Lori Harvey and Teyana Taylor recently linked up, posing for photos at the PrettyLittleThing runway show in NYC and turning heads in their all-black getups. Harvey rocked a sheer plunging black gown, paired with a set of black velvet gloves. The creative director showed out in a suit-inspired gown, complete with satin details. Both complimented their looks with some eye-catching gold accessories. The duo showcased pieces from the brand’s recent collaboration with supermodel Naomi Campbell.
The PrettyLittleThing fashion show displayed the new collaboration between the brand and Campbell, who even took the runway for a spin herself. She admits that even for her, the walk was quite the undertaking. Campbell says it was “nerve-wracking to do that walk — on every level,” adding, however, that “this is what [she] wanted.” The collection is inspired by Campbell’s iconic ’90s looks, and showcases the pieces on an array of diverse bodies. PrettyLittleThing describes the Naomi Campbell collab on their website, stating that, “This collection will bring all the attitude and provide all the statement pieces that will take your wardrobe to a whole new level.”
It’s clear that both Taylor and Harvey kicked off New York Fashion Week right. As of late, Taylor has also dipped her toe back into performing, recently appearing as a guest headliner at Afropunk Brooklyn. She got emotional during her set, telling fans “I’m outside.” The singer continued, “I always get scared to headline festivals because I never think anybody will stay for me. I just wanna thank y’all so much for staying out in this hot-a** weather for me.”
Harvey, on the other hand, has been busy flaunting her relationship with Damson Idris on social media. Most recently, she celebrated the British actor’s 32nd birthday with a sweet social media post. “Happyyyy Birthdayyyy twinnnnn!!!! I love youuuuuu,” the model wrote on her Instagram Story. Keep an eye on HNHH for more updates on Teyana Taylor and Lori Harvey.
MSCHF, which is Mischief without the vowels, is an art collective based out of New York City. The collective has a long-standing history of trolling consumer culture, specifically by selling consumer goods. Known for such releases as the shoe collaboration with Lil Nas X, and the Nike Satan Shoes. Which allegedly were made with real human blood. As well as Jimmy Fallon’s Gobstomper sneakers last summer, which were, “designed to be destroyed.” A few months later, they put out a medical boot. Why? The project was described as an homage to the fact that “industries with little to no regard for aesthetics designing objects for utilitarian purposes churn out bangers like no one else.”
To add to their long line of consumer products for consumerism’s sake they have released items such as a MSCHF defibrillator “to fix your literal broken heart.” As well as a collection of AI-generated foot pics. With the tagline “this foot does not exist.” The collective has even gone so far as to have made Birkenstocks out of Birkin Bags, sold a box of cereal containing one big Fruit Loop, and created an ATM leaderboard that tracks and ranks the checking account balance of anyone who uses it. As of December 2022, Diplo was No. 1 with $3,004,913.06.
The Big Red Boots Are Unveiled
Image via MSCHF
On February 16th, the brand released its latest product. A shoe destined to go viral: MSCHF’s big red boots, aptly named the Big Red Boot. They are made of TPU rubber and an EVA mid-outsole and take design cues from a video game. A press release for the shoe read, “Cartoonishness is an abstraction that frees us from the constraints of reality,” the release continued, “If you kick someone in these boots, they go boing!” The artist collective known for its subversive creations, stated, “Big red boots are really not shaped like feet, but they are extremely shaped like boots.”
Each boot weighs about three and a half pounds bringing the total weight for the pair to a whopping seven pounds. Even more astounding than the weight of the boots, was the rollout of the shoes. Leading up to New York Fashion Week, they were spotted everywhere among a multitude of celebrities. From Instagram models and TikTok grandpas to the Barclays center during Coi Leray’s halftime show. Photos of artist Diplo emerged wearing the Big Red Boots at a Knicks game. They were even spotted on WWE’s Seth Rollins, as he kicked another wrestler in the face while wearing the Big Red Boots. Basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wore them to the arena before a game and even Janelle Monae wore them to shoot hoops.
Once NYFW began, the boots became the new “it” accessory. Not surprisingly of course. Brands typically give celebrities and models articles of specific clothing and/or accessories to wear, as a marketing technique. MSCHF was no different with their Big Red Boots. They were spotted by celebrities and street style stars all over Fashion Week. Street-style photographer Phil Oh captured them on various stars. American singer/songwriter Dorian Electra styled them with a graphic coat, and mini skirt to fully show the shoes and donned a matching beret. Model Sarah Snyder paired the boots with a glossy red skirt and white tights; TikTok star and model Wisdom Kaye decided to style them with athletic shorts. No matter how they were worn the statement boots were styled to be the focal point.
Though the boots are rather unusual and even more impractical to wear, it’s been quite interesting to see how quickly the world was taken by storm by them. Upon being released on the 16th of February, the Big Red Boots were sold out in minutes. Leading to the site crashing shortly thereafter. Upon selling out, they were then listed on resale sites ranging between $1,200 and $1,500. Almost quadruple the original selling price of $350. The debate on the shoes has been as interesting as the shoes themselves. Some say the brand, and specifically the boots, are a social experiment–slash–experiential art project. While many others still have said the real art is the whole spectacle of releasing such a shoe. The reaction to the boots, the reaction to that reaction, the realization that it’s not just about boots, and the simultaneous truth that they are, in fact, just boots.
MSCHF as a collective seems to continuously roll out products that raise eyebrows. They have an interesting and complex understanding of how consumerism and over-saturation seemingly go hand in hand these days. This was made overtly apparent in the case of the Big Red Boots. While the MSCHF may appear cartoonish, the art collective is entirely serious about its release. In an interview with the New York Times, they rejected the idea that the boots were a joke. “It’s not a satire,” MSCHF said in a statement to The New York Times, after declining to be interviewed. “But what’s interesting is that we’re at a moment in time where it doesn’t have to be.”
After taking a hiatus from the world of runway shows for three years Heron Preston unveiled his “Anything Goes” Fall/Winter 2023 collection. Set in a Manhattan loft space, the show was an ode to New York, the birthplace of the brand. Several shows in Paris, L.A., as well as digital shows due to the pandemic, have taken place in recent years. However, this was the first time Heron Preston debuted at New York Fashion Week as a solo show.
When asked about the influence of New York on his designs, Preston told Office Magazine, “It’s a big melting pot of so many different cultures, walks of life, languages, and style codes. This is something that this city really gives me that I don’t necessarily get when I go to San Francisco, for example, where I was born and raised. New York has this kind of fresh style, this swagger to it. I hate to use that word but you know what I’m saying? New York has this kind of attitude when it comes to style. . . it’s just so energetic and interesting and it’s never a dull moment.”
Opening the show was a man wearing an orange safety vest painting the concrete floor with white paint. The collection was heavily dripped in utilitarian and workwear-inspired trousers and shirts. Elsewhere, “security” vests and sportswear-inspired pieces such as ski goggles, motorcycle gloves, racing jackets, and shorts were displayed. The streetwear-core aesthetic that designer Heron Preston is accustomed to was also painted across the entire collection.
The New York community also served as inspiration for the collection with looks that embody the cool-kid aesthetics of the Upper East side. Mismatched and layered clothes in a Y2K way were shown, without the tackiness. Appropriately titled, the Heron Preston Fall/Winter collection offered a little bit of everything sprinkled into the collection. In the most stylish way possible. “Anything Goes” was truly the theme of the collection. Puffer jackets were paired over top of a black silk dress with black furry boots. Skirts were layered overtop pants, and faux fur coats were paired with corset tops, shorts, and construction boots.
Highlights of the collection include footwear such as furry boots, chunky dad sneakers, and neon green sneakers. More footwear included faux fur heels, chunky construction boots, and foam slides. Other accessories from the collection include sporty shield sunglasses, furry bags, and leather gloves. Athleisure-approved balaclavas, chainmail balaclavas, “HPNY” and “S.T.F.U” adorned caps and fringe-detailed bags were also showcased.
New York Fashion Week is here, and the shows have been nothing short of amazing. The celebrities are showing up and eating up in looks good enough to walk the runway. Hip-hop newcomer and TikTok icon Ice Spice attended her first fashion week shows at Dion Lee on Friday, and at Coach yesterday. She was spotted sitting front row with none other than Lil Nas X, who is an ambassador for the brand. Lil Nas X has previously walked for Coach in their Spring/Summer 2023 show.
The Autumn/Winter 2023 collection paid homage to New York house parties and the nostalgic 90s grunge era. Ice Spice was seen wearing a varsity-inspired emerald green dress with platform red heels. To accessorize, she wore a mini red Coach clutch to match. She also wore her signature custom $100,000 chain made by Benny Da Jeweler. The chain features an animated version of the Bronx rapper’s face, complete with a curly afro covered in diamonds.
Lil Nas X wore a cropped red shearling coat from the brand to match his fuzzy red Coach Tabby bag. He also sported red shoes, and denim flared jeans that featured a complimentary red fur cutout at the ankles. The show was outstanding, to say the least. It was only right for the New York-based brand to bring out some New York natives and fashion icons in the making to sit front row. Social media has gone crazy with the duo. Lil Nas X went straight to his Instagram feed- proving that they were totally meant to become fashion besties.
Additionally, several other celebrities made an appearance at the Coach show. Zoey Deutch, another ambassador for the Coach brand, and Camila Mendes and her boyfriend and influencer Rudy Mancuso sat in the front row with Ice Spice and Lil Nas X. According to Women’s Wear Daily, when asked about her favorite part of the show Ice Spice said it was the bags, specifically “the little banana bags and the little fish bag, that was so cute.” We cannot wait to see what other shows Lil Nas X and Ice Spice attend together. Although he is not a stranger to fashion week, we would still love to see him walk the runway again. As for Ice Spice, her new EP “Like…?” has granted her access to superstar-status activities such as attending fashion shows. There is no doubt that she will pop up in more shows, wearing more stylish looks throughout the duration of fashion month.
