Today’s Hood By Air show, “Handkerchief,” was as full of surprises as Shayne Oliver’s fashion week production always are. This season, models wore Vaseline smeared over their faces and hair as they strutted down the runway in shirting that sported words like “Wench,” “Hustler,” and “Never trust a church girl.” Hair and makeup artists described the models’ looks as “mischievous children who got into household accidents, like getting into Vaseline,” and the childish, up-to-no-good aesthetic was echoed in the invitation: a remake of a Babysitter’s Club book cover, featuring a sloppily groomed “wench.” Seeing as the show was sponsored by PornHub, it’s not difficult to understand the connotations of the Vaseline.
But perhaps the biggest surprise: Wolfgang Tillmans — another artist unafraid of topics like sex and gender — walked in the show. The artist (and now techno musician) wore black briefs, an oversized zip-up black coat, and knee-high black leather boots. He was watched by a front row that included Naomi Campbell, Rick Ross, Jaden Smith, Whoopi Goldberg, Hari Nef, and Teyana Taylor.
Other highlights of “Handkerchief” were artfully deconstructed suiting in HBA’s typical color palette of ruby red, white, and black, as well as double-sided cowboy boots (as in one toe at the front, one at the back) by Frye. Oliver also did not shy away from cheeky product placement. There was a PornHub logo-emblazoned tank top and pair of underwear. One model also seemed to be browsing the site on his phone as he sauntered down the runway.
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Text Blair Cannon