Every season, there’s always one collection that completely catches me by surprise. I’ll leave the show feeling a little lighter after a hard day of running pillar to post during NYFW. This season, Bibhu Mohapatra gave me that pleasantry.
Everything that happen during the show was sort of serendipity. I was actually a stand in for someone who couldn’t make it. When I walked in, I saw Susan Scafidi, founder of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham University. I met her a few weeks before at a clinic for a small street wear brand I am consulting. We chatted for a second. Scafidi insisted on seeing my look soon after telling me how much she loved the my violet overcoat. She went on about Bibhu and how excited she was for him this season and after a few moments realizing that the show was getting ready to start, Susan rushes to her seat on the second row. I was standing not sure where exactly to go and a coordinator of the show tells me to sit at what happen to be on the front row. As soon as I sat down, the lights went down and the first look came out.
My eyes, got big immediately falling in love with the black and white Onyx Foliage lace and silk barathea mini dress opening the show. The petal shoulders were the first eye catcher grabbed the attention of the audience and every proceeding piece was better than the next.
Mohapatra’s fall collection is a celebration of his tenth anniversary collection honoring the hidden strength of women who created the historical Mount Stewart gardens in Northern Ireland. Mohapatra chose the ultimate “girly” color scheme with blush minks and satin tops; emerald satin and green lace. Mink coats over lace dresses would add a bit of beauty during the harsh winter months.
This season is about the Empowered Woman, but instead of looking like a man, the collection showcase the confidence a woman will have embracing her feminine to contribute to the world. The unfortunate reality that the women responsible for a historically important part of Northern Ireland, did it under the pressure of hiding the fact that they were women; yet their feminine touch was reflected through their work on the gardens. Mohapatra reminds us the Mount Stewart women and women like those ladies, honoring their invaluable contributions but celebrating their womanhood for the source of the beauty they’ve given to the world.
View every look below +