Thaddeus O’Neil Fashion Show. Credit to Tara Salvemini.
On Thursday afternoon, representatives from DOWNTOWN magazine were at the Thaddeus O’Neil fashion show during the Mercedes-Benz fashion week.
The show started with a live performer dressed in all black singing the title of the collection which transitioned into the original song inspired by the looks. Models were cued in to a poem titled Children of the Sun, a mash-up from a Rimbaud poem, which played while the men walked to their positions, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
On their heads, the models donned eclectic crowns of all different colors and heights. Once in their positions, they began to twist and move in the air to represent the collection’s focus on movement and its connection to our fashion. As a surf line, there was a specific attention to the detail in the freedom of the clothes. You could practically hear the echoes of seagulls and waves crashing.
The Thaddeus O’Neil presentation made us want to pack our bags, go to Califorinia, and live on the beach. The theme of his clothing line is “après surf,” therefore we see a lot of beachy themes- bold prints, bright colors, a variety of textures, making the collection classy, but fun.
Check out our exclusive interview with designer Thaddeus O’Neil below and stay tuned for more daily updates on the fashion shows occurring during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week!
What was your main inspiration for this collection?
That’s always a difficult question. In general I’m inspired by everything in life – from architecture and nature to the sewer caps on the street. If I had to think of a specific thing for this collection I would say a huge inspiration has been the architecture of Andrew Gellar in the 1960’s. He builds beach houses all over Long Island and Fire Island, so the very spirit of those houses was a big inspiration to me while I was designing this collection.
Do you have a favorite piece of the collection?
I love a lot of the pieces in the collection and I think everyone will have their own personal favorites, but my main goal is to create clothes that will make people happy. It’s safe to say that some of the more “acid-trippy” pieces aren’t for everyone, though to some they may be a favorite. I can get very philosophical about clothing and what they mean when it comes to supporting our culture, but at the end of the day, my favorite pieces are the ones that make people feel good about themselves and allow them to enjoy their life wearing them.
What’s your mantra/motto for staying calm during this hectic time?
When things get hectic I really just try to think with the back of my head or rather just not over-think things. I try to switch my consciousness to the back of the head, because it’s much calmer there while the front of the head is much more intense.
Lastly, what’s your favorite spot downtown?
My favorite restaurant is probably Gaia Café on Houston. Gaia, the owner, is from Milan and she is amazing – she makes everything herself, starting from the bread. All of the food is made at the restaurant from scratch, and it’s just amazing Italian food – in my opinion, it’s the best.
-Alessandra Veliz and Irene Bogdan
Model at the Thaddeus O’neil Fashion Show debuting an open front sweater. Credit to Tara Salvemini.
Thaddeus O’neil Fashion Show. Credit to Tara Salvemini.
