Leaving the below-freezing New York weather to enter a warm and inviting venue swarming with people only made me even more eager to see the upcoming showcase. The venue was packed with an avid audience waiting for the show to start. While awaiting the swim wear brand to begin their show, the question remains- how will Chromat remind us that they are designing for everyone and every body?

All attention was immediately drawn to the vogue performers who opened up the show. The energy was strong enough to stimulate the audience’s enthusiasm. Small cheers and chants filled the room as the opening performers finished their routine off the catwalk. Followed by dimming lights, the center stage lit back up again, and the show we’ve been waiting for began.

The controversy over how the fashion industry can become a intersectional platform for all bodies, figures, and identities has progressively grown larger thanks to social media. People have been demanding to see representations of themselves on the runway for decades, and thankfully, designers are starting to meet these demands. Chromat is truly consistent with their message: all bodies are worthy of celebration. There was not one person on the runway that did not walk with confidence, and that positivity surely radiated throughout the entire show. Models wore swimsuits made to their fit, some styled with experimental puffer ensembles, others with fluid fabrics that danced as the models strutted down the runway. The entire showcase challenged us as viewers to widen our perspectives on the relationship between clothing and the human body. Once again, Chromat has proven to us that any body is worthy of celebration.

Review by Zo V. Fielder @vis.ualizing, photography by Natalie Black