Christian Cowan goes for glitter and glamour for New York Fashion Week

Designer Christian Cowan, who has become a star among those with a flare for club kid and Lady Gaga inspired styles, continued his mission of bringing glitz and glamour back to the runway for New York Fashion Week this season. In an era of maximalism, Cowan has capitalized on all that glitters and his ability to use fashion to uplift people's spirits.

Cowan's inspiration this season was a quote from Amy Winehouse. "She once had this quote where she said 'When I sing, I want people to forget about all their problem for three and a half minutes', and it was so simple, but I thought it was so nice," Cowan says. "I thought to myself, I really wanted to do that with a collection." Cowan stuck to his brand DNA by doing things like playing with textures, and using bright colors to create what he described as "escapism from the rest of the world."

Christian Cowan creates Amy Winehouse quote inspired collection for NYFW

In these turbulent times we are living in, Cowan wants to use his designs to empower women and stop objectifying them. In his design approach, he always wants to make women feel amazing for them, rather than how they look for everyone else. While Cowan's designs are known to be sexy and revealing, he takes a careful approach to dance the line of women's empowerment, making things sexy and avoiding objectification.

"It's always a balancing act," Cowan says. "For example if I use a material that's slightly transparent, it won't be a low-cut thing, it'll have a super high neckline. Whenever I'm having fittings for my runway shows, I always ask my models if they feel good, and if not, I change them immediately. People need to feel good so the clothes look good."

Cowan is also very adept at creating original pieces inspired by other visuals. One of the most striking accessories in his collection was a pair of gloves that were rolexes all the way up the arm that were inspired by a photo of a man wearing numerous rings on his fingers. He believes the most fabulous things are those that are easily recognizable but reinterpreted.

As for the customer for his collection, "She's definitely not someone who wants to fade away and not be noticed," he says. "She's someone who wants to be noticed, feel powerful, and have a lot of fun with fashion. It's really about enjoying yourself."

To that end, the runway show opened with a creme fringed sweater dress with fringed knee high boots, that set the tone for the party-like show to come. The color palette for the collection included black, white, yellow, green, red, orange and silver for a burst of color. Black and white pieces were done in a mod style checkerboard pattern, in Cowan's true British fashion. The grand finale look of a floor length sequin evening wear gown accessorized with a miniature neon dress silhouette attached to the front was attention getting, statement making and let us know that fashion is still fun.

This season, Cowan also unveiled a new shoe collaboration with Stuart Weitzman that featured fringe, glitter and sequins. Party-favor inspired accessories made in collaboration with Chrishabana were also featured.

photos: courtesy of Purple PR