Dan Liu autumn/winter 2017 collection catwalk show for NYFW

Designer Dan Liu’s autumn/winter 2017 collection is titled A Fairy Tale of Autumn and it absolutely lives up to its name.  From start to finish the show felt like a love letter to New York’s most colourful season. Beginning and closing the was show a dancer dressed as the embodiment of fall, completely covered in leaves to set the fairy tale tone.

The clothes looked like they were made for a brisk walk in the park. Completely wearable, the outfits were an elevated version of Upper East Side chic – very put together and preppy. Pretty patterned day dresses with sweet details like piping and Peter Pan collars kept the looks youthful while silk scarves added an extra pop of color.  There were nods to the 1980s like a private school-inspired blazer complete with brass buttons. Subtle 1960s references also showed up in the clean silhouettes of the shift dresses.

Outerwear was strong and abundant on the Dan Liu runway. Coats for every occasion were shown including an elegant evening cape with a touch of sparkle.

The styling emphasised the wearability of the collection. The makeup was simple with a strong stroke of blush that gave the models  an exaggerated flushed look as if they had just come in from the cold. The hair was styled in loose waves pinned back from the face and gave the impression that it could have been done by the models themselves.

The one piece of styling that added a playful touch was that each look was topped off with a party mask with a leaf attached bringing the looks full circle back to the idea of the fantasy image fall.

Maggie Gillette
Photos: Neilson Barnard