NYFW SS26 EDIT

As we look to other cities around the globe that will continue to showcase SS26 fashion in menswear and womenswear, this month, we’re sharing a recap of some of the shows that we attended and what stood out during this season’s NYFW.

JANET MANDELL NYFW SS26

We kicked off our first day of NYFW at the Janet Mandell show which took place in the LES at The DL. Her show was A Tribute to Vintage: Janet Mandell’s Archival Runway. Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of attending her showroom here in NY (she also has them in Chicago and Los Angeles) which is home to rare vintage who has dresses the Kardashians, Rachel Zoe, Mindy Kaling, and more.

To see these pieces on the runway with a candlelit backdrop on a rooftop, we loved seeing some of the most coveted looks in luxury rental fashion! This show showcased rare looks from the 90s and early 2000s with designs by Roberto Cavalli, Christian Dior by John Galliano, Gucci by Tom Ford and Gianni Versace.

At the conclusion of this show, which left a number of the guests in a dream to see these pieces all in one place, we enjoyed champagne after the event as a means to get ready for a busy season ahead!

IG @janetmandell

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 122 - 123 Janet Mandell |

MORPHEW FLAGSHIP LAUNCH

Interestingly enough, upon leaving The DL, we made our way around the block to Morphew who had a lovely get together to launch their new location of their vintage luxury fashion and art. Their collection includes ready-to-wear, rare luxury vintage, and atelier pieces.

IG @morphew_world

NEW YORK MEN’S DAY MORNING SESSION NYFW SS26

Although we had attended functions the night before, NYMD took place on the first official day of NYFW. This event is one that we enjoy due to the fact that over the course of the morning and the afternoon, you see a curated group of designers.

Both sessions took place at the Mercedes-Benz of Manhattan, which is a large showroom. This season’s presenting sponsors were PROJECT (represents what’s new, now, and next in men’s contemporary apparel, footwearm and accessories) and COTERIE (is the premier women’s contemporary to advanced apparel, footwear, and accessories platform).

The venue host was at the Mercedes-Benz of Manhattan showroom, which allowed attendees to see all the shows, while also being immersed in a luxury space showcasing this brand and partnerships.

In this first group of shows, 4 brands presented their collection to attendees. archie was part of NYMD for the first time. They shared their line with their models rotating on a playground spinner with neutral tones. It was a great way to see the movement of the collection as well as to see everything together.

Peak Lapel was back for another season and had a number of tipped blazers in primary colors with a nod to preppy style. As opposed to being in motion, this presentation of this collection allowed attendees to see them playing chess and had a feeling of sitting in the park as opposed to being in a luxury showroom with G Wagons nearby.

Clara Son is a menswear brand that was back for another season. This collection had a playful take on menswear while incorporating suiting and great separates. There were pops of colors as well as neutrals. It’s always a line that has a distinct point of view.

The last designer to be part of NYMD for the morning session was Oxblood Zebra that returned for another season. This collection has signature pieces that reminded us of items that your favorite artist or athlete would wear.

IG @newyorkmensday

@coterie_show

@archie__usa

@peaklapelnyc

@clarasonstudio

@theoxbloodzebra

@mercedesbenzmanhattan

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 124 Oxblood Zebra/Angel Flores | PG 125 Max Esmail |

RYNSHU NYFW SS26

Rynshu’s box style show allowed every attendee to see the looks that hit the runway at all angles. Although this brand was new to us, we loved the flowing silhouettes, sequins, and a clean palette.

IG @rynshu

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 127 Rynshu |

NEW YORK MEN’S DAY AFTERNOON SESSION NYFW SS26

We made our way back to the Mercedes-Benz of Manhattan showroom to see the afternoon shows, which included 4 additional designers.

For the first time, FIT MW25 Collective shared a curated group of designs! It’s always nice to see what the next generation of creatives and designers are looking to do to put their fingerprint on this industry!

Bryan Jimenez introduced their menswear collection for the first time at NYMD this season! We found that this collection has great core essentials that could be worn dressed up or even casually. It also had such an easy sensibility that we can’t wait to continue to see more from this designer and how it will evolve from season to season.

The first time that we had seen Joseph McRae, it was at another season of NYMD. If you have been watching the current season of Freeform’s Project Runway, you know that he was a contestant and he brought the drama in a number of the challenges. We’re not doing a spoiler alert in case you have yet to see it. As usual, he likes to play with proportion, he’s phenomenal when it comes to dramatic pieces that make a statement.

Max Esmail returned with suiting and outerwear in menswear. The fact that we were at the Mercedes-Benz showroom, it was a great backdrop for this Miami Vice gotham style look.

IG @fitnyc

@bryanjimeneznyc

@joseph_mcrae

@max.esmail

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 125 Max Esmail |

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO, MACY’S I.N.C X CHRISTIAN SIRIANO + RECEPTION NYFW SS26

A Christian Siriano is an event not to be missed, from star studded attendees, to fashion that is always next level, we were excited to see his NYFW SS26 runway show that took place at Macy’s. Transformed into a golden draped space his muse, Coco Rocha opened and closed this phenomenal show which was filled with dramatic pieces.

Once this show completed, we made our way to the executive floor of this iconic heritage department store, where they had a gallery of curated looks by the designer who also serves as Creative Director of Macy’s I.N.C.

The selection of blazers that were embellished with details was nice to see as we made our way to the roofdeck to enjoy a cocktail reception. In addition to Christian coming to celebrate the 40th year of Macy’s I.N.C. he mingled with guests along with Coco Rocha herself.

IG @csiriano

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 128 - 132 Christian Siriano |

NATALIA FEDNER NYFW SS26

We have been fans of Natalia Fedner ever since we saw her S1 on Project Runway. She is known for creating Stretch Metal which has been created for dresses, tops, skirts, and swimwear. A number of celebs from Lenny Kravitz, Beyonce, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and more have worn her pieces. In addition, we have even styled her pieces in our cover photoshoot of an NFL Super Bowl Champion winner as well.

We enjoyed seeing her show on Sun night during NYFW for her SS26 collection which had a number of fun pieces in Metal Couture from solids to prints in her iconic 6-way Stretch Metal style.

IG @nataliafedner

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 134 + 135 Natalia Fedner |

FREDERICK ANDERSON NYFW SS26

For the past few seasons, we have enjoyed attending Frederick Anderson’s NYFW shows, and for his SS26 season, he focused on the concept of joy. There were definite beach vibes in his collection that made you think of booking a trip to Bali, Sao Paulo, and Miami. Of course they are perfect for warm nights right here in NYC!

IG @frederickanderson_designer

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 136 + 137 Frederick Anderson |

MOTT50 EDITION + COOLIBAR NYFW SS26

We ended our NYFW shows at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar where Coolibar, a suncare brand for apparel showcased elements of their collection as a standing presentation, a runway show for Coolibar, and another runway show for their luxury portion of the line known as Mott50. Before and after the show, we enjoyed a sunny warm summer night in the golden hour which was paired with cocktails and light bites.

Protecting our skin and wearing products that have UPF 50+ built in is a great way to make sure that you are taking care of yourself. We had the pleasure of interviewing Supermodel and 90s icon, Niki Taylor moments before she made her return to the runway in this show as she opened and closed it!

ATHLEISURE MAG: It is so great to sit with you before you hit the runway! I remember when your first cover for Seventeen Magazine came out and it’s great to see how you have navigated your career. It’s so great to meet you.

When did you realize that you wanted to be a model?

NIKI TAYLOR: Oh my gosh! My mom was a model, she had done a couple magazine covers for Gold Coast back in the early 70s, and then she became a photographer. I think just growing up, I was always taller than everybody else. I think that’s when people were like, “oh, she should get into modeling.”

AM: Exactly!

NT: There were some teen things going on in South Florida, so we looked up modeling agencies in Fort Lauderdale and Irene Marie and Michele Pommier came up and I went to both of them. So my mom and I, we made a little black and white comp card and went to a photographer that took black and white photos. I just remember, that I had the hat and the bob and a couple at my mom’s photos we put on this comp card and we sent it into Irene Marie and they said no. They’re like, “nope, she needs braces - come back when her braces are off.” At that time, I was getting ready to get them. I did. I came back and there was a guy named JJ Cortez at Irene Marie. He was a modeling scout, and he said, “hey, we’re gonna sign you,” and the rest is history!

AM: You’ve had a phenomenal career from covers, hosting, and just so many different things. What do you love about what it is that you do, and did you envision that it would be all of this?

NT: I was a fan first. I would spend my allowance. I would ride my bike to the drugstore, buy a Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, and then put Christy, Naomi, and Linda on my wall!

AM: Exactly.

NT: I would look at that and say, I’m going to do that! I think that the drugstore had Italian Vogue one time – I don’t know how it got there!

AM: But it was like destiny!

NT: It was. It was all of the girls doing fashion shows. I remember I was, like, oh my, gosh, there’s Helena Christensen. There is Christy Turlington, she’s my favorite. Anything that I could find with Steven Meisel that he shot was on my wall.

Irene Marie brought me to New York. I did a modeling competition for Spectrum, and I won that. And then, from there, I signed with them and then I went to, um, my first show which was Thierry Mugler when when I was 14. I just remember being the first model there. So I got to watch them all come in, and all the personalities that arrived! My dad had one of those little throwaway cameras. I remember my dad coming with me.

I sat down and Danilo was doing my hair, and I could see Helena Christensen behind me and smiling at each other. I just feel like I was more a fan and the fact that I am still doing this and I get to do this, I’m very lucky.

AM: Well, we love hearing about people’s fitness routines. So, what are 3 that you do that we should consider incorporate into ours?

NT: Well, this is my husband, Burney.

AM: Hello!

NT: We weight train and see a trainer twice a week. We do a lot of walking. We love riding bikes. Anywhere we go on vacation or from work, we try to find somewhere that has bikes.

AM: That’s so cute!

BURNEY LAMAR: Have you done the Citi Bikes?

AM: No, I have not done the Citi Bikes.

NT: Oh my gosh, you have to!

BL: They’re amazing.

AM: I don’t know, you have the crazy drivers and then you have you on the Citi Bike. Yeah, I don’t know about that.

BL: They have a dedicated lane for them!

NT: Oh yeah they have they green lane.

AM: Oh yes – as long as they adhere to that!!

NT: They definitely look out for that bike lane! Talk about getting around fast!

AM: That part is true!

NT: Especially if you are late for something. It does help having somebody with you.

BL: We were ripping around last night.

NT: We did! We went downtown to the Oculus on our Citibikes. Then he said, “alright, let’s take the train,” so we’ll took it back uptown. Then we took another bike so we’re always moving.

We also do a lot of cardio as well, in addition to trying to lift heavyweight 2X a week. It’s because of him that I do that, because if it’s just me, then I’m going to just want to stretch.

AM: Right, I thought that you were going to say pilates, but you have such a great mix.

NT: I just turned 50 and I’m a grandma, so I have a 9 month old grandbaby. His name is Nico. So, we just have to keep moving and that’s our workout routine pretty much!

AM: Are there things that you do when you’re about to do a photoshoot, campaign, walk the runway etc to get into that mindset?

NT: I just feel like we do something every day. I love food. I’m a good eater and I always have been. You can ask my husband, I go up and I go down. I can tell when things are getting a little tight, right?

AM: Yup!

NT: It’s just portion control and a little bit more cardio! I’ve always been like that, and I have a sweet tooth. I can probably put down dessert more than anybody here. I love my sugar. So I have to workout. To get ready for this, I just try to do something every day, and I’m just trying to bring up my heart rate and sweat a little bit.

AM: How did you get connected to this brand? And you know, how excited are you going to be to be able to be a part of the show today?

NT: I’m not sure you’ve met Luis.

AM: Not yet.

NT: Not yet, okay so he will be speaking a little bit tonight. Him and I, we worked together in Miami, before this company for another clothing company. I just grew up in South Florida. I’ve always been in the sun. I know the importance of protecting your skin, and I just wish I had this clothing back then. We love being outside. I could have used their sun sleeves. They have an amazing bandana. I love their sun hats, too. My daughter, Ciel and I, we got to do this shoot together, which was fun. And she’s very good about protecting her skin. She doesn’t go in the sun at all.

My dad struggled a little bit towards the end of his life and had squamous (Editor’s Note: A common type of skin cancer that develops in the flat, thin cells – squamous cells – of the skin’s outer layer). So they were cutting off little pieces of his shoulders – he would mow the lawn without his shirt on. He would run and he had no sunscreen and back then, we didn’t wear sunscreen!

AM: Back then it wasn’t something that we think about as much as we do not. And sunscreen is for everyone across skin tones, hues, shades and whether the sun is out or not – regardless of the time of year!

NT: Yes!

AM: If you are breathing, you need to wear and use it!

NT: Oh yeah and think about the areas you don’t think about like your ears and there are so many areas that just get avoided.

AM: Especially your neck when you’re hair is pulled up and you’re not thinking about it.

NT: I wish this clothing brand was out there back in the 90s, it would have been nice. But this brand is UPF 50+ protection from UVA, UVB, and It’s 98 protection. It was founded in 2001 it’s the first brand that earned the Skin Cancer Foundation recommendation.

AM: That’s huge.

NT: I just love that you’re protected and it does not wash out. It’s in the clothing.

AM: The lookbook was amazing and it will be nice to see the collection when it hits the runway! The pieces are just so modern, very stylish and flowy, and I just appreciate you taking the time.

IG @nikilovesu

@coolibar

@mott50

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 138 - 143 Coolibar |

Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see NYFW SS26 EDIT in mag.

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK FW2024 EDIT

This month, we attended a number of NYFW FW24 shows which is a great way to see the upcoming collections from an array of designers that are on our radar. We kicked off the season with New York Men's Day - NYMD on Feb 9th that presented its 21st season of 8 designers between the morning and afternoon session at Location05 in Hudson Yards.

NYMD | TERRY SINGH

We started off with Terry Singh's presentation with his namesake collection for his menswear brand that launched in 2014 and is based in NYC. Terry was raised in NYC and began working in the fashion industry in the '70s. He also took some time to go to India where he immersed himself into Indian culture as well as meditation. He returned to the city with his shift in how he approached his life and wanted to take what he learned to bring it to make his mark in fashion.

Terry feels that, "this collection resonated with the narrative of my odyssey, visually manifesting the metamorphosis that defines who I am today."

The collection included a number of pieces that included blazers, outerwear, structured skirts, intricate fabrications and coordinates. It was a rich tapestry that allowed us to see where menswear as well as genderless looks can be elevated for gala and soiree looks.

IG @newyorkmensday

@terrysingh.nyc

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 98 Terry Singh

NYMD | Y.CHROMA

The 4 designers that presented their collection in the morning of NYMD, showcased collections that included suiting and eveningwear. We were also excited to check out Y.Chroma, founded by Max Israel! This brand was founded in 2023 in Lisbon, Portugual.

The collection is focused on male midlife re-invention with a customer base of 40+ and want to wear vibrant hues. The European crafstmanship was evident in seeing this collection and we truly enjoyed the unique textiles that were included in this show and still presented a youthful collection that we could totally see being worn by those that are outside of the intended demographic. We love how they embrace midlife reinvention and the universal appeal of this brand!

IG @y.chroma.apparel

PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy | PG 101 Y.Chroma

BACKSTAGE PRABAL GURUNG

We left Location05 to pop out to cover Backstage at Prabal Gurung who showed at the Starrett-Lehigh Building. Being backstage allows you to see how the inspiration for the designer's vision comes together for the hair, makeup, and nail teams.

The inspiration behind Prabal Gurung's comes from the loss in his home country of Nepal where he created silhouettes that offered a balance of warmth and melancholy through tactile fabrics that were sculpted and ethereal.

“It was to give into grief,” Gurung said backstage. “That was a new thing for me, but I decided to give in simply because that was the only way that I could go through it, which took me back to my father’s side of the family — which I normally have stayed away from, to be completely honest — and it led to these images and everything. It was just so cathartic and so healing, so I brought this to life because it gave me comfort.”

To merge the gravity of the somberness of the inspiration of the show, there was still a balance with his signature feminine styles by incorporating fringe and drapery. These ethereal elements gave a sense of uplifting ones spirit.

The apparel that hit the runway was supported by a glam team that worked with the models, Super Models such as Precious Lee, and celebs such as Sarita Choudhury (Homeland, Blindspot, And Just Like That...). We had the pleasure to chat with Celebrity Nail Artist, Gina Edwards who is the Kiss Product Inc U.S/Canada Brand Ambassador and Lead Nail Artist for this show. In addition to her role with these products, she has worked with Chanel Beauty on a Valentine's Campaign, she was the manicurist for Nicole Kidman for her Balenciaga Ambassador imagery, and was the manicurist for Vera Wang for her CFDA Award to name a few.

We wanted to find out how she extended Prabal's vision into the nails that worn by the models who were part of the runway show.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We always love going backstage to see the magic come together and we've been watching the models as they're in prep to hit the runway. We know that you used acrylic nails to create this look. Can you tell us more about this?

GINA EDWARDS: For the show, we used these acrylics in nude in XXL and we stiletto’d it out to be coffin shaped. We just created the color over it to give it that exclusivity that is the theme of this show. The look whether it’s the red or the silver is a bit of a moonstone/cat eye effect. When you look at it one way, it has one color and then another, you see the other one. It’s a bit of a haunting effect and that ties into the makeup that has that smokey and sultry look to it. So the nails really add to that vibe. It’s amazing to see how everything comes together. The designer has a vision and he explained it to the glam team of hair, makeup, and nails. So we came up with this idea and everyone loves it and along the way, you tweak it to get it to where you see it today.

AM: How long did it take for you to arrive to what we’re seeing on the runway for tonight’s show as it’s a collaboration between Prabal's vision of where he sees it and how you’re interpreting the theme?

GE: Well, there was about 2 weeks when you’re having the conversations and when you land on what you think will work and then you get the products in and to be able to create what has been decided on. Once you select the teams that will actually execute it, I would say it’s about 5 days.

The elusive nail which was the theme for the show was inspired by the experimental use of fabrics in Prabal's collection. The magnetic, cat-eye finish on the KISS nails really merge that eccentric and elusive element together to create that haunting look which is in keeping with this collection which is known as, Fragmented Memories.

AM: Oh wow and there’s so much work to build the nails!

GE: Oh yeah, I mean, shaping takes the most time! I mean shape is everything when it comes to the nail. You have to shape the nail, look at, then look at it from the birds eye view. It looks one way when you see it from one standpoint and then another and then, this nail isn’t on you so it’s a lot of work to really articulate the nail.

You can get The Magnetic Effect Manicure at home which is one of the hottest trends from the runway. Using KISS Gel Fantasy Magnetic collection in style Ruler or imPRESS Color Press-On Manicure in style Red Velvet you too can rock these stunning nails from Prabal’s show in minutes. These ready-to-wear styles are easy to apply and last up to a week.

HOW GINA EDWARDS CREATED THE CUSTOM-DESIGNED RUNWAY LOOK:

• Step 1: Select and size KISS Salon Acrylic Natural Nails in style Crystal and shape to stiletto

Natural Nails in style Crystal and shape to stiletto

• Step 2: Apply nail glue to belly of the nail and natural nail, then press down gently, repeat x10 nails

• Step 3: Apply a coat of your favorite magnetic color and use magnet on both sides parallel to the nail. Cure each finger for 90 seconds

• Step 4: Apply second coat and use the magnet again to see the glass like effect on the nails. Cure for 90 seconds.

• Step 5: Add top gel coat and cure for 60 seconds.

IG @prabalgurung

@ginaedwards_

@kissproducts

PHOTOGRAPHY | PG 102 + 103 Go Runway.com

After spending a few hours at Prabal Gurung's backstage courtesy of Gina Edwards and the KISS Products team, we made our way back to Location05 for the second session of NYMD and the designers that were showing during this presentation.

NYMD | THE SALTING

Designers Michael Ward & Manel Garcia Espejo founded The Salting, a menswear/womenswear brand in 2018 and is based in NYC. With their second presentation at NYMD as well as being recently inducted into the CFDA as interim members, they are carried in approximately 20 locations in the US and Canada including Bergdorf Goodman.

They're fabrications are globally sourced with sustainable mills and all of their tailoring is done in the US. This design duo has an extensive background in fashion design in the luxury space.

This season's collection's inspiration is On The Waterfront and has an aesthetic that honors longshoremen and dockworkers with its use of buffalo checks, plaid, tweeds, chalk stripes and more. Even their sportswear showcases their tailored DNA and we enjoyed their classic pea coats and other structured pieces.

IG @thesaltingnyc

PAS UNE MARQUE

In 2018, Sean Coutts founded menswear label, Pas Une Marque in Paris. The brand's entire manufacturing takes place in Peru. Within each of their collections, they work with a number of artists to tell their brand story. Printemps, the first department store in Paris, carries the brand. We loved the outerwear that was included in this show and can't wait to see more from this brand.

IG @pasunemarque

We had a bit of snow that hit NYC, but with 2 shows that we had been looking forward to from 2 Project Runway alums, we were ready to be dazzled by their NYFW FW24 collections.

BISHME CROMARTIE

The afternoon of Feb 13th, we made our way to The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad to see Bishme Cromartie's NYFW FW24 presentation. We first learned about Bishme when he competed on Season 17 of Project Runway where he came in 4th. For Season 20 of Project Runway All-Stars, he came back and won! It was amazing to see a number of our favorite designers across the season on this show and the ability to see Bishme push the boundaries of Avante Garde to his self-proclaimed, Street Garde, has been a great evolution.

His brand has been worn on a number of red carpets by Michelle Williams (American Soul, Wrath: A Seven Deadly Sins Story, Kingdom Business) of Destiny's Child, Chloe Bailey (Grown-ish, Swarm, Praise This), and Jennifer Hudson (Cats, The Jennifer Hudson Show, Respect), to name a few.

This presentation had a palette of red, white, and black and spanned from elevated streetwear all the way to red carpet looks during Awards Season.

When asked about where the inspiration from his show came from, he shared, "I further explored my obsession of mixing Streetwear with Avant Garde designs. Striking, feminine and bold shapes paired with a variety of coats, edgy tops, form fitting and dramatic gowns. I continued to define what “Street Garde'' is by staying true to my aesthetic and testing new ideas. I wanted the collection to feel strong, effortlessly sexy, masculine, and feminine at the same time. The collection showcases the Bishme Cromartie woman who is ready for change, constantly on the go and loves to stand out, no matter where she is. This season we are entering the Batrix."

IG @bishme_cromartie

PHOTOGRAPHY | PG 104 - 108 Paul Farkas |

LAURENCE BASSE

We ended our NYFW FW24 shows the evening of Feb 13th with Project Runway alum, Laurence Basse who was a finalist in both Season 15 as well Season 20 for Project Runway All-Stars. We have been a long time fan of her mastery of leatherwork and in seeing her first solo show at The Paramount Building in Times Square, we were thrilled to be able to talk to her in detail about how she got into the industry, her namesake line, her NYFW show, and what we can expect from her as she continues to push the envelope of her brand.

ATHLEISURE MAG: It is such a pleasure to be able to talk with you as I’ve been a fan of your work and aesthetic!

LAURENCE BASSE: Thank you so much, thank you! I really appreciate you having me.

AM: Of course! I have been a fan of yours since I first saw you on Season 15 of Project Runway, and just your artistry, the way you work with leather, your style, and attitude – everything about you is definitely Black Girl Magic.

LB: Oh I’m trying, I’m trying.

AM: Oh no, you are not trying, you are doing!

So you got your start in the industry as a model. You have modeled with BENNETTON, Jean Paul Gautier, and you have been in French Elle as well as Cosmopolitan. You did this for 15 years, what was the moment that you realized you wanted to be a fashion designer.

LB: Well I mean, this is the narrative in the streets, but really, I went to fashion school in Paris before I was even modeling. I started fashion school when I was 17 years old. So from 17 – 22, I was in fashion school and I started modeling when I was in Paris I think 3 years into fashion school. It was just there and I thought, “why not?” I used that to then move to the US and it became a 15 year off and on.

AM: Where did you go to school?

LB: I went to school, my first one was in Normandy called Elisa Lemonnier and then I went to another school in Paris, an art school by the same name at the 12 Arrondissement.

AM: When I first saw you in Season 15 of Project Runway, I was just blown away by what you did throughout that season. What drew you to compete on the show?

LB: You know, let’s just say that I never casted for the show. I never did. I quit modeling, I was in LA, I was bartending, and I had my studio, but I was like, ok, since I didn’t do the designing the way that they are saying which is you get out of school and you go work for a brand, and I didn’t do that. I was modeling, traveling, and living my best life.

So at this point, I was 35, I had started this thing, but how do I go from zero to 50 at least? I had a friend of mine that was a Super Model back in the days in France and she actually reached out to me a year before my season to do the French version of Project Runway in France, and I said, "hell, no! I'm not doing a reality show blah blah blah boom boom boom – not when it comes to designing.”

Time went by and I got an email after that from the US. They told me that they were casting for Project Runway. My first reaction, “hell, no!” I’m not doing this. But my friend was with me and she was like, “Laurence it is a good opportunity and you should do it.” I didn’t say no. I literally waited until the deadline. If the deadline was like Mar. 30th at midnight, I waited until the deadline to submit whatever it was that they were asking me.

Then they called me back. I didn’t know that they had already had a casting in the US. So I thought that I was going in for the casting, but it had already been done. I went straight to the final 2 appointments that they had before they decided on who they wanted to have on the show. I went in and I brought in like 10 pair of clothes and they loved it and after that, they asked me to come in the next day. The next day was a whole hour – hour and a half interview. That’s when they say, ok we know you can sew, we love you, but as far as your personality, they have to figure that out.

I did my interview for a little over an hour and it went well I think. I was good! The lady told me, “Laurence, if you made it this far it means you’re perfect for this show. But If we do not cast you for this season, please come back next season.” I told her, “I won’t be coming back.” If I make it, great and if I don’t, I’m still happy. I literally left the casting and I literally left the casting and I was going to my car in LA and I was like dancing in the parking lot. It was an investment for me. It’s already mine and if not, it’s ok too. Then they called me and that’s how I made it onto the show.

AM: I’m glad that you did because the moment you started creating dynamic pieces and watching how you work with leather beyond what I have seen anyone else do – it was phenomenal to watch. As a fashion stylist and someone who has grown up in this industry from a young age – watching you make leather do things that we don’t think that that fabrication supports usually, I was like, “where did this women come from?” I became obsessed and it was thrilling to see you be a finalist on that season.

LB: Thank you!

AM: And then when it came to Season 20 that aired last year with Project Runway All-Stars, what were you thinking about coming back to this crazy environment of a competition show?

LB: Oh yeah, it’s definitely crazy!

So basically, the first time that I went, I didn’t know what I was expecting. I went in and I thought to myself, I am going to win. There was no other option and then I didn’t win. So I went home and I thought, “what am I going to do now?” But God has other plans. With the show rolling, it just jump started my career. I have just been going ever sense since that. It did a lot of things that were great for me. So when the second time came around, I thought, never again would I do a show like that. Right?

AM: Yeah!

LB: But, the only reason and again, they came back and said, “Laurence, do you want to jump on a call? We’re thinking of doing All-Stars.” I said sure and got on the call. But I wasn’t like, “yay!” I had to pause and think about it. Like I said, it did great for me, they have their own agenda and I went in with my own. Even when I accepted to do it, and I did it because it was All-Stars. It was about the contestants coming back to compete for something bigger. So I was like ok, this can’t hurt me and it can only reboost the machine. So I went in and I remember I said, “my head said that the best position for me to land was to be a runner-up.” Technically, I don’t want to win because I don’t want to be tied into anything.

But my ego, wanted to win the whole thing. The ego is the one that got hurt, but everything happened the way that it was supposed to happen. I did what I wanted to do and it was ok.

AM: Well, you turned out amazing pieces yet again!

LB: I was like, keep playing in my face!

AM: I love it!

So why do you like working with leather? Your mastery of leather is just insane.

LB: Thank you!

Well, I’m self-taught when it comes to leather. But my background is really haute couture, making the dresses and all of the extravagant things that people like to wear. I was like, everyone is doing this – a lot of people are doing it. I wanted to be different. I don’t want to be in the norm. I wanted to know what was out there that I could do and work with that I could separate myself from most designers. So I was thinking about leather for 2 reasons. As a child, when I was younger, leather was – when I would look at people who owned leather, they were rich. It was something that, yes I wanted it. But I couldn’t afford it. Then, before that, I love luxury. All of the stuff that I love when I go to the stores, it gives me a real headache! Because it’s $5,000, $6,000, and $10,000! I’d look at it and I’d say, “I can’t do it!” So I decided let me teach myself how to do this and I am going to do it better and I'm going to do it as a challenge to myself. I thought, “ok, all the stuff that I love the Balmain, Saint Laurent, the Gucci, the Tom Ford – it’s over overpriced,”, but look who’s talking now?

It's overpriced, but I’m going to one day sell my stuff at the same price as those people. I’ll be up there with them and that was the bet to myself. So, then leather when people think about it, they think it’s rigid and that there’s not a lot of what you can do with it. But for me, I was like, I’m going to get in there – me and leather are going to have a talk and we’re going to get to know each other. Now I know leather pretty well and I work it like it’s any kind of fabric. There’s no limitation to it. If you want a wedding dress, I’ll make your wedding dress in leather. If you want a flowy skirt or whatever it is, I just don’t want to put limitations on it.

AM: Well you are a master at it. You work a leather like it’s a silk or a taffeta and before you, I had never seen people treat it that way!

LB: That was the goal.

AM: How would you describe your brand your line. You have a number of NBA athletes and different celebrities that have worn your collection.

LB: Well my line, my line is definitely – it’s not haute couture, I’m not RTW. I’m somewhere in between so it’s a luxury brand catered to strong women and strong men. It’s very – for me it’s normal – but the stuff that I put together, they’re not supposed to exist in the same world. But they work for me, because it’s just an extension of me – female/male, cold/hot, edgy/soft – I just love to mix the two together.

AM: What are 3 core pieces that if someone was purchasing pieces from you for the first time that they would be essentials to have in their closet?

LB: Oh you have to have a classic leather jacket. The classic LB is the one with the shoulders. I have been rocking that one for the past x amount of years. You would think that I have a lot of leather jackets, right?

AM: Oh yeah!

LB: I have probably 3 but I recycle them. I have this one that’s like a Motorcycle Jacket with the shoulders and it’s classic and I love it! So, either that one or a Bomber – whatever classic is to you. A pair of leather gloves, and a jumpsuit!

You don’t even need 3, if you like to have just one, it’s either a leather jacket or a jumpsuit. If you can’t afford it, get a pair of gloves!

AM: There’s a solution and then keep saving your coins to get one of those pieces!

LB: Exactly!

AM: My Co-Founder and I had the pleasure of going to your NYFW FW24 show! My mouth was on the floor throughout the runway show and I even teared up a bit because the craftsmanship of seeing great pieces always transports me.

LB: Thank you!

AM: What was the inspiration behind this collection?

LB: You know, I always tell people that the place I design from it’s I guess a storytelling place, but it’s like I tell my stories by creating. That’s my communication. I don’t sometimes put words into it. I don’t always have a story, but for this one, it started with one piece – a Bulletproof Vest. With everything that is going on in the world, you know – all the crazy stuff, the wars, but if you stay in it, you go crazy. So we still have to find other beautiful things in the world that is going on. So it was a mix of the two. The leather Bulletproof Vest – that’s why I mixed it with the soft and beautiful flowy stuff. I got it from that piece and I just let it flow.

AM: I’m sure it was such a project to undertake, a solo show during NYFW!

LB: Girl, it was insane!

AM: Days leading up to your show, I was on your IG and I could see that there were a lot of moving parts going on. It definitely built up the anticipation, but I know you must have been spending a lot of time getting all those things together.

LB: My God! One day I will tell that story. But we kind of documented everything on film – not everything, because sometimes you don’t think about it. It was by far one of the hardest things that I had ever done. I self-financed it, I had a great team, but me and Mykel, we were both wearing different hats and I had to try and stay kind of zen and to be able to create. I mean, I made all of my samples. There was no team, that’s maybe for next season. But we literally decided because Project Runway All-Stars wrapped in Sept. and technically, we were already at Fashion Week. So I thought, “ok, it doesn’t make sense for me to do a collection in Sept.” But really, if I wanted to wait until I was ready to do it, I should have waited until the following Sept. But then I thought, “no because while things are still hot, I can’t skip Feb.” So we decided that we had 2.5 months to do it. We didn’t know how, we just went by faith. It was like, I believe in you, you believe in me and we just jumped out of the building with no parachute and we hoped that it would land.

AM: What other projects do you have going on now that we can look forward to or that we can keep an eye out for?

LB: Well right now, everything is moving so fast, we are getting our appointments together – so the sales teams so that we can start getting into production and getting into stores. So we will do that in Mar. and we have Market week coming up and April, back thinking about Fashion Week in Sept. So for that, we want to take this to Paris. So the goal is to do Paris Fashion Week and NYFW.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be as you have done a lot and I can only imagine what you will still do with yourself and your brand. But you are a trailblazer and a role model, because there are still not a lot of visible Black people that own luxury brand and especially in the fashion space. That’s something great to see you do unapologetically and in your own style.

LB: Absolutely, like I tell people, it was super important for me growing up in France and even being here, all you hear is people telling us what we can and cannot do and how far we can dream. It’s like when I used to tell people when I was in school to my teachers, they would look at you and roll their eyes. They would tell you to come back down, to be real, and those jobs aren’t for you.

AM: Yup.

LB: And because you said that, that’s why I tell people that I know that I am a Black woman and it’s not going to be easy and that I will have to work 10X harder than the next one because they already have a leg up. I know that and I’m at peace with that. I’m strong. I’m going to knock all of those doors down until I get to where I need to be.

When I went to Italy and they are the kings of leather, how they received and reacted to my work, I looked at their reflection in my eyes and I knew that I had it. I just want my people, or even any people, but especially my people to see me and look at me like, she did it. The hard part of it, I will tell my story and write my book one day about it. I want people to look at me and know that it’s possible. Sometimes, all you need is 1!

I’m not doing it just because I love fashion. I could be ok and I have done a lot and I can be content. But no, I need to continue forward and that's what I want my legacy to be. Because when I have to think of a high end Black designer, I have to do some research and think about it and that’s not normal.

For me, we are fashion.

AM: Absolutely!

LB: Seriously, I look at Christian Dior today, Balmain, and Gucci with the stuff that they are doing now, if you told me 20 years ago that this is where they are going, I would have said you’re dreaming!

AM: 100%

LB: But they’re taking those aesthetics, and we’re not getting credit for it. And then we go and give them our money. I think one of the mistakes I think sometimes we do as Black people when we enter that industry, we set limitations. Money is money wherever it comes from, I don’t care. I’m designing for whoever loves fashion.

I tell people that I am Black everyday, we don’t have to debate about that. But, you need to think about how you move. Hire your people – that is where the power is. Where the money comes from like I don’t care. My clients are everywhere. They’re European, American, African, wherever I don’t care. They love fashion and that is what we’re going to talk about. That is the business model of what everyone is doing. You’re presenting a good or service and then via marketing, you’re able to translate that story; however, the offering is universal.

IG @laurencebasse

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Laurence Basse

Read the FEB ISSUE #99 of Athleisure Mag and see NEW YORK FASHION WEEK FW2024 EDIT in mag.

ROCK THIS WHEN WEEKEND BRUNCHING WITH FRIENDS

Read the FEB ISSUE #98 of Athleisure Mag and see ROCK THIS WHEN WEEKEND BRUNCHING WITH FRIENDS in mag.

9LOOKS | CHRISTIAN DIOR

Read the JUN ISSUE #90 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LOOKS in mag.

PIERRE HARDY | THE MAN OF DESIGN

Pierre Hardy is known as a phenomenal designer who sees dance in his interpretations of design whether he creates shoes and accessories for Hermès, a number of his notable collaborations and of course his namesake collection, Pierre Hardy. His love of dance, design and teaching is felt immediately upon any conversation with him. 

His career includes being an illustrator for Vanity Fair Italy and Vogue Hommes International, designer of women's shoes for Christian Dior, becoming the Creative Director for Women's and Men's shoe collection, as well as the Creative Director for the Fine Jewelry division of Hermès (he still maintains these roles with the brand), collaborating for over a decade with Nicolas Ghesquière for the women and men's collections at BALENCIAGA - and this is just the quick highlights. 

In addition to his coveted roles in the above, in 1999 he launched his own shoe line for men and women and at that time he also collaborated with a number of brands, including 3 shoe capsule collections with GAP and he partnered with NARS for a capsule collection of nail polishes and blushes.

We talked with Pierre to find out his thoughts on designing the smartwatch band for Apple Watch, what his process is like when he is designing, what it was like to launch his own namesake, his relationship with various design houses and the importance of sneakers.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You have designed with Hermès for a number of years and have created iconic prints as well as pieces for the house. What was it like to have the opportunity to create the watch, band?

PIERRE HARDY: It's a very narrow field because I just did the bracelets and leather bands. My mission was to think about what you can do with the band for the smartwatch. What was interesting for me as a designer was to link technically the watch with a high-end leather good - to make them work together. In the beginning, I was a little trepid wondering if this was a good idea - but I was wrong. In the end, it worked so well - for both of the brands I believe! The combination and perfection of how it came together and in working with the team in Paris and to have that time together was interesting.

AM: Will there be other wearable designs in your future?

PH: I believe it was just that one, but I would not say no if they asked me!

AM: Throughout your career, you have collaborated with many designers, what was it like working with them?

PH: First as a point of clarification, I would say that my position with Hermès is not a collaboration, it's more like my second house. We've known each other for such a long time now. When we came together, it was immediate and there wasn't a hierarchy. I was and am happy to be a part of the success of that house. The same can be said in working with Balenciaga. It fit and I liked, as a designer, the experimentation of what we created and it was very different as a designer.  

AM: It seems that when you design with these coveted houses that you are in a state of translation. 

PH: Absolutely, I always look to transform things into different shapes - something visible, tangible and sensible. Something you can enjoy. I'm always looking to understand as a means to design into the pieces that you enjoy. I'm always searching for something new and better. I love the pleasure and satisfaction that comes from the work.
 

AM: How did creating your own line come about?

PH: At that time, I had designed with Hermes for about 10 years and wanted to create pieces that there wasn't a place for them in my work there. I came  to the realization that I would have to create them in another space. I decided to launch 15 models in my living room and I called the press and said, "I've made some shoes, would you like to see them?" I was lucky because it worked for me!

AM: What were you looking to achieve with this line? 

PH: I was naive when I first came out with my line. Looking back at the initial offering, it was a bit rough. When you start something on your own it's so different. The American press was very enthusiastic - it was not the same in France. Neiman Marcus came and bought the first collection - miracle. I told myself that if I sold 1000 pairs of shoes I would be happy - I sold 3000! But when I first started my own line, the idea was there, but the quality wasn't there yet - we were just starting out. I started the line because I wanted newness. People look to the past to recreate but I want to do so in a new way!

AM: You're known for designing heels, bags, and jewelry, but you also design sneakers! Sneakers are on trend - do you think it will continue to evolve?

PH: Yes I design sneakers especially for men! The lines between sneakers and shoes is a blurred one now. It's one of the shoes that women have to wear now - it's our lifestyle and the way we go about our lives! You don't have to think about it and you wear it to be more comfortable and it's a key fashion item nowadays. The main thing to note about them is it's youth. It's the best shoe to wear to look younger! You win 10 years - I'm not kidding! Youth his very important and the feeling of young age is dynamic and filled with energy. I love wearing sneakers! It comes from your memory of college, efficiency, sport, dynamic speed. All of this together - makes you better!

AM: What's your favorite color?

PH: Black - I think everything is beautiful and better in black. The only color I like is red. Black is more of an efficient and theatrical color. It's physical and optical. Anything on a black background looks better and more obvious. Even my home is all black.

Read more from the June Issue and read Pierre Hardy, The Man of Design in Mag.