NYFW Spring 2014: Katya Leonovich

This post is quite overdue since life got busier but I hope that you still appreciate the Art-to-wear quality of the collection 

Although Russian designer Katya Leonovich is already well known throughout Europe, she just made her NYFW debut just two years ago. We have been watching this designer grow and evolve ever since. Leonovich has a signature ‘Beautiful Garbage’ concept that has been with her from the start bit this season, that concept was less evident. The focus of the show was more about silhouette and draping. The show was a combination of Spring-ready gauzy pastels and unexpected leathers in bold colors. 

Iridescent fabrics made a strong presence throughout and gold, icy blue and frosty beige were at the heart of many designs. Sleek leather was given a sexy look with lacing up the front and like-a-glove fit. Feminine ruffles and organic draping had dresses seemingly dripping off the body.

 Marble print introduced Ms. Leonovich's love of color but less harsh and softer than in past efforts. I personally felt the cocktail dresses were the most successful effort and would look lovely floating down a red carpet on a starlet who is not afraid to be a little bold.

 

NYFW Fall 2013: Katya Leonovich

The Russian designer Katya Leonovich presented her runway show at The Studio at Lincoln Center on Saturday morning with the strong beats of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir pounding the models hit the catwalk with vigor.

The designer best known for her love of beautiful garbage and use of couture techniques presented a collection that had a deep sea feel to it - the colors were primarily swirling shades of blue and black. The black elements relied heavily on texture while the blue swirling prints were most likely created as a direct result of the designer's paintings. Some dresses were carefully edged in faux fur while on other pieces origami draping and the addition of python added visual interest. Mongolian goat fur trim was used on some of the leather pieces for dramatic and luxe effect.

NYFW Presentation: Katya Leonovich Fall 2012

Katya Leonovich the designer who last season masterfully brought control out of chaos and who has a fascination with beautiful garbage this time presented a collection called "An Architectural Aesthetic" at the Box in the Lincoln Center.

Overhead paintings that the designer herself had painted of New York City buildings served as the inspiration for the collection and the prints.

The paintings themselves served up as the colorful basis for prints.  The prints were in sharp contrast to the rippled metallics that remind me of building surfaces, the structural boned leathers that look like the ribs of a building and the sharp graphic use of black and white/python.  Sometime self tubes of fabric were used to create a protective cage around the body but no matter how sharp those style lines of the corsets appear there is always still an element of soft femininity.  It's a s simple as fabric flowing over the hips in a soft slightly rounded manner to a peplum shape and organic draped chiffon creating almost petals around the body.

NYFW Spring 2012: Katya Leonovich

So after a slight misjudgment in when I would actually be able to wake up after a fun night at the VuQo vodka launch I literally woke up the morning of the Katya Leonovich without a moment to spare.  I woke up at 10:15am, the presentation was from 10:30-11:30am and after throwing on some clothes I was fighting against the clock and the MTA to make it from Brooklyn to the Lincoln Center.  And despite some initial set backs, somehow I made it with 15 minutes to spare.

I tore up a path to The Box and relief sank in. The first thing I noticed was the interesting sport inspired color palette. The prints were as vibrant and lively as the back drop of illustrated American football players. Something about it brought to mind motion. Yellow, red, cobalt blue, white and turquoise seem to swirl together in chiffon to create softly voluminous puffs of dresses. Contrasting this was clean white leather that was sharply tailored and featuring both crisp cut-out details and self slashed fringe.

Denim was carefully dyed, slashed and patched together creating optical effects that resembled some sort of armored shell. Organza was pleated to create architectural effects that reminded me of the exoskeleton of an insect.

Hair was styled in a deliberately messy sculptural shape. Make up was simple with barely stained red lips, dewy shadows on lids. The overall effect was confidence, a cartoonish/animated quality and a look that said, "Just try to mess with me". 

While in the wrong hands the results could have been utter chaos – Katya Leonovich somehow brought the chaos under the control of her watchful eye.  It’s an aesthetic that despite not coinciding with my personal taste, I can appreciate.