No matter how strong a message Seco pushed with his designs, the chaos surrounding the event cannot be ignored. Members of the press and guests to the show were forced to wait in the bitter cold for nearly two hours with no communication and even after the doors opened, there was a single, panicked lady handling check-in for hundreds of us. The poor start tainted the reception towards Seco’s creations.

Leaders in many industries have incorporated political themes in their recent works, and Seco is no different. The Mexican designer showcased pieces promoting resistance, whether through unapologetically bold text reading “cabrona” — which roughly translates to the slang term “badass bitch” — or by placing images of children front and center, reminding us of the U.S. government’s cruel policies at the border. It seemed like the audience had done their homework on Seco too. A woman in the first row wore a jacket that read “Mexico is the shit” on the back.

Beyond the larger message, however, the looks themselves were a mix of patterns and colors. Seco overlayed pink zebra print with blue plaid, puffy black jackets with graffiti print tees, neon crop tops paired with velour tracksuit bottoms reminiscent of the early 2000s. The floral patterns were one of a kind, rather than sticking to the familiar red roses — pots containing a variety of flowers covered every inch of a plastic-y poncho, for example. Black leather was the fabric of choice, from knee-length shorts to jackets to long pants.

Even the soundtrack that accompanied the show was influenced by the designer’s home. Pop music by the Los Ángeles Azules helped create a show that was cheerful while still promoting the activist message Seco sought. The venue was also chosen with purpose. A church with colorful motifs and makeshift projections, Angel Orensanz was perfect for Seco’s theme of Mexican street activism. He succeeded in this endeavor and also in pushing a forceful display of bright and unconventional pieces.

Read more of WSN’s New York Fashion Week coverage here. Email Akshay Prabhushankar at [email protected].