David Koma’s love for birds and feathers is ubiquitous in his designs. Although his pre-fall collection still drew inspiration from bird elements, he deviated from his usual practice of dedicating his collection to a single muse. Instead, he chose to celebrate the high-society women of mid-1960s New York, whom Truman Capote famously called “The Swans.” This group of influential characters was strikingly beautiful and fabulously wealthy, including Lee Radziwill, Babe Paley, CZ Guest, and Slim Keith. As director Ryan Murphy prepares to release the second season of the anthology television series Feud on the same subject, titled Feud: Capote vs. the Swansstarring Naomi Watts and Chloë Sevigny, the designer considered how to reinterpret this glamorous world for today’s Koma girl.
The collection offers different combinations, from the contrasting palette to classic, ladylike accents that take a bold, sultry turn. Take, for example, the dresses made of flowing jersey, decorated with delicate bows that fall sensually over the body and reveal hips and thighs. Bias-cut floor-length dresses with lace inserts and satin mini dresses with an abundance of feathers are designed for the ultra-confident.
Bird-inspired details appear on crystal-encrusted 3D structures incorporated into crop tops and tuxedos (a tribute to Marlene Dietrich, one of the designer’s constant muses). There are also hand-drawn swan wings that are carefully embroidered onto tulle to create a tattoo-like effect and placed elegantly across the bust. Other lighthearted moments come in the form of single-breasted jackets bursting with voluminous plumes, while oversized coats and shearling jackets add dimension to the outerwear selection. The daytime pieces also deserve a closer look, including low-rise jeans decorated with laser-etched feather motifs, denim miniskirts and slim-fit leather trousers with matching biker jackets.
