NYFW September 2023 “From The Street” coverage
By: Gabriella Celona
Fashion and artistry co-inside; but Christopher Mena brings a whole other aspect of artistry to his fashion. He takes his creativity to a different level by embracing his artistry while also keeping up with sustainability. The designer combines his love for art and global issues like no other.
This was Mena’s debut, first solo runway collection. Some of the pieces showcased took up to five years to create; he started working on this collection in 2018. Mena says his process is very ‘stop and go’. He finds trash from the streets of New York City, and heavily works with it because lots of the materials are not naturally meant to be made for clothing. Not only are all of the clothes made from trash that he found on the street, but all of the accessories in the runway are as well.
He embodies not only the art he creates but also brings a performative aspect of art to his runway show. As a performer, Mena puts his all into every detail of his designs and his show; then combines the two. Attending this runway show at NYFW was not only an experience to be an outsider looking in. You watched his story, and you have now become a part of his journey.
The runway set was full of trash scattered around the ground with added props such as bits and pieces of things you would see on the side of the road. This was not like any ordinary runway where the designs are shown then the designer comes out after. He created a story; he composes performance art.
The show started off with attention catching music, as he walked out and started to pick up some of the trash from the ground and put it in a bag. He then walks away with the bag in his hand for the designs to be shown, then the models start their walk.
Before the show, when I first met Christopher Mena he was dressed in clothing that he had previously made with his old logo on it and he had a full beard. This is how he presented himself in the beginning of his performance showcase. After the designs were all showcased and all of the models collectively did their final walk, he came out with a brand new outfit on and his beard was cleanly shaved. Mena used not only one type of art but multiple types of art by including his performative side to his fashion. This complete presentation was an incredibly intricate metaphor for everything he and his brand stands for.
This New York Fashion Week runway was certainly one to remember.
This. Is. “From the Street” by MENA.
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