The Blue Jacket Fashion Show Hosted by Frederick Anderson

 

This coming Wednesday designer Frederick Anderson will be hosting the Blue Jacket Fashion Show with Janssen Oncology & Benefitting Zero – The End of Prostate Cancer. The designer gave me an exclusive preview for the evening and you can find my red carpet coverage of the event here on Wednesday evening to see it all happen!

Anderson founded the event with Laura Miller and together they have grown the event to a successful staple on the New York City social calendar that raises awareness for Prostate cancer and screening. 

Frederick shared his excitement for the event as well as the inspiring story of how he came up with the idea in an exclusive interview with me before the big day. He also gave me a sneak peak at what he will be wearing and his plans for the upcoming NYFW! He is celebrating his 5th year with his namesake collection and will be showing his Renaissance collection on February 15th. 

1. What inspired you to found this In my forties and getting the speech from my doctor about prostate and colon cancer and getting my first colonoscopy and PSA.  I had no idea. I had never had a conversation about any of it.  Frightening and concerning… as I am part of the fashion industry and we promote the fashion fights breast cancer I wondered “what about the men”? Well I took it upon myself to start the conversation and based on the reaction its a conversation that was needed.

 

2. Do you know what you'll be wearing to the big night? 

I'll be wearing a couture velvet suit by Sartoria Studio which is opening in NYC on Feb 6th with a Blue jacket fundraiser.

3. How do you think fashion and designers can have an impact on important causes? 

We have a platform and are respected.  I think its my responsibility to use that power for change and awareness. 

4. How has being one of FGI's rising stars affected you? 

Its really amazing to be honored by your peers. The boost is amazing.

6. Any plans for Fashion week in February you can share? The collection is called renaissance.  I feel is fitting for my life and where I am at 5years of my own signature collection.

Trends from PROJECT NYC 2023

This year Project NYC was all about creating a cool and curated space to discover what's new in menswear and even some genderless clothing as well. The opening day kicked off with a trends presentation from Moose Tracks. 

I headed through the floor to look for the latest trends as well as discover the up and coming talent in menswear this season. 

I started with this lovely pastel collection by LA based brand no one. The friends and founders created a menswear line that is all about letting go of ego and contrasts utilitarian style with fun colors and embroidery. Guillermo Bravo was another standout brand featuring unique deconstructed styles with removeable pockets, patchwork clothing, and mixed media designs. 

The modern styles are open to genderless styles and focus on high quality designs that add a statement to the everyday. John Carl Yates an NYC based designer displayed pieces from the fall collection inspired by wool. The elevated silhouettes allowed for comfortable and stretchy wool sets that could be mixed and matched with other pieces. I love the cowl neck design that could be worn for either gender. Javelin another NYC brand also stood out as a trend setter with simple and elegant designs that each told a story. 

Jagvi a French brand with stores in Paris presented a contemporary and sustainable collection that brought elements of classic European style to Project. The collection was full of basic pieces perfect for a capsule wardrobe with a few pops of color for statement pieces. This brand was one of my favorite sustainable collections from the show. Other sustainable designers included Natalie Brown New York who creates unisex puffer jackets and other pieces out of recycled vintage t-shirts. Denim brand Gilded Age also based in NYC offers a more unique take on sustainability focusing on making products that are timeless and limiting collection releases. Not giving in to the ever expanding fashion calendar is an important but not often talked about part of reaching sustainable goals for the fashion industry. 

Awet NYC is another sustainable minded brand that focuses on fashion and social change. The brand's founder a refugee who previously worked at the UN brings his unique experience to the fashion industry by organizing events and products around topics such as refugees, women's history month, and more. The brand is also dedicated to helping garment industry workers in NYC who are a vital part of the reason that NYC is such a hub for the fashion industry. 

Loungewear and vacation wear brands including Samuel Zelig, Sundek USA, and Jasper Los Angeles all showed unique takes on the athleisure industry which is still going strong after Covid. Accessories at the show included footwear and eyewear. One of my favorite lines was the sunglasses collection from brutish brand Spitfire eyewear. I also loved some of the more colorful pieces from the GH Bass fall collection. 

The day ended with a fireside chat with Edwina Kulego VP of Project and futurist/influencer Jerome Lamaar about the future of fluidity in fashion and retail. Check out my coverage of the panel in my next article coming soon! 

Red Carpet Style from the 2023 Critics Choice Awards

Photo credit: Monica Schipper/WireImage

The 2023 Critics Choice Awards were held in Los Angeles on Sunday January 15th. As awards season gets underway in 2023 red carpet style is where celebs show off the latest trends. The Critics Choice Awards was no exception with a stunning lineup of looks from Viola Davis sequin Valentino dress to Amanda Seyfried's gold metallic Dior gown. It's no secret that sparkle is going to be a big trend in 2023 especially during awards season. However there is another trend I'm watching this year as well which is sustainable fashion. Sustainability will take center stage for the fashion world in 2023 as designers and consumers adapt to more eco-conscious clothing in big ways. 

Markarian, a New York City based brand founded by designer Alexandra O'Neill in 2017 is working to create conscious clothing in a fashionable way. The brand is founded on a timeless and romantic design aesthetic and produces made to order garments in an effort to reduce waste. The floral gown worn by Melanie Zanetti this weekend was designed by O'Neill as part of the Autumn/Winter 2022 collection. The ruffle bodice added a feminine touch to the ivory and blue gown that popped on the red carpet. Other sustainable brands represented on the carpet included the Stella McCartney cutout dress worn by Sarah Hyland.

Next up for awards season red carpet style is the Grammys on February 5th. Stay tuned for more style coverage!