A big modular warehouse inside the Brooklyn Navy Yard — normally used to build home structures — served as the perfect backdrop for John Elliott’s fall collection.
By having the models walk through the bare construction for the whole show, it offered a not-so-subtle reference to Elliott’s main message this season: creating a new home. ”We are opening our new dream home, our first flagship on Melrose Avenue, in April,” Elliott revealed proudly backstage.
The home theme carried through the entire collection. “The line is inspired by the inside and outside of a house,” Elliott explained. The inside reference was reflected in an abstract pattern — based on the designer’s grandparents’ wallpaper — that was used in fleece vests and hoodies. The outside feel shone through in the sun-bleached fabric that appeared in utility vests, softly constructed jackets and sweatpants.
John Elliott RTW Fall 2019
50 Photos
The construction theme was also evident in the brand’s first collaboration with Caterpillar. The CAT logo appeared on hoodies, cargo pants and sweaters. A few neon yellow parkas and layered T-shirts added another urban touch to the utility workwear theme.
Elliott elevated the offering with the use of boxy tailored topcoats and double-breasted blazers in wool crepe that helped balance the sportswear aesthetic. The effort was most effective on women’s wear, notably the opening look: a hunter green topcoat over a tonal anorak and skintight, knee-length shorts that set the tone for another energetic John Elliott collection.