Global Fashion Collective came back in full force today with their FW 2018 runway show, featuring four, unique designers showcasing a capsule collection. Designers Monaca Nishu, Melissa Yin, Caroline Ann, and Roop Shimura were this year’s selected creatives to be featured, and much of their respective collections did not disappoint.

Fiction Tokyo (Monaca Nishu)

“Dressed not to kill any guys, but to please one girl in the mirror”

Fiction Tokyo was an embodiment of the urban woman shown through a constant juxtaposition of indulgence and femininity. Designer, Monaca Nishu contrasts material by mixing leather, with its opposites satin and silk. She creates a restrained structure through skin tight leather masks and wildly high heels, while alluding to freedom with pants that transition from skinny to flared, and blouses that flow out from under restrictive belts and bralettes. There is a constant playful allure of restriction and freedom, the restriction reminds the observer of the female form which is to be celebrated as well. While the free flowing aspects allude the the natural fun of being a woman. As well as femininity, the designer plays with the idea of adolescence and sexuality through the rabbit masks that are both girlish and sensual. Fiction Tokyo is a consistent world of its own, through the careful selection of garments and accessories from head to toe, as well as the ironic parlor music, Nishu creates a collection that embodies the delightful confusion of being a woman.

Melissa Yin (Melissa Yin)

At first I thought this collection was going to be another home run, it opened with a mid length tailored t-shirt dress with a neck tie and retro silver buttons. For an entirely leather collection this was not what I was expecting and I was instantly drawn in. The following piece was a dramatic tan trench coat with perfectly large pocket details. After these two pieces, the collection reverted to my expectations and became black leather skirts, pants, and jackets— all accompanied by extremely ‘blah’ white shirts. The very last look brought me back to my original excitement with a pair of flared red leather pants with a thin band of sparkles under the right knee, these flares definitely stood out amount the sea of black leather. Although I found three of the pieces unique the overarching consistency of the collection was uninspired.

Caroline Ann (Caroline Ann)

There is really nothing redeemable about this collection. First and foremost the color palette was that of a tacky prom dress.

It consisted of hot pink, cobalt blues, and neon orange. Ann designed two piece sets with high neck and crop tops with exposed midriff—which screamed originality. There were some unfortunate off the shoulder silhouettes as well as some ‘cold shoulder’ structures. Most pieces had long flowing capes that fondly reminded me of a beta fish— although this was the least offensive construction, I don’t want my dresses to look like a fish. While I appreciated the funky beading on the shoes, they were still unacceptable except because of that transparent plastic base that was really never a good idea in footwear. In comparison to the originality and edge of the other collections Caroline Ann comes off as late to the party and purposeless.

WILDFRÄULEIN71

Set to a frightening remix of KC and The Sunshine Band’s “Thats The Way I like it”, Japanese designer, Roop Shimura’s collection is creepy in its most intoxicating and authentic form. Based on the brand’s seemingly sexist inspiration “The strong but transient beauty of a woman with a courageous man by her side.” I did not know what to expect from the collection. I was pleasantly surprised by the genderless ensembles. Although femininity was a staple within the other collections gender was not apparent in WILDFRÄULEIN71. The collection was truly seamless and unique, models both male and female sported layered cardigans, sweaters, overcoats, skirts, vests, hats and even mittens all in earthy tones and patterns. In spite of the choice of earth tones the line remained colorful, unlike the obvious attention seeking palette in Caroline Ann, the earth tones in WILDFRÄULEIN71 create an unexpected complexity and consistency. Many of the models held works of art in the place of bags, combining Shimura’s love for both design and fine art which is the essence of his brand. WILDFRÄULEIN71 stole the show by having an authentic, tangible, substance and purpose behind every look.

Email Amanda Burkett at [email protected].