Above: Designs by Marine Penvern at the 2nd Annual Forever Young Fashion Show; photo by Robin Catalano.
Fashion fanatics in the Hudson Valley and Berkshires now have a reason to kick up their Miu Mius and rejoice. By bringing glam for a good cause to Hudson in its 2nd Annual Forever Young Fashion show on February 8, Stitched NY shone a spotlight on the creativity of the region, and proved that style isn’t just the provenance of our big-city neighbors.
The Forever Young Fashion Show was hosted at Hudson Hall, and started with a pre-event party featuring live music, food and drinks, a photo booth, and pop-up shop with a handful of local vendors. There were also a variety of children’s performances—a nod to this year’s charitable beneficiary, the Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood.
Hudson-based independent designer Juda Leah, whose work was featured in the show, says, “The cause and the message that we can rally together as a community and collaborate in a creative way is so important. This is a really optimistic chapter for Hudson, and to be one of a group of wonderful designers who are working independently and making a living is really gratifying.”
Speaking of creativity, seven Hudson-based designers and shops formed the main event at Forever Young. The more accessible collections included those from de Marchin, with its easy yet tailored approach to French-girl and -boy chic, and the rock-and-roll-biker looks of Moto.
Meanwhile, stylist Mikel Hunter sent out a collection made up of diverse European and American designers, with an often vibrant, playfully androgynous edge. Ambrosia Jeen was one of the night’s biggest surprises, with what can only be described as kid couture.
Take a spin through our slide show for some highlights of the Forever Young Fashion Show.
The avant-garde was represented by beloved Hudson boutique Kasuri, as well as French-born designer Marine Penvern. The latter’s collection prompted double takes with a series of wry interpretations on power dressing—dresses and suits in unexpected hues like cobalt and fire-engine red, split-back capes, and cage-like gender-neutral dresses and jumpers.
Leah’s collection featured dreamy hand-painted textiles, crisp bodices, and razor-sharp shoulders that were often juxtaposed with floaty silk and tulle. “I really want to create a collection that sparked joy,” she says. “The vibe was very much ‘little girls playing dress-up.’”
