Money In The Bronx and Banco AW21
A year in a pandemic is not what we would call ‘glamorous’ — it involves a lot of athleisure, sweats and pajamas. We have been completely devoid of the luxury market designs made absent by lack of demand. With vaccine distribution in progress and infection rates slowly decreasing, Bronx and Banco delve back into the world of lavish evenings spent out getting cocktails with your closest girlfriends on the set of “The Bachelor.”
The theme for Bronx and Banco AW21, inspired by the Piano Room in Sydney, Australia, is fittingly titled ‘PIANO ROOM.’ Natalie De’Banco, creative director of Bronx and Banco, hails from Australia, and is choosing to pay homage to the now-defunct, famed, upscale lounge space that epitomized class and glamor. “I still remember my nights at the Piano Room and how glamorous and beautiful the women were,” De Banco said in a statement. “The room was filled with diamonds and sequin mini dresses. That was the moment my true love for fashion was born.”
De’Banco chose to feature her AW21 collection for NYFW at the Soho Grand Hotel’s Club Room, New York’s equivalent to the grandeur of nightlife experienced at the Piano Room. The AW21 collection as a whole is forward thinking while revisiting the fashion of disco extravaganza that was popular in the ‘70s. Though the clothes have a retro feel, the color palette maintains a more modern tone predominantly with black, gold and silver. There are, however, a few garments that serve as accents among the collection with red, peach and purple.
The collection is an assortment of 32 women’s evening wear looks that dazzled the posh cocktail lounge. One sequin chain, collared mini dress has all the flair and funk of a twirling disco ball. Two dresses feature a black and silver zebra-like pattern made from sequins. A black dress is featured with a strappy harness bodice with a skirt of floor-length black fringe. Perhaps the highlight of the entire collection is a glimmering gold toga style dress with an asymmetrical cutout exposing the midriff. There is a break from the continuity of black, silver and gold with two red lamé mini dresses, one sequin peach shoulder padded, long sleeve crop top with matching ruched asymmetrical skirt, and a metallic magenta lamé dress that’s cinched at the waist.
On a scale of hit or miss, ‘PIANO ROOM’ is a MEGA hit — it gives glitter, it gives glam, it gives extravaganza. Sexy silhouettes paint memories of opulent nights out on the weekend, and they remind us that there is something to look forward to on the other side of the pandemic.
By Ryán Salamo
Instagram: @astr0man74