I had the pleasure of attending sustainable brand Dauphinette’s New York Fashion Week show “Tasting Menu” last Sunday on February 13. Intrigued by the collection name, I was excitedly anticipating the whimsical glamor that Olivia Cheng, Dauphinette’s creator, had in store for the Fall/Winter 2022 season.
Long story short: she did not disappoint. Within the rustic dining room of Lee’s on Canal Street, Cheng’s new line dazzled and delighted all of us attendees. The venue and hospitality alone had me floored – befitting for an exhibition of a tasting menu, Cheng provided drinks such as a rice juice that contained shimmering opalescent glitter as well as oranges delicately wrapped in paper that paid homage to her Chinese culture. The designer’s personal take on a physical menu was also being handed out to guests, taking the form of a watercolor patterned mini booklet that lists each of her “dishes.”
Before long, music begins streaming out of the speakers, and the models emerge from a door on the left-hand side, strutting confidently to their positions on the floor. One after another, metallic aqua-lipped, street-chic individuals stand before me, with pieces ranging from skirts to sweaters to feathery bird-inspired headdresses.
The immense creativity and range of imagination present within this collection are downright inspiring. Each aspect, hair and makeup and styling, is seductive in a nuanced, new-age way, and everything combines exquisitely to create what is fashion’s latest à la mode. There’s hair spiked to the ceiling, bleached eyebrows, classic Converse sneakers paired with glorious feather-trimmed robes, the list goes on. One piece, in particular, that has not left my mind since the showing is a bralette and skirt set composed of genuine rosebuds coated in eco-friendly resin and connected via elongated metal chains. All of the whimsy and joy of clothing is bundled into these thoughtfully fierce yet graceful pieces, and it was nothing short of a dream to witness it with my own eyes. I could go on about Dauphinette’s FW22 presentation, but I suggest you see the magic for yourself.