“I want to come back to my first few seasons where I made a lot of clothing that was more layered, more textured, had more of an artistic hand to it,” Meruert Tolegen said backstage. This was her second showing at NYFW, but Tolegen stands out with her darkly ethereal collection.
An early morning show, Tolegen had the good fortune to have the sun help with lighting design, washing the room of an Upper West Side church and striking the runway in such a way that her models’ emergence felt even more dramatic. “We wanted something cathedral-like, something woody and darker, because I think the brand is often seen as being light and airy. I just wanted to show that it’s not quite that.”
The first model came out holding a white sounding bowl and wearing a cream satin evening coatdress with a red beaded mythical-like creature design on the garment. A moody way to cut through the stillness, but light and airy? I think not. In a mostly black and cream palette came corded lace ruffle tops paired with lace skirts, an Edwardian-style floral print dress, natural human hair trim bows on delicate lace dresses, a fabrication that uses horse hair to make unique textures on more dresses. There is a deliciously macabre feeling to her work, each look like dolls from the world of Tim Burton or a novel from Mary Shelley.
Her coat and dress pairings, she said, are bestsellers at retail. It’s how her closet looks, with mostly dresses and coats. “It’s easy,” she said. “I guess I’m finding other women like me who are interested in that.”
