Fashion Month's 10 Most Defining Moments

Whether you were too preoccupied with finishing the overwhelming amount of SOSC reading due second week or desperately trying to drop Organic Chemistry, keeping track of Fashion Month's whirlwind of shows and events was probably not a top priority. Lucky for you, compiled below is a list of Fashion Month's ten most defining moments. From the jaw dropping stand outs to the straight up weird, wacky and wonderful, the Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2016 collections were a sight to behold.

1 - Givenchy x NYC

Riccardo Tisci, Givenchy's avant-garde creative director in residence, has been reshaping the brand in his own image for several seasons now. Most notably, his understanding and fascination with youth culture, technology and celebrity have helped propel the decades-old fashion house into the 21st Century, cementing Givenchy as an arbiter of current trends and style. Tisci's decision to relocate the SS 2016 show to the New York City piers was an unexpected but topical move (the French brand typically unveils its collections during Paris Fashion Week) and indicative of increased efforts amongst designers to appeal to shifts in the fashion market. London-based designer Tom Ford similarly moved his fall 2015 show to L.A. last season. Tisci's sultry collection, which prominently featured see-through lace panels, lingerie inspired garments and offbeat facial jewelry was set against Pier 26's industrial backdrop, with a runway composed of broken down freights and container ships.

Backstage, the finishing touches are applied in hair and makeup; image via

2 - Alexander Wang's swan song at Balenciaga

Wang's tenure at the fabled fashion house was short lived, but not without its defining moments. For his final showcase, models and several of the designer's closest actress friends glided down the oasis-like runway in ethereal, all-white ensembles. Actresses turned models for the day included Zoë Kravitz, Riley Keuogh and Nicola Peltz. Wang's successor has yet to be named.

Model and muse Anna Ewers closes the show; image via

3 - Hussein Chamalya interpreted metamorphoses through fashion

Renowned for his innovate and boundary breaking representations of fashion and beauty, Chamalya had audience members on the edges of their seats as pieces of the collection transformed in front of their eyes. Thin, white coats dissolved effortlessly off of the models' bodies when a shower of water fell from the ceiling, revealing intricately beaded dresses underneath. Chamalya's artistic vision is a testament to fashion as an art and its ability to challenge our understanding of beauty, form and function.

The ensemble's simple exterior disintegrated to reveal delicately embellished garments; image via

4 - Tommy Hilfiger threw a beach party

Hilfiger's island inspired collection featured crocheted swimwear, floppy hats and a plethora of distressed denim. The show concluded with a Baywatch-esque montage of bikini clad models led by Gigi Hadid.

From L to R: models Stella Maxwell, Imaan Hammam, Gigi Hadid and Jasmine Tookes splash around in Hilfiger's makeshift tidal pool; image via

5 - Opening Ceremony staged a flash mob

Opening Ceremony's collection reveals have become somewhat synonymous with the unexpected. In the past, the brand has showcased its collections through a stage production and a Spike Jonze pop up photography exhibit and this season was no exception. New York City Ballet dancers were interspersed amongst the models, with choreographed trips, falls and dance movements breaking up the monotony of a standard runway show.

Dancers from the NYC Ballet rehearsing for the show; image via

6 - Chanel Airport, now boarding

If for some reason Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel infused takes on supermarkets, casinos or French Revolution inspired feminist protests left you unsatisfied, the debut of his SS 2016 collection against the backdrop of a makeshift airport is sure to impress. Models strutted down the runway decked out in the brand's signature tweed ensembles, kaleidoscopic prints and patterns and cropped silhouettes, accompanied by chic, matching luggage in every shape and size imaginable.

The show's finale, set against the backdrop of Chanel airport; image via

7 - Kanye sent more spandex down the runway

Rapper, father, Mr. Kardashian and possibly future Mr. President, fashion designer is just one of Yeezy's many hats. Whether or not he excels equally in all these endeavors is a different matter. His sophomore debut was a variation on the previous season's themes, with a refreshingly diverse crop of models clad in otherwise drab layers of skin colored spandex. Celebrity guests in attendance included Nicki Minaj and North West.

8 - Wang hangs 10

Arguably the most buzzed about party during NYFW, Alexander Wang celebrated his namesake brand's 10 Year Anniversary amongst close friends, and by that I mean The Weeknd, Lady Gaga and Kylie Jenner. Strippers, strobe lights, food served by Hooters waitresses and dollar bills with Wang's face printed on them were some of the highlights from the star-studded celebration. If this sounds like something Stefan from SNL would dream up, just bear with me. Wang is also commemorating his brand's anniversary with his 10 Year capsule collection, which brings back ten of the designer's most covetable looks from past seasons for a limited time only.

9 - Rick Owens tried to make body harnesses happen

Regardless of whether or not Rick Owen's latest statement on the runway will be adopted into the mainstream, the designer's bold interpretation of bondage and body harnesses is sure to go down in fashion history. Take it or leave it.

10 - Raf Simons bids farewell to Dior

Dior's latest romantic envisioning of French style marked Raf Simon's final collection for the fashion house. The designer's parting with the brand is reportedly amicable, with Simons shifting his focus to expanding his namesake menswear label and other projects. A successor has yet to be named, but speculation ranges from powerhouse duet Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, to Riccardo Tisci or Jonathan Anderson. Although brief, Simon's stint at Dior propelled the brand in a more modern, youthful direction after John Galliano's glamorous, but somewhat dated creative leadership. This final collection for Dior was definitely amongst the designer's best, with models floating down the delphinium gilded runway in heavily embellished, asymmetrical ensembles in the middle of Rue de Rivoli. Bon voyage, Raf!