We Attended the 2023 MAGIC/COTERIE New York Trade Shows, and We Liked What We Saw

We took our first turn at the MAGIC/COTERIE New York fashion trade shows – which were held jointly at the Javits Convention Center in New York from February 21-23, 2023 – and we did not walk away disappointed. We want to show our audience some of the brands that caught our eye. Choosing these brands was no small feat, as there were hundreds of designers and brands present between the two trade shows. Without further delay, here are the aforementioned brands (in no particular order):

CHAE New York

COTERIE participant CHAE, led by founder and creative director Carolina Chae Yoo, is a luxury brand launched in New York in 2017. The South Korean-born designer, who graduated from Parsons, has shown her collections at New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, and Seoul Fashion Week. What jumps out about CHAE is the variety of patterns that combine with the brand’s solid tailoring to give potential customers a pulled-together feminine look. https://chaenewyork.com/

Freedom Fashion Ukraine

Freedom Fashion Ukraine is an initiative that gathered six of Ukraine’s most talented designers and showcased their work at COTERIE with financial support from the USAID (United States Agency For international Development) Competitive Economy Program.

The Freedom Fashion Ukraine effort is being led by fashion expert Jen Sidary, the founder and CEO of Angel For Fashion – an online marketplace that houses 32 Ukrainian brands and was created a month after the invasion of Ukraine to help the Ukrainian fashion industry continue to thrive.

In terms of the design talent itself that was on display at the Freedom Fashion Ukraine booth, it was there in large quantity as you can see from the included photos. We especially believed that KULAKOVSKY, headed by designer Artur Kulakovsky, showed many well done leather and shearling pieces (as we’ve demonstrated above in a couple of the gallery photos).

Here’s to hoping that we continue seeing more from Ukrainian fashion design in the United States. The talent well runs deep in Ukraine, indeed. https://angelforfashion.com/

Tricot Chic

The sweaters and jackets that Tricot Chic – a participant in the Italian style section of COTERIE – had on display looked as if they’d give you a maximum level of coziness while keeping a sense of style. Especially noteworthy are the beautiful mustard tones seen on some of the garments. https://tricotchic.it/

Muche Et Muchette

When passing by COTERIE participant Muche Et Muchette, one couldn’t help but to stop and take a look at what this brand had to offer. Maybe it was the sense of uncomplicated glamour? The sense that one could have both a life of carefree ease and a beautiful wardrobe if one joins the Muche Et Muchette world? Perhaps. But it doesn’t hurt that prices are undeniably reasonable. https://muche-et-muchette.com/

Lorena Benatti

The watermelon color combination – and the bright colors generally – seen at Italian COTERIE participant Lorena Benatti’s booth are unbeatable if one is looking for an antidote to what has been a dreary winter that, curiously, still has not borne much snow for those of us in major Northeast cities. It’s still cold at times, however, and these sweaters would be a cheery addition to one’s wardrobe. https://www.lorenabenatti.it/

Anca Barbu

With regards to handbags & accessories at COTERIE, Anca Barbu was one of our more interesting finds. Anca, a native Romanian artist based in Miami, uses her considerable artistic skills to handpaint designer handbags. She has recently started creating her own handbags and handpaints those as well. These bags are truly works of art. https://ancabarbu.com/

HiSO

One of our favorite outerwear finds at COTERIE was HiSO, a Canadian company specializing in luxury shearlings since 1975. Can one not imagine walking out to meet a winter environment in one of these well-constructed jackets? The color tones are also top notch. https://hiso.ca/

Molliolli

Molliolli’s designs have such an energy about them that it is impossible to not get excited about the possibilities of fashion when looking at them. The company is fur-free, creating its desirable outerwear, handbags and accessories by using a material called Tissavel. Molliolli believes that “fur free is no longer a material. Fur free is a lifestyle of philosophy and practice.” https://molliolli.com/

Atelier Basile

Belgian brand Atelier Basile focuses on creating what they call “conscious knitwear”, which they make by hand. Founded by mother/daughter team Karen and Louise, the entire ethos of this luxury knitwear company is in direct opposition to the fast fashion mindset that has much of the fashion industry in its grip. That’s a good thing. https://www.atelier-basile.com/

Isabel Benenato

Isabel Benenato’s designs on display at COTERIE are eye-catching in that, though they may seem simple enough in the way of silhouettes, the way that Isabel differentiates her work compells potential customers. Take any of the designs above: the color gradient sweater, the black and white sweater vest, and the leather jacket. All have that “individual” factor; they have an edge, in their own way. https://www.isabelbenenato.com

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