This season, designer Jonathan Simkhai—a New York fashion week mainstay—skipped a show in favor of a splashy lookbook shoot, which celebrated some of his longtime friends and favorite new faces. Modeling his clothes were actor Naomi Watts and daughter Kai Schreiber, musician Malcolm McRae, and models Awar Odhiang and Betsy Gaghan, among others. “I wanted to lean into community,” said Simkhai. The same idea extended to his new pieces, too: The designer zeroed in on what his customers know and love, creating sharp outerwear and separates that had new textural updates.
Typically, Simkhai uses a more neutral color palette versus high-octane colors, and that was true again for fall. In shades of white, black, brown, or a deep plum, he updated his coats, dresses, and tops in fabrics that felt intriguing to the touch. His zebra-printed coat came in brown and black calf hair. A women’s cowl neck top and men’s zip-up jacket were made of black jacquard—cut and fringed to appear as though it was covered in all-over feathers. “I wanted every look to feel structured, but still very light,” said Simkhai.
His leathers shined through via a draped top, folded and gathered at the front to feel more architectural. He also designed a killer straight-leg pant for men—not too slim, not too baggy (a super skinny-fit is a look no one can pull off, unless they’re Mick Jagger). The tailoring felt right for the moment too—intriguing, but not too wackadoodle. Simkhai expanded upon a Met Gala look he designed for Kerry Washington last year, creating a tuxedo dress with an infinite scooped neckline—a nice-yet-subtle update. Ditto his black plissé quarter-sleeve dress with a cocoon shoulder cape, though the built-in bejeweled neckline felt like it should be an option, not mandatory.
Consistent throughout Simkhai’s collection were minor updates that may go largely unnoticed, but render a piece a little bit more smart. The jacket necklines got a little higher, the shearling-leather chore coats were made reversible. He may not have crafted the most groundbreaking array of pieces, but his quietly cool assortment felt contemporary and extremely wearable, and offered something that virtually anyone could stumble into and enjoy. That’s a win.