NYFW: Area ‘Fabulous Fruits’ SS23

Area, the American luxury brand founded by Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Pansczczyk, presented its ‘see-now, buy-now’ spring/summer 2023 collection exploring the beauty and symbolism of fruits during New York Fashion Week.

The brand, loved by the likes of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, and Ariana Grande, examined the different stages of fruits, such as grapes, bananas, and watermelons, as well as its meaning in pop culture to create sculptural and crystal-embellished pieces from a 3D banana bustier top to a watermelon strapless mini.

“When fresh and vibrant, fruit typically represent abundance, fertility, vitality, and youth. However, when in state of decay, fruit can stand for mortality and the cycle of life,” explains Area in its show notes. “We interpreted these concepts through various embroideries, embellishment techniques, metalworks, and construction through motifs of grapes, bananas, and watermelon.”

For the grape, which historically symbolised abundance, fertility, and indulgence, Area creative director Panszczyk transformed classic floral Chantilly lace into a sensual scattered grape lace-forming bodysuits and hosiery as second skins. Panszczyk also experimented with the idea of decay and frayed circular grape-like cut-outs in the lace by embroidering ostrich and rooster feathers around the edge to create bursts of distressed grape holes.

The most striking fruit on display had to be bananas, the fruit that typically symbolises sex, death, and freedom, with the brand referencing Andy Warhol’s sexually charged album cover for The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967) and the Banana Skirt worn by Josephine Baker.

Panszyzcyk turned the banana into an artwork of rich yellow crystal and beading with decaying brown spots in paillette sequins on plunging halter tops and cut-out minis, as well as creating a fitted pleated cut-out gown with flat banana panels, and fashioned 3D bananas made from black velvet and ombre denim with sculpted 24K gold stalk cuts.

Area also presented a 20-piece capsule collection in collaboration with Italian women’s footwear brand Sergio Rossi. The line includes sandals, gladiators, pumps and slingbacks in signature Area details such as feathers, crystals and bows.