Watch the Full VFILES Runway 9 Show
Shining the spotlight on the most promising emerging designers.
VFILES held its ninth fashion show during New York Fashion Week 2018 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, giving the stage to emerging design talents JunJie Yang, Louis Pileggi, INXX and Christian Stone. This season’s affair brought together industry VIPs from both the fashion and music world, including Yung Lean, Brooke Candy, Tinashe, Matthew Henson, Aleali-May, Joey Bada$$, Slick Rick, Dapper Dan — who mentored the VFILES Runway 9 designers — as well as Jessie J, who performed during intermission.
JunJie Yang opened the show with a strong hit of futuristic, cyberpunk vibes. Oversized floppy hats, deconstructed puffers and leather track suits, and lots of patent leather set the sartorial theme of the collection, which was backed by an eerie industrial sci-fi soundtrack. Notable pieces included a brown Chewbacca-like fur coat with bright flame patterns at the bottom, as well as a ribbed pink nylon tracksuit that channeled the Power Puff Girls.
Next up was Louis Pileggi, whose collection championed tribal-inspired motifs and tattered sheer garments. A collection of sheeny nylon dresses, ruffled collars and deconstructed knitwear pieces was rounded out with accessories such as bowling shoes and rose-tinted sunglasses. For music, the designer opted for a drum and bass/Jersey club remix of darkwave producer Gatekeeper.
The third show was by Chinese streetwear platform INXX, who set the tone with a grime soundtrack and lots of Asian iconography and graphics. Arguably the most wearable streetwear collection of the bunch, the range boasted denim jackets, bombers, hoodies, camo prints, patchwork detailing, slogans that read “Inferno,” sumo wrestler graphics, tear away sweatpants and drawstring cuff pants.
The fourth and final designer was Central Saint Martins student Christian Stone. 50 Cent‘s “Candy Shop” played as Stone’s dystopian sci-fi collection marched down the runway. The eccentric range was largely defined by dismantled and deconstructed elements, featuring aluminum/nylon pants with backpacks at the bottom, knitted balaclavas, tin foil trimmings on jackets and bubble wrap embellishments.
Share your thoughts in the comments below and make sure to keep up with our New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2018 coverage for the latest runway and backstage content.
