’t have to learn in London or New York to receive those technical skills. With support, those communities can be made anywhere.
Removed from the zeitgeist of our fashion capitals, in a quiet little city in the south, the future of fashion works in silence, waiting for their moment. And I can tell you first hand, that moment: It’s arrived.
Words by Evan Skovronsky
Photos by Cameron Emory