John Elliott unveiled his SS19 runway show Thursday, enlisting Sheck Wes and others to bring his latest collection to life at Pier 62 Skatepark.
Justin Bieber, Hailey Baldwin, Pete Davidson, Whoopi Goldberg, and LeBron James were among those in the audience for Elliott's latest, aptly titled "Los Angeles." The runway experience itself—complemented by ponchos gifted by the City of Los Angeles—was right at home in one of the most memorable and exciting New York Fashion Weeks in years.
The collection marked Elliott’s 13th season, his first show outdoors, and his first fully developed womenswear lineup. The pieces were inspired by things the designer loves about his hometown, including vibrant bougainvillea flowers, which can be seen in various prints in the collection. Elliott also drew inspiration from the reflections of classic cars, blankets “one might throw in the bed of their truck before heading to the skatepark or the beach,” and sun faded fabrics.
Other fabrics in the collection feature unique marble dying inspired by oil-slicks, and “tropical skittle” ombré coloring. As a Spring/Summer collection, outerwear is still a key focus in Elliott’s 13th run. The light, transparent nylon jackets mimic a car’s paint job and shimmer when the sun hits them.
“I thought about the things that make me feel at home,” Elliott explained. “This is a deeply personal, close-to-the-core collection—to be able to illustrate Los Angeles in this way, especially with the city’s seal of approval.”
The show featured some of Elliott’s prior 2018 collaborations, including his LeBron James x Nike Icon sneakers, which appeared in two new colorways: all-white and all-black. He also teased a future collab with Nike for a womenswear model called the Blazer Rebel. The shoes will be available later this month. Finally, the West Coast designer also gave a sneak peak of his collab with the city of Los Angeles.
Below, catch the full lookbook for Elliott's SS19 collection:
Fittingly, Bieber's appearance at the show occurred the same day his Travis Scott collab "Maria I'm Drunk" finally achieved availability on streaming services after a years-long delay that may or may not have driven many to the brink of abject apathy.
