Mode Suisse Showcases 5 Innovative and Promising Fashion Designers from Switzerland in Soho for NYFW

For the first time at NYFW, Mode Suisse curated a group of top Swiss brands to show in New York at USM Showroom; highlighting a selection of women’s and menswear, accessories and more.

Mode Suisse is an industry platform promoting collaborations between fashion designers and schools, the textile industry, retail market, media and other related industry players. Mode Suisse presents, interconnects, and discusses Swiss fashion at shows, in showrooms, and panel discussions around the world. Mode Suisse is the go-to adviser for Swiss designers and a door-opener for appearances at international fashion weeks and events. For this season, five brands showed their new collections in a presentation in Soho: Forbidden Denimeries, Julia Heuer, Vanessa Schindler, Julian Zigerli, YVY.

DNA: Forbidden Denimeries

The brand, founded in 2018 by Mikael Vilchez, challenges gender codes by offering uninhibited sustainable garments inspired by references ranging from feminine to masculine figures, popular to classical culture, through a denim vocabulary. A true definition of gender neutral clothing from denim jeans with high-leg-slits and a mermaid skirt to the brands signature heart on swim trunks and a collection in beige made using organic cottons. This collection was inspired by the designer’s trip to Pantelleria with a mysterious lover. The island life calls for a minimal, but widespread wardrobe, in which “wearing white clothes puts a nice tan in value.” says Vilchez. The mini-shorts are as practical as they are sexy. A sarong for when you have to dress effortlessly in the morning to pick lemons in the garden. In the evening it’s colder; we cover with sweaters and thicker jackets and if you have to go out to a restaurant: a shirt, a vest with raw edges or a minimal tencel dress with Swarovski details do the trick. The volcanic rock and the turquoise blue waters, evoke a planet where Diva Plavalaguna (the fictional character from the Fifth Element) could reside, and is found in the sky blue recycled denim which would have been faded by the sea. The designer looks for masculinity to coexist in harmony with the femininity, where simplicity rhymes with sensuality, and each moment can become erotic.

Julia Heuer

The brand is best known for dynamic prints and artisanal, handmade plissé. Heuer showcased an array of bold colored dresses, all with original prints by the designer. The dresses were all pleated; hugging curves, yet flow naturally – a perfect fit for a summer holiday. Before launching her eponymous fashion line, she was the Head of Print Design for renown textile company Jakob Schlaepfer. During her tenure she created unique prints for various fashion houses such as Christian Dior, Comme des Garcons, Calvin Klein and others. Most recently, Heuer was awarded the prestigious Swiss Design Prize in 2016 for her collection Adobe Indigo. A key component of Heuer’s designs lies in her process, where she illustrates print stories directly onto raw fabric before applying the Japanese tie-dying pleating technique of Arashi Shibori. This is the starting point of all collections and the reason for their unique aesthetic. The designs always have a sense of ease, comfort and fun. Thoughtful shapes and exquisite materials playfully interact to create beautiful, wearable garments for today’s woman. Every piece retains its original feel and colorful vibrance, while requiring extremely low maintenance. “I have a huge archive of textiles and very intuitively chose the direction of each collection. This time, I was inspired by fresh and blooming flowers and the technique of Ikat weaving” remarked the designer.

Vanessa Schindler

Vanessa Schindler lives and works between Lausanne,Switzerland and Paris. An award-winning, fashion veteran; she’s presented collections in Basel, Berlin, Geneva and several other cities. She just finished an artist residency in Paris where she created a new jewelry collection, that was also presented in the NYFW presentation. In her collections, she has developed a research project link to a polymer called urethane. She has used it to reinvent a way to construct garments and accessories. For the presentation, Schindler showcased an array of resin earrings in unique shapes with silver plated chains. With this liquid material she draws on textiles or silver chains and brings them together. She paired the accessories with sweaters with a rubber detailing down the sleeves and mesh, transparent dresses embroidered with beads. The idea for the accessories, was to be able to create a piece by hand in her studio. It is a way to invent a new craft and think about the production of garments. Formally she plays a lot with this frozen liquidity. Each piece is unique and given the liquidity of this material and through the gesture of her hands, all turn out to be a bit different. The designer uses several other materials like lycra, silk satin, nylon and wool in lighter tones.

Julian Zigerli

The designer creates highly technical ready-to-wear pieces that are both easy to wear, modern but still timeless and functional. The playful and smart touch of each look in the collection get underlined by the strength of its print designs. The label is famous for the print collaborations with artists from all different areas. The collaborations between art and fashion is as unique in its form and provides the pieces with a full doses of magic. Love, color, humor and positivity are the core values to the brand. For this collection the designer showcased an array of cotton sportswear with cable knit details and several looks embroidered with Swarovski crystals. Zigerli also showcased a revealing top completely encrusted in Swarovski crystals, handbags and accessories. To date, Julian Zigerli has presented his collections around the globe – with shows in Paris, Berlin, London, Milan, New York, Beijing, Seoul and Zurich. Textiles including cotton, silk, linen and sporty technical fabrics are seen through the collection. Many integrating digital, unique prints created by the designer.

YVY

YVY is a line of versatile leather accessories and classic clothing. Every piece is designed by Yvonne Reichmuth and is then brought to life in both, Florence and Zürich by her and her team. The designer showed several sophisticated leather harnesses with exterior pockets, accessories like leather bandanas, a bucket hat, visor and also apparel. Black leather shirts and mesh tank tops were modeled in the presentation. YVY’s designs have been worn by the likes of Kristen Stewart, Cardi B, Kylie Jenner and numerous other celebrities. Her work has been featured in editorials including Vogue, Interview, Love and she has been awarded for the Swiss Design Prize amongst others. Now, and for the first time, YVY takes over mens with a seasonless selection of one-of-a-kind leather pieces. “The new YVY collection is for you and me, him and her, the minimalist and rock’n’roll lifestyle,” said the designer. YVY combined fantasy and functionality to elevate your staple pieces to the next level, with the finest leather and skilled artisans. Reichmuth continued, “For this collection I used whatever moves me rather than a seasonal inspirational source. The campaign reflects musicians, subcultures and movements that I relate to.”