During New York Fashion Week, attendees know that their job is usually to look, but not to touch. But the opposite was true at “The Movement of Design: Where Technology Meets Fashion, ” an immersive pop-up exhibit. At this colorful event, which kicked off NYFW, guests were encouraged to be hands-on with everything displayed.
Designer Colin LoCascio.BFA
The party’s aesthetic was inspired by the whimsical designs of New York City designer Colin LoCascio, a 2023 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalist. It drew a stylish crowd of fashion influencers and insiders, models, and friends of the designer, who were invited to preview the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6—and the technology that hopes to usher us into the next era of selfies and creativity. The event took place on Greene Street, in the neighborhood that Queens-bred LoCascio says he “grew up coming to after class.”
DJ Mona Matsuoka provided an upbeat soundtrack as guests clinked glasses of sparkling wine, French 75s, and passion fruit mojitos, while trying out the foldable phones for themselves. “This experience makes us rethink the type of tech we want to use,” said dancer Ashley Mingot. At the kiosks stationed around the room, partiers snapped photos—and then took them to the next level with a Sketch to Image feature and AI functions that instantly turned photos into watercolors, sketches, and comics with the tap of a button. In private rooms, guests also had the chance to capture and customize photos using a giant, interactive screen. “I wanted people to come in here, get inspired, and play,” said LoCascio.
BFA
The playful vibes extended to the atmosphere as well. The white walls and draperies were brought to life with a cluster of flat screens, positioned in the center of the room, broadcasting LoCascio’s kaleidoscopic motifs. Ceiling-to-floor panels with vibrant prints—hand-drawn by the designer—decorated the space. A few showcased the oversized flower that’s a staple of LoCascio’s collections. (The designer wore a shimmering blossom to his black Frankie Shop blazer that evening.) His work juxtaposed with forward-looking phones teased a world where tradition can co-exist with technology beautifully. As model Diana Veras put it, “I love anything that meshes AI with art made by a human. I think that’s the perfect combination.”
