This Magical Show Brought Mariah Carey Vibes to NYFW

Leeann Duggan
·Senior Editor
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Brother Vellies serving candy colors and neutrals for Fall 2016. Photo: Christopher Kim.

This morning, on the first day of New York Fashion Week, the weather in NYC dropped from a “hella cold” 30 degrees to an unacceptable, “ass-cold” 25 degrees. This five-degree drop, combined with the lingering effects of a flu was enough to make this writer declare that she was officially “over” fashion week. (Yes, before it even began.) So many shows, so many street style wannabes in impractical shoes and inexplicably tall beanies, so many hours spent traipsing up and down the icy corridors of New York’s West side in the cruelest winter month. On my way to the Brother Vellies presentation, I sent the following text to a friend: “Taking C train to my first show, need Yeti instead. F*** February fashion week!”

But as I pushed my way inside, past the packs of fashion editors, bloggers, and buyers sizing each other up, the mood changed. In Brother Vellies’ world, it’s already spring. Not verdant June, exactly — more like those thawing last few weeks of March, when you realize for the first time that the air smells springy, and you can take your gloves off to fumble for your MetroCard without immediately showing signs of frostbite.

Photo: Christopher Kim.

Models perched among just-blossoming, mostly-bare branches wearing tawny neutral body suits, furs, and sweater dresses accessorized with the cheeky accessories for which Brother Vellies has become known. The thigh-high boot every designer is doing looked fresh in cotton candy pink. Little-old-lady block heels got a dainty update with poufs of fur at the toe. Seafoam-green glitter boots with a low, stacked heel were a little Saint Laurent, a lot Ziggy Stardust. Furry bags and low-profile, flat moccasins were very Revenant-chic.

And the best part? The butterflies. Real, live butterflies flitted about the models’ heads, alighting near a boot, on their shoulders, and swooping out over the audience to our delight and/or fear (squeamishness depending). “Very Mariah Carey,” my fellow Yahoo Style editor commented. And yes, it was simple and a little silly and magical (just like Mimi!), and as welcome a bit of spring as we’re likely to see all fashion week.