Tom Ford put female empowerment center stage at New York Fashion Week on Thursday, kicking off the Fall/Winter 2018 season with models prowling the runway in cat prints and power suits.
The 56-year-old Texan-born designer-turned-movie-director was not one to let the #MeToo movement pass him by, and incorporated the concept of ‘pussy power’ in to his collection — quite literally.
In addition to bold leopard patterns, skintight fabrics, tailored suits, and oversized coats, Ford send model Grace Hartzel down the catwalk with a sparkly bag emblazoned with the words ‘Pussy Power.’
No beating around the bush! Tom Ford’s latest fashion show was all about ‘pussy power’
Big deal: The designer showed his Fall 2018 collection at New York Fashion Week on Thursday
Sexy: Models prowled the catwalk in bold cat prints in bright colors
On the first day of New York’s first women’s fashion week since the sexual harassment watershed exploded last October — just weeks after the Spring 2018 shows were presented — the Ford woman of Fall/Winter 2018 is an alley cat, a superwoman with a ‘Pussy Power’ purse.
With barely a skirt in sight, the pant suit ruled. Models prowled the catwalk, their legs enveloped in tight pants, leggings or opaque tights of red, orange, yellow, and green leopard print.
Messy hair kept off their forehead protest-style with black headbands, owning the streets.
If pink pussy hats were the uniform of women demonstrators against the Trump administration — a reference to the president’s use of a vulgarity on a leaked Access Hollywood tape to refer to women’s genitals — then Ford’s cat theme took the play on words to another level.
Even without the animal print pants, there were jaguar and zebra print kitten heels, tight lame leggings, a riot of sequins, patchwork and snakeskin on oversized coats, and boxy blazers that were belted for business.
Written plainly: A few accessories really drove the message home
It says so right on the shoes! He put the ‘pussy power’ line on heels and bags
Loud: Animal prints were a major theme, as were glitz and florals
Throwback: Large hoops and headbands gave a nod to the ’80s
Star-studedd: Kaia Gerber was one of several models to take on the animal-print clothes with her zebra pants, shoes, and bag
A-list: A celebrity audience was in attendance for the NYFW event
Apart from daring cut-out backs barely skimming the top of the seat and cut-out waists, there were few flashes of flesh. Dresses were restricted to high-necked minis and were often paired with tights, and most featured long sleeves.
In a throwback to ’80s hip-hop, models wore silver ball hoop earrings, and there were lashings of black — the color actresses opted to wear at the Golden Globes to protest against harassment.
‘Every single thing you design, at least in the luxury sector, has to be potent,’ Ford told Women’s Wear Daily in an interview. ‘It has to be the most amazing thing. No one needs just another black skirt.’
‘I get calls from our store managers all the time saying we need more things that are more expensive. When (they) say more expensive, they mean more special,’ he added.
Statement: Many of the models were also dressed in black
Truth: Certainly, Tom Ford seemed to be making several statements about women and sexism
Here kitty kitty! The shoes also featured leopard patterns and kitten heels
‘Every single thing you design, at least in the luxury sector, has to be potent,’ Ford said
Review: After seeing the collection, Vogue called Tom Ford ‘confident in the extreme and irreverent to the edge of defiance’
His models, led by 16-year-old Kaia Gerber (daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford), debuted a new collection of cosmetics called Extreme and were watched by the likes of Julianne Moore and Zayn Malik.
Fellow designer Tadashi Shoji tapped into the feelings of the post-Harvey Weinstein world as well, by offering women a sleek, powerful red carpet collection oozing 1940s Hollywood glamour, which was modernized with cut-outs, pleating, and plenty of black.
Women, he said, must never apologize for what they chose to wear or for wanting to look seductive — regardless of how male harassers may choose to excuse predatory behavior given a woman’s looks.
‘So I did very sensual, sexy dresses, this time. Our dresses are about the empowerment of women and making women’s body look beautiful,’ the 70-year-old Japanese-born designer told AFP.
‘Women have the right to enjoy life. It’s ok. Why would you have to apologize? Men don’t.’