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Graduation Caps & Gowns at New York Fashion Week 2018
What are the first words that spring to mind when you think about graduation gowns?
Academic? Professional? Celebration? Achievement? Fashionable?! Perhaps the latter is not the first word you would have used to describe graduation attire but the recent catwalk graduation at New York Fashion Week suggests otherwise….
The 2018 New York Fashion Week took place between the 6th and 14th of September and within some of the shows there were themes of high school and education. Some of the designers had models strutting down the runway in high school themed clothing and glamourous graduation gear!
This popular event takes place twice a year and shows off the fashion collections for the new season. The September event was a forecast of the fashion for the new season in Spring 2019.
Fashion Week goes back to school
One of the main themes for the new Spring / Summer (SS19) collections was education and school days. A few of the major fashion labels portrayed the innocence of youth and the stereotypes of American high schools in their new season collections.
Some examples include the letterman jackets on Ralph Lauren’s 50th Anniversary runway and Vaquera’s high school-themed show, where a model dressed in cap and gown closed the show. Finally there was Raf Simons’ ‘The Graduate’-themed collection for Calvin Klein 205W39NYC, where some of models finished the show with their heads topped with graduation caps.
We have looked into a few of the designer’s looks in more detail below.
Ralph Lauren’s Preppy Jumpers & Jackets
The preppy look is making a comeback! Ralph Lauren definitely celebrated his 50 years of being a designer in style during the NY Fashion Week.
The letterman jackets, school blazers, ties and scarves worn by the models provided a retro and preppy feel to the show.
Vaquera’s High School Stereotypes & Glamorous Graduation
The trio of designers behind the Vaquera brand – Patric DiCaprio, Claire Sully and Bryn Taubensee – presented their innovative vision of SS19. Each outfit represented different high school stereotypes!
All of the models were dressed in school themed clothing including scribbled on uniforms, school sweaters, cheerleading pom poms as shoulder pads and finally a graduation ceremony finale!
One model walked the catwalk in a huge blue satin graduation gown and an oversized graduation style cap, clutching a gold-framed school portrait in his hand. A fantastic way to mark the end of the show and celebrate fashion, just as graduation ceremonies are a brilliant way of marking academic success.
Calvin Klein’s Movies & Mortarboards
Graduation caps also featured in the Calvin Klein 205W39NYC Spring / Summer 2019 Collection.
The spectacular show began with a ‘Jaws’ themed catwalk with models wearing ‘Jaws’ t-shirts with wet hair against a blue seascape backdrop. Next there was another film themed appearance when Cindy Crawford’s 17-year-old daughter Kaia Gerber walked down the runway in a blazer and black mortar board, like in the movie ‘The Graduate’.
All of the scenes were supposed to portray different versions of America in a sort of exploration of the country. High school was a major theme. Other examples include a red and white coat which appeared almost bloodstained, a prom dress fashioned from a black bin liner and demure tight pencil skirts sexed up with long burgundy latex gloves.
The recurring theme throughout the whole show was the graduation caps that kept popping up all over the place. Calvin Klein’s creative exploration of America was a fantastic celebration of fashion, art and American culture.
A Graduation Dominated Catwalk
Who would have guessed that graduation caps and gowns could be so on trend? At Graduation Attire we have a range of gowns, mortar boards and accessories so if you are looking to become the local fashion icon in your school, university or workplace. So strike a pose!
