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Keeping Fashion in the Family at Kenneth Nicholson’s NYFW Presentation

Photos by Jordan Trey

During New York Fashion Week, Los Angeles–based designer Kenneth Nicholson revealed a mixture of elements inspired by popular culture, politics and digital public spaces, in addition to current and historical events in his Autumn/Winter 2020–21 collection named “From Grandma’s Couch.”

At the Feb. 5 show, Nicholson used fabrics that evoked a sense of comfort while incorporating draping methods that transitioned his feeling into adulthood, all while remaining true to the collection’s name. Hound’s-tooth pieces created using a latch-hook approach showed the designer’s ability to convey a true sense of the show’s theme.

Additional features for the men’s and women’s garments connected the audience with inspirations from vintage home-decorating elements including textures that resembled carpeting, as well as from tchotchkes and details that could be found on a drapery valence. Nicholson remained true to the apparel by incorporating often overlooked elements such as allowing tailor’s tacks to remain in garments that were shown on the runway.

Connecting with his childhood, Nicholson’s group of models included Harper Watters, who is a soloist for the Houston Ballet and has become a notable figure on the fashion scene. While the designer is proud of his Southwestern heritage, he consistently finds inspiration in the natural beauty of Los Angeles in addition to the city’s media-and-entertainment culture.