Sitting with the Guild Team at NYFW S/S 2020: Burnett New York

New York City – The launch of a second collection on the world stage that is New York Fashion Week can be one of the most stressful career processes. The pressure to meet the expectations of clients and buyers after a first, successful showing can be daunting. For the team at Burnett New York, that moment came during this New York Fashion Week Spring Summer 2020. 

The Creative Director of Burnett New York, Emily Burnett, has an extensive career in the fashion world after working for major brands in the luxury fashion industry. Since its launch in 2018, Burnett New York has now four collections under its belt. Their first runway collection, Autumn/Winter 2019, was presented during February’s New York Fashion Week. It was met with rave reviews from the press and buyers alike. Emily Burnett was praised for successfully transitioning the style that made her a power-figure in fashion while working for Dennis Basso as Creative Director, to her eponymous brand. She achieved this while creating a more modern and empowering image for the Burnett Woman. 

Fast forward to September’s New York Fashion Week Spring Summer 2020 where Emily Burnett and the co-founder of Burnett New York, Sterling McDavid, have made very it clear that Burnett New York is determined to grow into a fashion empire. An empire with all women in mind. 

The runway show held at the Elizabeth Garden in the Nolita neighborhood (away from the exhausting hustle and puffle of runway show venues), was the perfect, intimate location to receive the well-curated list of guests in attendance. The show opened with some now recognizable Burnett styles and quickly transitioned into garments that showcased the influence behind this collection. 

“For this collection, we drew inspiration from Salvador Dalí’s paintings from the surrealist period,” told us Emily Burnett after the show. “Our goal is for the Burnett Woman to become representative of the changing unconventional ideas of beauty, innovation, and leadership.” When discussing the collection, Sterling McDavid stated, “With this collection, we are recognizing the intellectual and complex woman and challenging traditional archetypes of being a woman. We are also celebrating the diverse expression of women in art and in the communities that surround us.”

Vibrant hues of bright emerald, powder blue, cobalt, and magenta in fabrications of silk chiffon, lame, crepe, and delicately embroidered tulle were used for this collection. The show closed with a set of garments which featured intricate and exquisite prints. “The silk chiffon prints mix butterflies, florals, and geometric designs to work with our surrealism theme. They were custom made in Switzerland exclusively for this collection,” said Emily Burnett. “Additionally, the top for the final look was entirely hand-embroidered,” added Sterling McDavid.

Continuing with Burnett New York’s mission for inclusivity, the cast for the show included a diverse set of women, of different ages, shapes, and races. All majestically glowing under the summer sun in Burnett. Beyond their craftmanship in design and tailoring, this is where Burnett New York truly shines: inclusivity. In a time when many designers and brands feel a pressure to be inclusive, and have many times failed at it, Burnett New York and their team live and breathe their mission. It is part of their DNA. Sitting at a Burnett New York’s runway show is a reminder that women are the stronger sex. We are living in the Burnett Woman’s world, and the future is inclusive, artistic, and beautiful. – GM