Jonathan Simkhai wasn’t out to reinvent the wardrobe for spring so much as reconsider what that wardrobe could be made of.
Back on a New York runway after a presentation for fall, the designer put material experimentation at the center of his women’s and men’s collections, exploring the tension between the constructed city and the unpredictability of nature. Tropical plants, particularly the spiky pincushion flower, provided an organic counterpoint to the collection’s controlled opening.
Simkhai conceived the show as a passage from day into night. Refined tailoring, tanks, trousers and shirting gradually gave way to asymmetric hemlines, elongated dresses and more exuberant evening flourishes. Along the way, familiar materials became increasingly difficult to pin down: organza mingled with PVC and optic fiber, floral lace was rubberized, denim coated, and leather sliced into fluid fringe.
“I thought that fabric innovation would make things feel cool and feel interesting,” Simkhai said backstage, describing his desire to balance beauty and joy with something tougher.
The technical experimentation was often more surprising than the silhouettes themselves, which remained rooted in a recognizable vocabulary. At times, coatings that rendered everyday materials strange also tempered some of their natural ease. But as the collection loosened up, the proposition grew more compelling: raw silk chiffon fringe shivered around the body, three-dimensional guipure added depth, and leather became unexpectedly pliable and animated.
That tactile experimentation carried into a growing accessories assortment. Ostrich feathers sprouted from boots and metal-framed bags, while stingray and glossy patent treatments continued the collection’s play between the natural and synthetic. Simkhai said accessories have been “really, really strong,” with boots in particular gaining traction.
Simkhai spoke of balancing wardrobe staples with “something new.” Spring was strongest when those impulses met — familiar clothes transformed through material sleight of hand.
