Jonathan Simkhai is back on the runway in a very New York way. The spring collection, inspired by a white lace silk flower keepsake from his mother’s wedding gown, was shown against the backdrop of New York City, 100 stories up at The Edge at Hudson Yards. It may have been a rainy morning but the powerful view stood to anchor his polished urban take on classic American dressing. “I have an optimistic take on sportswear,” he said before his show. “I’m looking at flowers, but not just seeing them as super colorful, but in a more pared-back way.”
Simkhai rebranded last year and is unabashed about what he brings to the table, leading with innovation and sporty fabrications throughout feminine silhouettes for women and — for the first time on the runway— his relaxed take on menswear. He started with a mix of white looks to clean the slate, the lace theme shown via a lattice lace floral jacket over a crisp white skirt. The theme blossomed into strapless wispy dresses with sheer panels, sexy but not gauche. Parachute pants were worn with zip-up track jackets with buttery floral appliqués, little pieces of performance details that cut through the softness.
Menswear style shirting was strong, as were knits, including a multicolored crisscross openwork knit dress with fringe trim, capturing the fringe trend seen elsewhere this season. “Something I love about knits is it’s the perfect fabric for innovation,” he said.
The tension between innovation and craft was seen in menswear, too, which often is seen by him as bigger versions of women’s pieces, such as in boxy jackets and flowy suiting. Overall the collection leans seasonless, in step with a designer who sees his pieces as part of a larger wardrobe, not as one-off trends.
Accessories are growing: Footwear was a mix of low heels in a variety of colors while handbags included hard shell clutches and small leather lady bags with twisted gold sculptural handles. His sophisticated urban customer does need a proper bag for a life on the go.
