Barshai debuts their Resort 24/25 collection, bringing reimagined garments and intimate silhouettes down a romantic Victorian-inspired runway.
The House of Barshai
A winding red-carpeted staircase opens up to a long room of ivory architecture. Delicate fabric ribbons across the high ceiling and above Greek statue heads protruding from the walls. Antiques and brass artifacts decorate round tables. Macy Rodman, the DJ of the evening, sets the mood with an inviting club-bounce of songs in a dusty pink corset. The young and modern rhythm of the music goes surprisingly well with the quaint essence of the space.
Barshai’s debut runway at the Georgia Room in NYC holds an atmospheric sentiment, transporting one to a place that seemed to have been forgotten long ago. Guests sit reclined in couches and chairs draped and gathered in soft white muslin and mesh, as if it were furniture once covered before left in an abandoned house. Attendees slowly file into the room. Many are adorned in romantic silhouettes and accessories of lace, silk, and ruffle garments. Although Barshai doesn’t have much of an online presence, the guests match so well with the collection that it’s clear the brand has garnered an intimate audience of supporters even before the rest of the world discovers it.
After some time waiting and taking in the set, the music suddenly shifts. The show is about to begin.
The Resort 24/25 Collection
Inspired by the idea of a grandiose dwelling (belonging to the Sasson family of the 1600s) once abandoned and now rediscovered in our modern times, the “House of Barshai” collection brought us a subtle color story through an array of whites, grays, and blacks along muted creams and a “Proustian pink” shade. The show shifted through three distinct scenes, each one building a different layer to the developing runway story. A plethora of queer inspirations were also subtly interwoven, from specific garment styling to music choice.
DAUGHTER OF NIGHT
Towering hair and low, pointed heels accompany the first family of looks, opening the show with an astonishing display of craftsmanship. Tailored jackets with princess seams and peplum-esque hems highlight the feminine figure. Thick tassels sway along the ends of a sweetheart corset. The garments demand attention through a dark enchantment of allure.
CONTEMPORARY REVIVAL
The archaic feminine undergarment is reimagined through a modern lens, giving us the contemporary corset. A billowing flower blooms on the side of a Proustian pink corset. Organza-like ruffles erupt from the side of another. For more subtle, yet just as striking styles, vintage artistry is seen with a printed jumpsuit and a flower-patterned set. The element of patina detailing is also most recognized in this family of looks.
CURVING LAYERS
What Barshai claims as “the ethereal ‘Tissot Bra,’ inspired by the paintings of Victorian artist James Tissot,” came to us in renditions of dainty straps and satin-y cups held together with a light, u-like wire. Delicate sheer fabric in faint pinks, whites, and blacks form elongated mermaid tale silhouette skirts, some gently attached to the dip of the Tissot Bra wire. The use of circular cuts on the fabric creates curving movement along the legs with every step taken.
COUTURE ALLURE
Delicate fabrics tease out the faintest impression of the feminine body. Form-fitting dresses with high necks, flared and layered hems, and tattered trains twisted playfully around the model’s finger. Bias cuts flatter the hips and accentuate movement. A sense of Victorian romance reigns, all in the name of Barshai’s ode to American couture.
The Future of Barshai
Erik Barshai’s love for the nature of couture, knowledge in dressmaking, and extensive background working at some of the most coveted American fashion houses is clear through the exhibition of craftsmanship in his work. With all garments being hand-made by Barshai and his team, as well as the development of a fantastical narrative to accompany this debut, it is clear that future holds high recognition for the brand. Style Cartel witnessed such a promising inception of a fashion show, and we hope to do so many more times as the future of Barshai unfolds.
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