Oday Shakar spring/summer 2017 collection catwalk show for NYFW

With a scorching September Friday looming outside, the desert sands of the middle east poured onto the runway of the Dock Pavilion at Moynihan Station, one of the newest viewing epicenters for New York Fashion Week. These sands of course are wonderfully nuanced in the color palette of the NYFW debut collection of Oday Shakar. The spring/summer collection garnered a great deal of anticipatory media coverage, and judging from the nearly constant audible gasps and final standing ovation, lived up to the hype.

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The collection, untitled and presented without programme notes, began with dramatic music thumping with heavy bass and an obvious Middle Eastern origin. And with this, the light dimmed and the audience was transported. Sandy beige belted caftans, and silk blouses with generous bell sleeves billowed in an imagined desert breeze. Contrasting the free-flowing skirts and robes were a series of tailored taupe peplum tops paired with matching skinny pants. The precision of the paneling and geometric construction of the garments was a powerful display of skill. Each model seemed to be poured into the garment she wore.

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The desert soon gave way to a small oasis of rich teal chiffon gowns, transitioning to midnight blue silk. Dusty pink skirts and expertly tailored jackets peppered the collection. A great deal of the garments had small accents of an intricate Islamic-tile pattern, an obvious nod to the designer’s Iraqi heritage.

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The color transition of the collection was completed as the final shift was made to a number of pieces in black. A slick black leather jacket was beautifully crafted with interlocking panels which mirrored each other across the center zipper. A black to Smokey grey ombré halter gown with full cape closed the show.

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Onlookers jumped to their feet for an extended period of rather thunderous ovation when Shakar took his bow. The collection commanded such acclaim with its use of color, skill level, and overall wearability. The overall magical impact of this show came about as Western silhouettes mingled with Arab influences to create a collection that spans ready-to-wear separates to red carpet gowns, crossing more than just geographic lines.

Alex Zarlengo
Photos: Getty Images