On Sunday February 11, I attended the he 4pm Collective Runway shows of Nolcha Fashion Week, held at Mercedes Benz Manhattan. I always look forward to attending Nolcha shows because it provides the rare opportunity to discover emerging designers before they become the next big thing.

The first presentation featured the beautiful men’s & womenswear designs of Lavanya Coodly, whose collection was inspired by the idea of escaping the confines of a day-to-day existence, and traveling the world anytime without ever leaving. There were several standout pieces in this line including a black dress featuring fringe details and beading; a fethery pink vest; and, a stunning deep blue, floor length-gown intricately adorned with ornate beading from top to bottom.

Seven Crash’s men’s & women’s streetwear line followed with a thought-provoking collection of designs that looked like they were created for outer space wear or just in case we experience a catastrophic event that requires us to wear protective clothing on this planet. The collection was inspired by “Gliese 581D,” a planet which is 20.4 light years away, and is meant to explore the relationship between human fantasy and technology using a mix of leather and wovens to illustrate the beauty between outer space and the real world. One of the standouts in the collection was a long, shiny, leather jacket, featuring red trimming that looked iridescent as the lights in the room touched the material.

Finally, Stevenson University students presented their collection designed, sourced inspired by The Evolution of Bjork. There were a lot of eye-catching, geometric designs, but a highlights included a vibrant, mini dress which ballooned out at the bottom and a one-piece featuring freely flowing chiffon.

Photo Credit for all: Nolcha Shows at NYFW (Fashionstock, Paul Newland)