NYFW: Elise Øverland Runway Review

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Abstract techno music and dim lighting set the mood at Exit Art Gallery in Midtown West Saturday night, as the crowd, stomping the snow off their Chloe motorcycle boots and Louboutin studded stilettos, filtered in to view the Elise Øverland presentation. The drafty warehouse space encouraged guests to pull their fur coats tighter and roused the desire for insulated fall outerwear. When at last the star-studded front row was seated—including Maggie Rizer, Kelly Osborne, Shenae Grimes, Lauren Santo Domingo, Peaches Geldorf, and Heidi Klum (camera crew in tow)—the show commenced.

First on the runway was a characteristic Øverland, body-hugging, sapphire leather dress with a high, asymmetrical collar and low back—too typical to overwhelm. Variations on the theme continued with a series of repetitive body-conscious leather pieces with exaggerated shoulders and lapels. Breaking up the monotony were a multitude of leather finishes and a palette of deep earth tones in sinister shades of burnt orange suede, black leather and coffee shearling. While repetitive as a whole, individually each unadorned look was full of conviction and made up in ferocity what it lacked in glitz.

Menswear-inspired separates replaced the Mexican wrestler mask motif of spring and ranged from a mushroom hued, waffle woven jumpsuit to a standout, loose-cut, navy velvet pantsuit that had the self-assurance of a rockstar. Burly, zipper adorned jackets were balanced with soft, wrap mini dresses evocative of an oversized men’s blazer borrowed from last night’s date. 

Audacious outerwear mixed rocker whimsy with mountain brawn in conspicuous, shaggy fur covered pieces: A black tweed jacket had patches of the brown hair jutting out from each shoulder.  The wilderness theme was continued by a long-sleeve, black mini dress that was draped in leather as supple as silk and featured  shocks of  orange rust streaked across the torso, making the model seem as if she were just mauled by a feral beast.

Øverland continued to prove her propensity for tailoring coarse fabrics into sophisticated silhouettes with her prominent use of leather. Refreshingly, however, she also explored more lissom silks, fluid jerseys, and chunky tweeds. The softest and most arresting look of the show was a spectacular earthy crimson silk, A-line mini dress that shone like a sunset through winter bare trees.  

While the show excelled in all the expected areas, the front row was arguably more exciting than the runway.  Overall, a good—not strong –showing from Elise Øverland.