Dakota Green & the Modern Woman - a NYFW Collection
Dakota Green’s coming back to the runway after 10 years with a fierce array of talent and something to prove.
Green presented a crisp capsule with The Creatives International at their Spring Summer 26 show on September 7th in Chelsea, Manhattan. The space was intimate, with attendees being given the opportunity to look closer at the models and speak to the designer after they walked the runway. The show was hosted by Tynecia Wilson.
The show started with upbeat French rap music that set the tone for a chic yet modern presentation of six models and looks. Green’s designs showed mastery of craft and a diligence to creating vintage silhouettes, but designed for the modern woman. Green described the achievement of the vintage and modern dichotomy through the styling as the “cool take” on elegant silhouettes. The ‘cool’ modernization shone in this collection through sunglasses on models, leather accessories, strappy heels, and bold jewelry paired with eveningwear pieces. This is a collection meant to be worn on the streets of New York any time of day, not saved for an expensive night out with the girls.
Photos Courtesy of Patrick Mathieu
The show capitalized on a neutral palette and ended with a brilliant pop of gold for the last look. The first look was a stunning white dress with a high neckline and cap sleeves. Utilizing careful ruching and layering of the fabric, Green allowed the mesh midriff to be the star of the opening look. Following looks featured were silk midi dresses, one black with a draped one shoulder, and one white with a halter neckline. Both were a mid-thigh length and were adorned with a pop of fun per-way of feather frills on the wrists and hems – a beautiful take on vintage silhouettes with a modern twist. A long sleeve mid length dress with a prominent collar and tie on the waist made its way down the runway, styled off the shoulder and paired with knee high leather boots. Green also showcased a sparkly high neck sleeveless shift dress, and a strapless black high low gown. The star of the collection and the final look was a strapless golden ballgown with large roses imprinted in the texture of the fabric, making it a stand out look in the lineup.
Most surprising of all? Green put the collection together in the span of just one week. The final look to his runway presentation was inspired by a spotted roll of fabric merely 3 days before his show. Green shared that he works well under pressure and a timeline – once he’s got the idea in his head that he’s going to do something, he will deliver. Green also wasn’t aware of the sizing of his models before the show, so he created multiples of looks in different sizes to accommodate who would be walking for him. A round of applause for Mr. Green.
This month at Obscura, we’re discussing what creates a legacy, and what playing your cards right means in regards to building our lives. When prompted, Green took a moment to breathe before answering what he hopes his legacy will look like.
“I just really want to inspire people. I meet so many people that have dreams and they’re like ‘one day, maybe’…and I just want to live my life and pursue my dreams and hopefully inspire other people to do the same thing.”
What can we assuredly take away from such a strong collection after 10 years? Dakota Green is back to his sewing machine and there’s no bounds to where he goes next.