By Bella Omar Asst. Arts & Features Editor Electrix Vintage - @electrixvintage on Instagram - has been a dynamic, NYC-based vintage store since its conception in 2020. The owner, Fashion Institute of Technology student Danny Colon, personally curates the brand’s eclectic online and pop-up store selections - and makes fashionable vintage items accessible through affordable pricing. By sourcing through local estate sales and keen customers, every piece is high quality and guaranteed unique - making Electrix truly stand out in the oversaturated and overpriced world of curated vintage. The brand’s recent New York Fashion Week (NYFW) showcase in collaboration with Runway 7 and designer Hot Couture on Sep. 7 further proves my point. With only a 12-day preparation period, Colon and his team “sprang into action immediately and were able to put together over 20 looks and have a bunch of fabulous models,” he said. Set in the dimly lit atmosphere of The Penthouse NYC, the crowd gathered to watch the “Lost in Time”-themed vintage looks walk the runway. “It was based on how the trend cycle now is so jumbled to people that individual expression is at its peak - so all styles and all decades of fashion are represented today,” Colon said. Each ensemble, all fully styled and featuring layers and standout accessories, still felt totally wearable - definitely urging viewers to experiment with their own wardrobes. Silk scarves draped around faces, oversized blazers and sweaters tossed over shoulders gave models an effortlessly chic appearance. Somehow in perfect tandem with these looks, casual floral co-ords, Canadian tuxedos and graphic crop-tops also walked down the runway - giving everyone new inspiration for their next European vacation or their next walk to class. The one-of-a-kind leather, woven, and felt purses that each model carried particularly stood out further accentuating the unique personalities of each look - forcing everyone to wonder, “What is in that bag?” After Colon and the Electrix team closed, the crowd began to anticipate the second show of the evening from NYC-based brand, Hot Couture. Fire producers Joules Magus and Chris Flambeaux have produced pyrotechnic art installations and wearable fire designs since 1992 - and recently began showing their work within the NYC fashion scene under the Hot Couture label. As someone unfamiliar with wearable flames, I was not sure of what fashions I expected the models to be wearing - but as they walked out, it was, shockingly, nothing. Models appeared on stage dressed in next-to-no clothes and flammable head pieces that were ritualistically set aflame one at a time by Flambeaux - allowing himself time to disclose the intentions behind each work to the audience. Each piece resembled the shape of horns and other animalistic features, paired with minimal black clothing. They failed to provide the variation and nuance typically expected from couture showcases. The smoldering looks were all described as variations of “dark,” “evil” or “demonic” by the designer throughout the show - leaving the audience bored by an otherwise very flashy display of “fashion.”
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