At Kate Barton’s debut spring runway show, there were goldfish on the clothes, goldfish in the bags, and Goldfish snacks on attendees’ seats (the famous snack brand was a sponsor).
Since launching her brand in 2022, the fish has become something of an identifier for the label after her clear acrylic fish bowl bag went viral. Ditto her futuristic eveningwear with removable molded mirror plates and sculptural draping techniques — recently seen on the likes of Katy Perry, or in Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” Season 4.
Barton said recognition of her brand’s identity has made her more confident to expand into new categories, such as a larger assortment of the lower-priced essentials she launched this summer.
“I’m doing a mix to really make sure I’m getting the brand DNA across each look,” she said of day-to-night styles. Alongside trompe l’oeil tanks, the best included debut denim — lilac-dyed pastel corsets, miniskirts and draped trousers, also shown in rhinestone-covered blue — and baby-doll dresses in her signature engineered liquid fabric. Applying her draping and 3D elements to accessible materials while upping the ante on easier silhouettes in signature fabrications was a great start to the brand world she’s been quickly building.
“I wanted to be able to support those around us and dress a wider price range; girls who are more my age,” the young designer said. But she didn’t give up the personalized specialty wear she’s become known for, closing the show with three strong propositions in pink and white.
For more New York spring 2025 reviews, click here.