NYFW: Victoria Hayes Spring 2020 Fly Girls

Photos by Mariana Leung

Hey Fly Girl! Victoria Hayes Spring 2020 show at NY Fashion Week was a high energy tribute to the 1990s.

It didn't have literal 90s fashion references, unlike some designers who often put out greatest hits of a particular decade.

The collection was more about the attitude. Think In Living Color's Fly Girls and Jennifer Lopez at her start morphing into the Glamazon diva she would become in the decade after. Big shoulders, swinging toppers, a peek of toned abs were a theme. There were lots of shiny materials, whether it was the faux patent leather, metallics or iridescent. I remember lots of these fabrics being the favorite of design students when I went to Parsons in the 90s.

The difference being the fabrics used here were noticeably upgraded from the club kid looks in my day. Note the prominent jeweled embellishments giving them a luxe edge and paired with multi-layered statement necklaces.

The gigantic spiked hoop earrings in pop colors look like were broken off from the captain's wheel of a ravers' ship. It's like they were intended as a parody of the big hoop earrings of the 1990s.

Usually, the 9 PM slot on the first day of NYFW is a kiss of death. Photographers and editors are fatigued (Ok, I was fatigued). However, seeing the energy of the models and enjoying how fun this collection was, it woke me up and got me cheering at one point because the models were just that fierce. 

I love the signature detail of the giant curved tab feature both on skirts and the huge tote handbag. The stripe effect made by the long hanging tabs and the curved shape was a clever way to show off some leg AND update the fringe look.

Congratulations to Victoria Hayes on an awesome collection for Spring 2020!