When it comes to embracing the odd, PUPPETS AND PUPPETS is no stranger, and its SS24 show at New York Fashion Week was no different. Taking place at the Immaculate Conception Church auditorium, guests and plush toys alike were greeted at a playful womenswear offering that celebrated being a woman in New York.
Looks varied from feminine party dresses to relaxed pants and workwear-inspired jackets, perfect for anything the Big Apple can throw at you. Sheer fabrics were used for ankle-length dresses as they mirrored the movements of the models to the soundtrack of Careless Whisper played on by a live saxophone player, indoctrinating show guests into the PUPPETS AND PUPPETS universe with the familiar sounds of the subway busker, aided by the high ceilings of the sacred setting.
Models eschewed an eccentric utilitarianism, aided by an assortment of bags perfect for any New York woman on the go. But as we’ve come to expect, these bags weren’t any old sack, arriving in a host of funky styles, with one in the shape of a banana and another accented with a fried egg.
Another was accented with a cookie, with the edible appliqué hidden underneath a sheer green dress. Models going sans-bags were dressed in capaciously roomy slacks, finished with pockets as deep as their forearms. Alongside sparkly evening wear, the show revealed a sneaker collaboration with Keds, low-profile canvas sneakers perfect for the comings and goings of NYC.
PUPPETS AND PUPPETS proved yet again that it is able to effortlessly ride the line between playful, chic and cool, bolstering the stylish closets of NYC-dwelling women on the go, using proportion, customization and texture to craft wearable looks that maintain an element of ‘wow factor’(a printed dress decked out in photographs of the city’s characters was a stand-out). The brand draws on a range of influences, including streetwear, grunge and high fashion, which was again reflected in the SS24 collection.
The brand is a joint creative endeavour shared between Carly Mark and Ayla Argentina. Mark serves as the creative director and publicist, while Argentina handles the sewing. The label explores the classic storytelling of fashion with an eye for utilitarianism and comfort, being both initiative and unwavering in its approach.
Nevermind whispers, PUPPETS AND PUPPETS was carelessly kitsch, camp and cool, drawing on the lived experience of time spent in New York City to create practical and utilitarian clothing that was equal parts functional and fashionable, all without taking itself too seriously.
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