Streetwear Stampede
Review of Who Decides War Spring 2024 Fashion Show
By Mark Wittmer
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
THE THEME
It’s rare for a brand that began so firmly in the category of “streetwear” to have such a recognizable design lexicon beyond the use of logos, but Who Decides War has successfully done just that. This latest collection saw the hometown hero duo of Everard Bravado and Tela D’Amore continue to infuse tailoring and sophisticated construction into their brand DNA while finding new ways to express that core iconography of deconstructed denim and occult architectural references.
THE BUZZWORDS
Distressed. Prophetic. Layered. Reconstructed.
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Look # 29
Okay, yes, a baby makes for an easy showstopper, and this ongoing trend of using children as accessories is pretty questionable. But this look is a powerful summary of the collection’s street-minded take on corsetry and the brand’s signature stained-glass-window motif.
THE DIRECTION
While it is perhaps a testament to how hot the brand has become that there was a stampede as a large crowd was corralled into a single elevator to go up to the show space – resulting in minor injuries and major panic attacks – the poor management also shows a frustrating lack of foresight and empathy on the brand’s part and on the part of NYFW’s organizational body. Another example of the week’s continued trajectory to being less about the art and design of clothing and more about who’s sitting at shows.
THE WRAP UP
Each of the last few seasons has seen greater anticipation for the Who Decides War show from its increasing fanbase among diehard New York streetwearheads, and once again the brand delivered on expectations.
