The MAGIC and Coterie fairs returned to the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York from Tuesday through Thursday. At both fairs, emerging labels and new exhibitors debuted new collections of ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories for 2024.
Many labels capitalized on the hottest fashion trends, such as ‘mobwife’ faux fur outerwear (as seen at Unreal Fur); quiet luxury and minimalist tailoring (a la Acaria Studio and Meilleur Moment), and there was chunky gold jewelry in abundance. In addition, Halfdays presented its latest offering in Coterie’s new Après Ski section, with a selection of functional outerwear and cold-weather labels.
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Here, WWD highlights nine contemporary women’s rtw and accessories brands from the Coterie and MAGIC shows in New York.
Coterie
Unreal fur
Co-founders: Husband-and-wife duo Amir and Gilat Shani
Background: Before founding Unreal Fur in 2011, Amir and Gilat Shani were leading designers and manufacturers in the Australian accessories market. A company representative told WWD that after years of sourcing and working with suppliers, the founders have used their decades of knowledge to create a brand intended to create advancements in the fashion industry in the field of the treatment of animals. “They knew they could make a quick and meaningful difference in the fur and leather categories,” the representative said. Gilat leads all design directions in all outerwear categories.
For more than 10 years, the independent luxury outerwear label has been known for its mission to end animal cruelty through ethical design with animal-free, vegan materials (both faux fur and vegan leather). The brand’s headquarters – a dog-friendly office – is located in Melbourne, Australia.
The brand has been recognized with two PETA Fashion Awards and a National Indigenous Fashion Award in 2022.
Key pieces: Ombre Leopard Boho Jacket; Elixir coat; Saint Tropez jacket; Montmartre jacket; La Lune jacket; Libertango jacket.
Sales prices: $350 to $500
Acaria Studio
Co-founders: Azize Ceylan and Elif Yauz
Background: Founded in 2023, Acaria Studio is an emerging contemporary Turkish fashion label.
“It has now been a year since we started a conscious story with the brand. My partner and I wanted luxury fashion in a sustainable world, because most garments are not timeless or conscious enough. Every garment within Acaria Studio has a sustainability [story] such as upcycled, organic or regenerative cotton and biodegradable products. We combine sustainability with timeless elegance,” says Ceylan.
“The Acaria Studio customer loves timeless pieces, but is also daring,” she said of the earth-toned fall collection, which is produced in Istanbul. This season marks the first time the brand opens up to wholesale and exhibits at Coterie.
Key pieces: The vegan silk jacquard (60 percent cupro and 40 percent viscose) Made-to-measure dress, night blazer and night skirt; the semi-vegetable (100 percent real leather with 100 percent viscose lining) Journey trench coat, Root jacket and Root pants.
Selling price: $200 to $2,000.
Bonnie and Clyde
Co-founder, creative director: Jon Yuan
Background: “Bonnie Clyde is an indie eyewear label that says ‘no’ to cynicism and embraces love with all its absurdities. We combine generations of manufacturing experience, contemporary culture and timeless sensibilities,” said Yuan, who founded the company in 2016. “We’re actually an accessories brand that wants to tell stupid love stories.”
While the brand started direct-to-consumer, it is now moving into wholesale and added an optical range last year. Styles come in a wide range of colors. Based in LA, Yuan uses the city to inspire its range of playful eyewear.
Main styles: The Bicycle, sleek round metal; The Groupie, thick round frames with angular temples; The Angel, lightweight, sleek and curved shell.
Selling price: Sun: $138-$188; Optical $138-$230
Fairchild Baldwin
Founder: Jill Fairchild
Background: Fairchild Baldwin started more than 10 years ago. Fairchild started with a compact handbag collection, won the Accessory Council’s emerging designer award, and lately the brand’s earrings, which complement its signature chains, have been gaining popularity.
“My mission in creating any collection is to create designs that not only adorn the wearer, but also evoke a sense of creativity, passion and individuality,” says Fairchild, daughter of John Fairchild, former editor-in-chief and publisher of WWD. “In short: to invite the viewer to embrace the beauty of art and design in a wearable form.”
The 2024 earring collection is vibrant, with diverse designs handmade in mixed techniques, ranging from intricate beading and crochet to horn and lacquer, and hammered metal pieces. “Each earring is a unique work of art, reflecting the skill and creativity of the artisan,” she said. As a woman-owned company, Fairchild is proud to partner with women’s livelihood communities for research and manufacturing, she said.
Main styles: Drops, clusters, hoops, studs and hangers.
Selling price: Earrings cost between $50 and $150.
Half days
Co-founders: Kiley McKinnon, Ariana Ferwerda and Karelle Golda
Background: “After competing in men’s ski pants at the 2018 Winter Olympics, American skier Kiley McKinnon was fed up with ‘unisex’ fits that were really meant for men. Tired of the shrink-it-pink-it mentality, ill-fitting silhouettes and unapproachable legacy brands, Kiley and co-founders Ariana Ferwerda and Karelle Golda launched Halfdays with the aim of disrupting a male-dominated outdoor industry” , Ferwerda told WWD.
After launching with ski wear, Halfdays expanded into trail and outdoor products, Ferwerda said.
“They are breaking new ground with their progressive, inclusive offering for women who never want to sacrifice style or performance,” she added.
The brand launched fully direct-to-consumer in November 2020 and was quickly approached by wholesale accounts. In February, the brand made its first appearance at Coterie, where it is working with Andrea Westerlind, founder of outdoor and lifestyle showroom Westerlind, to expand into more independent and specialty stores.
Key pieces: The Murphy ski suit, the Aston jacket and the ultra-flattering Alessandra trousers.
Selling price: Base layers start at $85 each; ski and everyday outerwear styles from $275 to $595.
Ayelet van Naot
Founder: Ayelet Lax Levy
Background: President of Naot Shoes’ U.S. operations, the range takes the comfort shoe technology Naot is known for and takes it to a debut collection of Italian-made heels and boots. Each style in the 10-piece launch includes an innovative custom insole, developed using brand new technology. Lax Levy worked with designers to create the four-millimeter Poron insole to optimize cushioning.
“We are the first to create a four-millimeter heel with a memory foam insole,” says Lax Levy, who worked diligently with a factory outside Milan.
Main styles: Classic styles including pumps, boots and kitten heels.
Selling price: Heels start at $500, with boots going for $800.
Meilleur moment
Founder: Jenny Qian
Background: Meilleur Moment (French for ‘the best moment’) was founded in 2014 by Qian, chairman of the Eifini Group. The brand focuses on minimalist style, quality and comfort; explores sustainable design and high-quality materials with a less-is-more ethos.
“Each piece is timeless and created beyond the concepts of season, trend and ages, so that our customers can appreciate their true beauty at every moment,” the brand said.
Key pieces: The Fall 2024 “Fluffy Journey” collection includes alpaca hair, camel hair, yak hair, goose down, wool and cashmere, all of which the brand says are sustainable, and included a blend of the “90s-inspired urban office lady; Millennial strong woman and gender neutral looks,” says the brand.
Major styles include overcoats; cashmere cardigans and sweaters; goose down from Siberia and sleek, minimalist layers.
Selling price: T-shirts start at $50; Main collection from $100 to $600, and premium cashmere from $600 to $1,499.
MAGIC
Little layers from The Little Words Project
Founder: Adriana Carrig
Background: Founded 10 years ago, Carrig started Little Words Project with the intention of inspiring and encouraging people to be kind to themselves and reward that kindness, one bracelet at a time. Customers choose a bracelet with a word or affirmation on it that resonates with them, worn on their wrist as a daily positive reminder. And eventually, when they feel fulfilled by the word or when they meet someone else who might need it more, they pass it on. Last fall, the brand launched Little Layers online, styles meant to be worn between The Little Words Project pieces, and is now jumping into wholesale. Each piece is made of 14-carat gold vermeil.
Main styles: Hearts custom cut bracelet, custom word bracelets, teardrop hoops and evil eye ring.
Selling price: $45-$125
Denise Rae
Founder: Denise Ruiz
Background: Before launching Denise Rae in 2023, Ruiz worked for more than 25 years in the fashion industry at Dolce & Gabbana and Little Marc Jacobs, among others. In 2020, during the pandemic, Ruiz’s mother passed away unexpectedly, leading Rae to quit her corporate job to focus on taking a break, reinventing herself and finding new joy. “Beautiful things are born from sadness and pain,” she told WWD, about the creation of her loungewear pajama label.
“Growing up in New York City, my mom always said, ‘You girls should wear matching pajamas. One, you don’t know who you’ll meet in your dreams, and two, wear them, if God forbid, we have to run down the fire escape,” she said. The line features original prints inspired by Rae’s personal travels and her mother, which are featured on the signature matching pajama sets. In addition, each style features internal tags with slogans such as ‘I am strong, I am beautiful, I am enough.’
Each style is sustainably crafted, made from 100 percent organic cotton with prints that are free of harmful chemicals, and packaged in eco-friendly materials.
Key pieces: The Cami & Robe Set; long sleeve pajama set; Nightgown Nightgowns; a short sleep set and unisex pajamas for children. The main seasonal prints range from stripes and checkerboard to flora and fauna motifs in optimistic color schemes.
Selling price: $129 to $239.
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