Top 10 trends on the New York catwalk

NEW YORK Fashion Week came to an end last Thursday with designers disagreed on the season, with the future of the runway in jeopardy and with anti-Donald Trump political outrage palpable.
As the global fashion circus now flits to Europe, starting in London this Friday before moving on to Milan and Paris, here are the top 10 trends that New York offered.

POLITICS
There was no escaping the spectre of Donald Trump, with America’s cultural elite upset that Hillary Clinton, much admired in the fashion industry, lost the election and angry over| the first chaotic weeks of his presidency.
Public School parodied his “Make America Great Again” hats, Mara Hoffman opened with a manifesto from protest organisers and Nepal-raised Prabal Gurung sent models out in feminist T-shirts.
Bandannas, intended to promote tolerance, were ubiquitous, were included in invitations from Calvin Klein and worn by models at Tommy Hilfiger. Many designers distributed buttons in support of Planned Parenthood.

BIG IS BEAUTIFUL
After years of complaints that stick-thin models don’t reflect the average woman, plus-size models took to the catwalk.
Ashley Graham – self-proclaimed “body activist” and the first plus-size model to appear on the cover of Vogue – walked for Michael Kors, who complained last season that larger models on the catwalk were not possible logistically.
Gurung, who has designed a line of clothes for plus-size label Lane Bryant, led the way earlier in the week by sending out Candice Huffine and Marquita Pring. All three wore looks intrinsic to the rest of the collections.

TABOO BUSTERS
Breast-cancer survivors modelled lingerie or dared to bare all for AnaOno, a label that designs for women who’ve had mastectomies, breast reconstruction or breast surgery, in a bid to raise awareness for the disease.
Australian Downs syndrome model Madeline Stuart, who has also sought to confound stereotypes in the beauty industry, debuted her own fashion label.

THE HIJAB
Mere weeks after Trump temporarily banned travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, the hijab made a statement this season.
Somali-American Halima Aden, 19, walked for Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 5, while Indonesia’s Anniesa Hasibuan returned for a second consecutive season with a hijab-only show styled with iridescent gowns fit for a princess.

POWER DRESSING
Tory Burch offered a Katharine Hepburn-inspired collection for the powerful woman. 
Victoria Beckham came into her own with menswear given a sexy, feminine edge with statement boots and flat men’s-style shoes with a pointy toe.

DIVERSITY
Quintessential American brand Ralph Lauren offered a nomad-inspired collection with shimmering gold lame, snake-skin wedge sandals and silky sheaths with billowing trains. 
Belgian designer Raf Simons made his Calvin Klein debut inspired by the diversity of American culture, from traditional quilting to Art Deco and the Wild West.
India’s designer Bibhu Mohapatra said his muses were women throughout the world, while Chile’s Maria Cornejo used models from 16 different countries, from Uganda to the Dominican Republic.
BELLA HADID
Model Bella Hadid, younger sister of Gigi, is having a moment. The daughter of Dutch-American model Yolanda Foster and Palestinian-American Mohamed Hadid, she wowed on the catwalk from Ralph Lauren to Anna Sui to Oscar de la Renta.
The girlfriend of singer the Weeknd also features in a string of lucrative campaign ads for the likes of Bulgari, DKNY and Moschino.

VELVET
Luxurious and warm for autumn-winter, velvet was everywhere – boots, track pants and capes at Anna Sui and gowns at Marchesa. 
Furs were also prominent, as were capped shoulders or strapless gowns.

NEW HORIZONS
Marc Jacobs made his models walk the runway in silence and asked guests to refrain from whipping out mobile phones until the last minute. 
Zac Posen said changing times called for a new approach and threw a photo exhibition to create a conversation. 
Vera Wang is to release her collection by video and Sophie Theallet commissioned an online photo campaign.

LOSING ITS TOUCH?
New York Fashion Week was noticeable for its absentees. Tommy Hilfiger went to Los Angeles instead, as did Rebecca Minkoff. Vera Wang is to release a video at the beginning of Paris Fashion Week and Rodarte prefers Paris too.
Next season Lacoste will stay in France and cutting-edge New York label Proenza Schouler is also joining the exodus there.