These models don’t mince words.
At the Collina Strada New York Fashion Week show on Friday, organizers took the collection’s title, “Touch Grass,” quite literally.
The glamorous show took place on a parkland in the East Village, where a grassy hill was transformed into an unconventional catwalk, with models pushing lawnmowers and rolling in the mud.
“We’re trying to portray Corinna in a fun, goofy way, but in a grown-up way,” creative director Hilary Taymor told Vogue about the show.
The first dress, a slinky green gown with a patterned bodice and lime green chiffon skirt, was unveiled in a daring display when a model threw handfuls of grass at rocker Hayley Williams of Paramore, who was sitting front row.
Williams was just one of the VIP attendees at the event, which also included Vice President Kamala Harris’ famously fashionable stepdaughter Ella Emhoff.
Meanwhile, some of the models were attracting attention in their own right.
Among those walking the runway was 83-year-old Elizabeth Sweetheart, known as Brooklyn’s Green Lady, whose lime green hair drew attention.
The new collection, and the show itself, was designed to bring levity to turbulent times, with Strada taking inspiration from nature.
“I feel like everyone’s feeling a little overwhelmed this season,” the designer told Vogue about “Touch Glass.”
“With all the chaotic energy going on around the globe and the election, I’m grateful to have my small, healthy business, and I try to find peace in my heart, keep a smile on my face, and not get overwhelmed.”
Acrobats and lawn-cutting models might seem out of place on a New York Fashion Week catwalk, but for Collina Strada, known for being comfortable with the weird and unconventional, it’s the norm.
In fact, last year models donned animal prosthetic limbs and crawled down the catwalk while showcasing the designer’s fall 2023 collection.
