If you, like me, live a stone’s throw from the East River in downtown Manhattan, you’ll instantly recognize the setting of Rosetta Getty’s spring lookbook. Her models lean on rusty benches, explore overgrown wildflowers, and pose by the amphitheater in East River Park, the grimy yet beautiful stretch of green space below the Williamsburg Bridge. The atmosphere reflects Getty’s reverence for nature, particularly in 2021, but the shoot also serves as something of a PSA. The city is planning to build a seawall along the park’s edge to soften the blow of impending storms as climate change threatens sea levels. Getty’s concern is that the park will be eradicated in the process. There’s already a plan to cut down 1,000 trees in the fall, which prompted a citizen protest earlier this morning. (The Instagram account @eastriverparkaction is keeping us up to date). In a city where nature is already in short supply, she’s hoping New York will reconsider and preserve—or, better yet, improve—the strip of land.
In the collection, Getty’s fixation on our planet’s future comes through mostly in her continued increase of recycled materials. Nearly every garment was designed to be nearly weightless, too, a practical move given this summer’s scorching temperatures. They’re also quite seasonless as a result: Wear the paper-thin knits solo in warmer climates or layer them up in the winter.
In her serene Tribeca showroom, models wandered among guests in various key pieces. A twisted silk slip in the palest shade of peach stood out, as did the looks that incorporated swimwear, a growing category for Getty. Several dresses had sensual cut-outs and ties inspired by maillots, like a gown in shimmering taupe brocade. In addition to its sex appeal, it will be a cooling option for next summer’s inevitable heat waves. By then, let’s hope climate change has a greater influence on the actual collections we see at Fashion Week; spring 2022 has yet to deliver on that front.
