As the lights began to dim, an orange glow illuminated Deity New York’s runway and a haunting siren song filled the room. 

Bishop’s maiden show began with a neutral color palette of whites, blacks, tans and olive greens. Instead of relying on colors, she relied on contrasting fabric weight, opacity and volume. Flowy, sheer crepe tops were paired with structured leather skirts and shorts. Mesh and cutouts were omnipresent throughout the collection as a sexy twist on clean-cut silhouettes. 

Perhaps the look that best encompasses Deity’s philosophy of classic with a youthful edge is the second look to come down the runway: an ethereal white maxi dress with mesh side panels and cutouts reminiscent of a modern day Aphrodite.

As the looks transitioned into summer wear, the color palette progressed towards punchier colors — lime greens, tangerine oranges and raspberry pinks. Look 18 was particularly stunning, giving the impression of a wearable version of a sunset reflected on the ocean at dusk. Each look was true to the core ideals of Deity; fitted silhouettes and heavy fabrics created a masculine edge in the collection, while the liberal use of cutouts and mesh gave a youthful and sexy appeal.

Fashion and design are part of Bishop’s heritage. Coming from a family of seamstresses and self-proclaimed fashionistas, she inherited sewing skills, attention to detail and a sense of artistry that contributed to creating her first collection. Furthermore, her experience as a model and stylist gave her the tools to navigate the fashion industry long before she became a designer. Bishop said her decision to create a label that emphasized power, confidence and “the goddess within each woman” came from her late grandmother: a confident matriarch and talented seamstress.    

It was refreshing to see diverse models featured on the runway. The fashion industry has long been criticized for its lack of inclusion: white men dominate the design space while gaunt white women monopolize the catwalk. With a woman of color at the helm of this collection and women of color on the runway, Deity is breaking the fashion mold in more ways than one.

Contact Cheryn Ryoo at [email protected].