TELFAR AW19 ready to wear – Country

Liberian-American unisex prodigy Telfar Clemens presented his AW19 collection entitled ‘Country’ at New York fashion Week in the most untraditional way.

The show was a unique performance combining theatre, music and fashion. Instead of traditionally walking down the runway, the models emerged to the stage, and before approaching the edge, fell down into the audience, just like in a music concert. In a combination of a trust-fall and crowd surfing – each model was carried on the hands of the audience to the back of the venue — their journey forming the ‘runway’ portion of the show.

Silhouettes were once again a genderless, Avant grade with a strong 70’s touch. There were cut-out crop-tops, knitted balaclavas, sweaters printed with oversized logos, collegiate knits, fringed t-shirts, flared denim, polo shirts and granddad cardigans. Fabrics were jerseys, denim and corduroy. Colours ranged from rust and pale yellow to beige and khaki.

Cloths clearly were not the only agenda for the designer, who launched his line in 2005 (at the age of 18) and has developed since then a democratic, original design vocabulary. There is an unmistakable metaphoric reason to the diverse casting and the creative vision that created a deeper meaning to this collection.

The show ended with a set by Steve Lacy (The Internet) dressed in the final look – followed by a DJ set by TOTAL FREEDOM – seamlessly transitioning the evening from runway to after party in one venue.

Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Granddad cardigans. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Flared denim. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
A strong 70’s touch. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Crowd surfing. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Combining theatre, music and fashion. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Cut-out crop-tops. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Knitted balaclavas. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Collegiate knits. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Sweaters printed with oversized logos. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Corduroy in rust. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Genderless designs. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Fringed t-shirts. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
A creative vision with a deeper meaning. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Cloths were not the only agenda. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Country. Telfar AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Models fell down into the audience. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Just like in a music concert. Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Photograph: Mitchell Sams
Telfar Clemens AW19. Photograph: Mitchell Sams

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