Romeo Hunte Showstopping Debut 2019 Men's Collection
Yesterday afternoon fashion designer Romeo Hunte showcased his first Men’s Ready-to-Wear collection in New York City at the Dream Hotel Downtown in Chelsea. The Spring collection references an iconic Downtown Brooklyn style that Romeo Hunte is well known for with many unexpected and welcoming juxtapositions.
For the 2019 Spring collection, Romeo was inspired by luxe street wear and contemporary swimwear in both appearance and in the use of the textiles he selected. The pieces were fun, wearable and had the perfect balance of classical tailoring with luxurious outwear vibes. Romeo Hunte continues to create the genius that he started: a lineage of modern classic apparel that mixes luxurious, practical and transitional at a contemporary price point.
Hunte’s concept and inspiration for this years show was to add unexpected elements together to create a sort of dialogue in the pieces. He wanted to play with the look and feel of swimwear and the unexpected yet on-trend of fur to create innovative garments. The Mens Spring 2019 collection consisted primarily of light overcoats, mix media jackets and jumpsuits that mimic classic wet suits. The collection personified and references the strong nature of water and fur in a way that only Hunte can translate into powerful pieces and looks. Many of the model had bright burst of primary colors: blue, red and yellow. The fabrics were complex and yet complimented each other in totally unexpected ways: mink fur, denim, camouflage, cotton and French terry to name a few. Referencing prior collections Hunte managed to reinvent many of his signature pieces in totally new ways while still paying homage to his prior collections. The models walked down the runway, featuring an array their past and present collaborations, including such totally unmissable brands like Swarovski, Look Mate London Socks, Kopenhagen Fur and Teva.
Romeo Hunte is one to watch. If you are one of the few people unfamiliar with his designs. Hunte last year was spotted by WWD as “Designer to Watch" and in 2016 was honored by Essence Magazine as a “Designer to Watch.” Teen Vogue was quoted saying the following about Hunte, “He is well on his way of becoming a household name.” Hunte also has been fortunate to attend the 2015 & 2016 Met Gala and as the industry continues to take notice of the brand, in 2017, Hunte was nominated as a finalist for Women swear Fashion Group International Rising Star Award. As a result, it is no surprise his mens collection is already surrounded with buzz before the doors even opened up yesterday to the invite only list of attendees. Among the 2019 Spring showcases attendees were celebrities such as NFL player running back Corey Clement for Philadelphia Eagles, Nigerian-American rapper, singer and songwriter Thutmose- well known for his songs “WuWu and Ride With Me”. Actor and son of retired American NBA hall of fame basketball player Isiah Thomas-Zeke Tomas. American actor Derek Luke- popular for his performances in Antwone Fisher and Captain America.