10 Years of CHROMAT Runway

August 27, 2019

Looking back at the past 10 years, we've had a lot of amazing runway shows at New York Fashion Week!

Chromat was founded in NYC in 2010, and for the first few years we released new collections exclusively via lookbook in our showroom International Playground.

Early highlights include our SS10 Cities and Cages Collection, inspired by the architecture of the Pompidou in Paris and extruding the interior functions of the building to the exterior- the impetus for our architectural cage designs. The first SS10 cages were built by hand by founder Becca McCharen-Tran out of her bedroom in a small town in Virginia, before she relocated Chromat to NYC in 2010

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AW13: SUPERSTRUCTURES

We kicked off our first NYFW event in 2013, when we debuted our AW13 Superstructures in a presentation at Industria. This collection was inspired by (and required a lot of) mathematical equations such as hyperboloid structures. Chromat also studied the work of sixties futurist architects: Superstudio's monolithic grid structures and Archigram's dystopian visions for future cities.

AW13 Superstructures

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SS14: MATHLETES

Then with SS14 Mathletes we hosted a hybrid presentation/runway show at the Out Hotel. Highlights include activewear, caged out caps, custom Chromat platform shoes and powder coated steel cages. This collection was inspired by competitive mathematics. Team uniforms, sports jerseys and the athleticism and intellectual mastery of NASA Astronauts were referenced in the construction of Chromat SS14.

SS14: MATHLETES Soundtrack by Lauren Flax.

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AW14: BIONIC BODIES

We hosted our first official runway show with AW14 Bionic Bodies at the Standard Highline as a part of MADE fashion week.

This collection tells the story of a love affair between a human and a robotic being. Interactive maps of the Internet and sites like Tweetping, Reddit and global energy usage typographies inspired the material palette of wearable semiconductor light technology paired with lush velvets and chromed metal plating.

AW14: BIONIC BODIES Soundtrack by Ana Lola Roman.

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SS15: FORMULA 15

Our SS15 Formula 15 runway show was the shot heard round the world, when we opened the show with plus size model Denise Bidot. Her runway look is now shown in museums around the world. (FIT, National Museum of Scotland and more).

This collection was inspired by the parallel ideologies of conceptual artist Sol LeWitt’s Wall Drawing Series and the process of tracking athletic movement through the use of wearable technology.

SS15: FORMULA 15 Soundtrack by Juliana Huxtable.

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AW15: MINDFILES

AW15 Mindfiles was hosted at Milk Studios as a part of MADE fashion week and featured laser bras and latex. This amazing cast includes superstars Gisele Xtravaganza, Leyna Bloom and Maluca Mala. This collection explores the transfer of human consciousness to new forms, utilizes artificial intelligence and expands the concepts of innovator Martine Rothblatt's post-human Mindfiles to envision an entirely (wo)man-made, synthetic world of bionic bodies.

AW15: MINDFILES Soundtrack by HD.

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SS16: MOMENTUM

We debuted our first Intel x Chromat fashion technology collab at SS16 Momentum at Milk. This collection is inspired by the idea that clothing, like architecture, should respond and adapt to the wearer.This was the collection we showed while competing in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2015–no pressure! The red tennis dress that Leyna Bloom wears was actually included at the request of Ms. Wintour herself!

SS16: MOMENTUM Soundtrack by Joey LaBeija.

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AW16: LUMINA

AW16 Lumina was also shown at Milk and featured our second Intel collab with wireless EL wire luminescent garments. This collection, inspired by light explorations of Robert Irwin and Dan Flavin, as well as bioluminescence, ranges from swimwear to activewear, lingerie to evening gowns (and lots of color).

AW16: LUMINA Soundtrack by Bearcat.

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SS17: HYPERWAVE

SS17 Hyperwave at Milk started with 3D printers printing live bodyscanned prints of dancer Mela Murder. Inspired by champion athletes like Serena Williams and Flyboarder Gemma Weston, Hyperwave features super-sporty swim and activewear, closing with buckled up eveningwear and harnesses.

SS17: HYPERWAVE Soundtrack by Abby.

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AW17 BUOYANCY

AW17 Buoyancy at Skylight Clarkson Sq featured inflatables created with outdoors company Klymit designed to keep the wearers head above water in rough, open seas. Survival and protection were key elements of this season, designed during the height of the 2016 presidential election season.

AW17: BUOYANCY Soundtrack by DJ Haram.

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SS18: SERENITY

SS18 Serenity was shown at Skylight Clarkson Sq and was inspired by rocks, crystals and grounded energy, and featured a collaboration with CGI artists Pussykrew and musician Suzi Analogue. We felt a volcanic energy; things were about to burst, but new land was forming.

SS18: SERENITY Soundtrack by Suzi Analogue.

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AW18: WAVVY

For AW18 Wavvy, we returned to Industria studios (after showing our first collection there in 2013) to present a collection featuring performance by Slayrizz and a poem by Yves Golden. This collection is about trying to find joy and escape within the spiral. Inspired by summer kayaking trips and personal watercrafts, we imagine wearing the collection while eating flaming hot cheetos on a boat in the Hudson.

AW18: WAVVY Soundtrack by SHYBOI.

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SS19: SATURATION

SS19 Saturation at Spring Studios, Gallery 1 re-imagined the wet t shirt as a feminist garment to be empowered by. After her Chromat debut as a member of the #BabeGuard, Supermodel Mama Cax makes her Chromat runway debut!

SS19: SATURATION Soundtrack by Mobilegirl.

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AW19: CLIMATIC

AW19 Climatic at Industria featured our collaboration with florist Nunko with live plants on the garments. This collection was a love letter to Miami and a wakeup call for Climate Change. Did you know that Chromat swim is made with sustainable fabric that uses regenerated nylon spun from fishing nets recovered from the world’s oceans?