The Right Fit

Fashion gets real as designers and labels seek inspiration from regular women for their latest collections.

- Karen Tee

REGULAR WOMEN ARE giving models a run for their money. Instead of having models as muses for their latest Spring/Summer 2017 collections, a significant number of designers are turning to real women to inspire and embody their looks for the season.

In Paris, Chloé designer Clare Waight Keller was inspired by journalist Anne-France Dautheville, who was the first woman to motorcycle solo around the world in 1973. The resulting collection, featuring flat boots, ponchos and leather skirts and dresses, was a move away from the brand’s usual boho-feminine aesthetic and has been widely regarded as one of the highlights of the season.

“I was looking to take the Chloé woman somewhere else,” said Waight Keller after the show. “Somewhere tougher, more daring, more gritty. I was looking at motocross images and I found this amazing woman. She had such independence of mind, of spirit; she didn’t get visas or anything, she just took offon these incredible adventures. I want Chloé to tell a story and what better way than through a woman who really lived that free-spirited life?”

In New York, even more labels turned the spotlight on regular women. The Yeezy fashion show, which traditionally starts with a performance art tableau, featured women standing in formation while clad in rapper-turned fashion designer Kanye West’s signature nude-toned outfits. Many of them were civilians who had responded to an open casting call made by West. Over at J.Crew’s New York presentation, men and women of all shapes and sizes — they are employees, family and friends of designer Jenna Lyons — showcased the brand’s preppy-with-a-twist designs, giving the show a casually cool house party vibe.