NYFW: Tadashi Shoji Spring 2017 Lace, Elegance and Rebirth

Animal prints and flowing chiffon dresses were part of the Tadashi Shoji Spring 2017 collection.

Designer Tadashi Shoji sent his classic designs down the runway Friday night at New York Fashion Week with some updated twists. There were granny panties peeking out from under a few of the sheer lace gowns, gowns with thigh splitting skirts  and lots of fringe accenting this collection. The show opened with a video of artist’s Wu Junyong’s video work titled “The Flying Ark.” What’s a Flying Ark you ask? Well the video showed various animals ( like elephants) that might have been on Noah’s Ark floating upwards to heaven.  Creatures were shown ‘floating upward in a spiritual declaration.”  Once the video ended the runway show began.

Some of the standouts from Tadashi Shoji’s Spring 2017 collection.

The theme was an ecstatic vision of rebirth with electric hues (blue and red), soaring voluminous skirts, mini dresses with apron style bodices and fringe trimmed skirt and of course the trademark Tadashi Shoji evening gowns.  The collection notes described the garments as a blend of the “tangible and the ethereal.”

Some of the highlights from designer Tadashi Shoji’s Spring 2017 New York Fashion Week show (images courtesy of Tadashi Shoji.)

In a departure from the brand’s usual classic restraint, there were lace overlay sheer dresses and gowns with granny panties clearly showing through the skirts. I’ll be surprised if we ever see those for sale in stores, as I don’t think the traditional Tadashi Shoji customer would buy those, but they were attention getting on the runway.

Some of the Spring 2017 collection is on sale at Tadashi Shoji’s website until Sept, 30, 2016.

In a departure from tradition, select garments from the show, including one of the sheer lace overlay dresses (with foundation garments showing through) and a diaphanous lace jumpsuit are on sale now at TadashiShoji.com.

HAZE Collection and Tadashi Shoji teamed up to create a sunglasses collaboration that was part of the runway show for Spring 2017 (photo courtesy of Haze.)

As part of the runway show, HAZE collaborated with Tadashi Shoji on a collection of sunglasses that complimented the apparel.  The Tadashi Shoji SS17 runway fashion show featured two HAZE styles in five different colors.  The sunglass styles have the cool trendy names Vave and Vous. Vave, in deep rose and ivory, is a beautiful, edgy take on an aviator look, while Vous, in chiffon, grey, and mint, is a sleek, rounded frame with an almost retro vibe. Look for the details on HAZE x Tadashi Shoji on the HAZE Collection website.  Prices range from $250 to $350 US for the sunglasses.