Bronx And Banco Designer Natalie De’Banco Shares Insight On Latest Collection “Le Bohème”
On February 12th, I attended the Bronx And Banco Fall/Winter 2023 show during New York Fashion Week (NYFW) at the newly opened The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad.
The Australian label was founded in 2009 by designer Natalie De’Banco and quickly gained international retail attention with luxury retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and others.
The latest collection, titled ‘Le Bohème’, featured 26 futuristic looks, each uniquely handcrafted with mixed elements such as diamonds, metals and draped fabrics.
Designer Natalie De’Banco’s aim for this collection was to celebrate the beauty, strength and individuality of every woman with pieces fit for an art museum installation.
I spoke to De’Banco to get their perspective on the new collection and how it will fit into the brand’s post-NYFW retail presence. Here’s what she had to say.
KALEIGH MOORE: What was different about this NYFW?
NATALIE DE’BANCO: Every NYFW is drastically different. This year, partnering with The Ritz-Carlton New York, Nomad has been an amazing experience; it felt so true to the identity of the brand. Because of this partnership, it was the first time that I designed the collection and show with space in mind and created these semi-couture artworks that were meant to be presented as an experience rather than a typical runway moment.
KM: What main themes did you want to focus on in your show? How did you do that?
ND: Beauty, strength, individuality while identifying a woman’s inner alter ego and superhero. By focusing on each garment as a whole, we were able to ensure that every aspect of the look was uniquely crafted and brought to life through hair, makeup and accessories. Giving the hair and makeup teams creative liberties made for an amazing collaboration.
KM: What were some of the challenges you faced at this NYFW?
ND: What is NYFW without challenges? We always aim to accommodate as many guests as possible to our runway shows. This year the space in the hall was limited. We worked out a solution to create two separate runway shows to accommodate as many guests as possible.
KM: How will the show tie into the brand’s retail presence after NYFW?
ND: This type of collection brings me back to my roots of designing semi-couture bridal collections. We have so many great wholesale partners across the US and look forward to providing our customers with bespoke pieces that reflect the roots of the brand’s beginnings.
KM: Any highlights or special moments from the show?
ND: There was a moment backstage when all the models were laughing and dancing together and just being comfortable with the collection. This embodies what it means to be a designer as every look is tied to each girl’s personality. It creates really fun memories for everyone involved.
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