Twitter has turned “do better” into a burn, but to me, that’s crazy. The most exciting thing we can do is better, whether with kindness or knowledge or—you knew it was coming!—a more conscious way to shop for the things we wear, and a more versatile way of styling them for many seasons to come. Here’s the proof from Day 4 of #NYFW, where new ideas were served family style, and we get to pick and choose how much newness ends up on our plate.
Basically, the fashion world right now is at a crossroads—sustainable or fast, disposable or regenetive. It’s up to us to decide what version of “better” we want to do next, and daring us to #DoBetter isn’t an insult—it’s the whole point of the game. Let’s check out some of the players.
If Avengers were designers, Thom Browne may take the mantle of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Dr. Strange—emotionally, if not aesthetically. Both warp and expand the world’s understanding of time, both believe mathematical precision can lead to pure magic, and both are really into vintage wool cloaks. “But FK, Thom Browne isn’t showing during New York Fashion Week!” you may be saying. And you’re right… mostly. While Mr. Browne isn’t here physically, he’s just released a series of images to scent the air for his upcoming show. They’re focused on Browne’s signature tartan, an officially registered print in Scotland, and they promise “a renewed focus on heritage fabrics will be further explored” at his April 29th show.
Speaking of tartan, let’s talk Michelle Duncan. While working as a beauty industry VIP, the Lower East Sider got obsessed with the perfect “demi-goth” plaid dress—so obsessed, she finally went to Edinburgh, tracked down her family’s heritage check, and made the outfit herself. Dagger-sharp suiting and oversized oxford shirts followed until Duncan had created her own fashion coven, complete with fans like Courtney Love and Kehlani. Her latest runway doubles down on her fierce commitment to power dresses and statement lips (now with more glitter), plus a new push of tartan shapes, including—bless my 2008 dreams— a bubble hem skirt! On the way out of the show, I bumped into Tavi Gevinson. She was wearing a puffer coat made out of a recycled quilt, which was worlds away from Duncan’s midnight spell vibes, but still told the story of buy-now-keep-forever that Michelle is holding fast in her work.
This Iranian-born designer trained at the Rhode Island School of Design, which has fostered (or maybe the better word is “forged”) a tribe of deadpan style misfits like Eckhaus Latta and Eva Fehren, along with key creatives at J.Crew, Saint Laurent, and more. Her runways are always a “whoaaah, I never thought of a shirt like that” kind of art practicum, but this one hit different, with an opening look that urged IRL solutions to people who haven’t worn “real” pants in 2 years. (Zadah’s proposal: ease into it with sky blue mesh, on-the-couch knitwear, and a red leather miniskirt to seal the deal.) Zadeh also cast acclaimed novelist Ottessa Moshfegh, which made girls who bring books to bars really excited, and made everyone else ask, “Who’s that girl? She seems cool.”
If you are very excited about the new Lord of the Rings series, you may enjoy dressing like an opal-blooded elf in a textured all-white cocoon that probably levitates all by itself. Bevza is your go-to for that piece of fashion wish fulfillment—or, you know, just wear it as a wedding dress like a normal (but very knowing and cool) person. Bonus points for the padded white ear muffs, which are also fabulous.
If you loved the cinched leather belts on Burch’s models, good news: you can try out the look with indie designer Pritch London before the real deal hits the market. Alas, the actual abstract art she turned into easy, slinky, future-forward dresses for women aged 20—90? You’re gonna have to call your nearest Tory store and put them on reserve now, because that’s what everyone else is doing, too.
Haven’t you heard? Theater kids are cool now and Renee Rapp is their queen. The HBO starlet and Mean Girls: The Musical ingenue showed up front row at Coach, and unlike some influencers in bare legs and open-toed sandals, she actually dressed for the sub-zero weather and still looked great. Lesson #1: Don’t underestimate a drama major; she can figure anything out. Lesson #2: Those shearling boots on the Coach runway? Send them to these TikTok kids before they lose a toe out there.
The. Bag. Is. Back. You know the one—the Pashli double-zip satchel hauled by Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson, Lauren Conrad, and every other starlet once stalked by the Bling Ring. For his new collection, Lim made a version in deep blue velvet and another in teal, plus riffs like pastel pouches and hobos that brandish (and burnish) the Pashli’s signature hardware.
SNL’s Heidi Gardner made a front row appearance at Markarian that doubled, quite beautifully, as a narrative arc for the brand. She wore a purple dress from the made-in-Manhattan label’s spring season, while on the runway, the fall version—in blue, with dotted tights underneath—served as a reassuring grace note: whichever season of this designer you buy, it will always endure as a go-to party dress.
Check out the brilliance of this Dion Lee doubletake: the Australian designer cast twins Maddie and Margot Whitley in his Brooklyn show, then put them in diametrically opposing looks to show his season’s versatility. Between the black lace harness and the white cargo trousers, you really can’t lose… except in terms of up-front cash, because yes, these are investment pieces. The cost-per-wear will be tiny, though. You can endlessly remix and layer this stuff.
Presenting Gossip Girl star and Tex-Mex LGBTQ+ queen Zion Moreno. Can confirm she looks fabulous in anything she wears, has unfairly shiny hair, and is a truly lovely human. Can also confirm she has big things in the works, but you’ll have to stay tuned to your TVs for that.
This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR US.