New York Fashion Week: Boy by Band of Outsiders
NEW YORK -- The collection: Having presented his menswear collection earlier this summer in Paris, Band of Outsiders’ creative director Scott Sternberg used the New York Fashion Week runway as a showcase exclusively for his Boy by Band of Outsiders women’s collection.
The inspiration: One part “The Hunger Games,” and two parts Topanga Canyon circa 1970. “I’d just got done watching ‘The Hunger Games’ for the third time, Sternberg explained after the show. “It’s a horrible movie but it’s a beautiful movie, and like the Japanese movie ‘Battle Royale,’ it’s part of this idea that movies have this tendency to make war into something beautiful.”
Photos: New York Fashion Week celebrity sightings
The look: Models with smudges of war paint across their cheekbones sported a variety of braid-accented military-influenced band-leader jackets, olive drab blazers, skirts and ponchos paired with macrame knit vests and shirtdresses layered over patchwork bandeau tops. The ‘70s vibe could also be seen in the flowing lady-of-the-canyon hemlines and range of tie-dyed and over-dyed pieces – including a tie-dyed leather hoodie (we honestly didn’t know that was possible), and Japanese influence could be found in the Shibori-dyed pieces, which included skirts, shirtdresses and a kimono coat and shorts.
But for all the eye-catching patterns and prints – blue melting waves, lotus flowers, frogs and clouds just to name a few – the most memorable pieces were the most simple; a series of white silk georgette dresses printed with two or three simple, elegant smudges of color, almost like the opening brush strokes on a watercolor canvas, which Sternberg describes in the show notes as a “war paint print.”
The scene: NBA Tyson Chandler and his wife – working on a husband-and-wife fashion week story for “Vogue” were front row – seated next to actor/comedian Aziz Ansari, a longtime supporter of the brand. “I’ve been friends with Scott and other Band people for a long time,” Ansari told us after the show, and I had a week off from ‘Parks’ so I thought I’d come check out the show.” Also in the audience? Sternberg’s grandmother.
The verdict: Although at this point he could easily rest on his “updated preppy with a twist” laurels, Sternberg continues to explore, expand and populate his universe – and that’s a very good thing. We can’t wait to see where he takes us next.
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