Nicholas Morley could have played it safe for the debut of Buddhist Punk on the New York fashion calendar, but that's not his style. He chose to show on one of the biggest days of the week, and his raucous presentation at the Maritime Hotel became the unofficial big bang finale. Star studded, high volume, and patchouli infused, the show drew the likes of Patti Hansen, Steven Tyler, Andres Serrano, and Natalia Vodianova and Justin Portman. And Gina Gershon, Elizabeth Jagger, Veruschka, and the Richards girls walked, in an attempt to further Morley's stated aim for "world domination."
But what about the fashion? Well, Morley, an Australian hair-stylist-turned-designer who lives between London and Bali, is known for his T-shirts, first launched as a party promo in 1999. He's since developed projects with the Rolling Stones and AC/DC, and acquired a following along the way. This was a full collection with a rock 'n' roll/surf aesthetic: "gnarly" separates like silk-screened hoodies for men, and dresses, tunics, and women's bathing suits. These were tie-dyed, embroidered, and zebra striped, and could be worn as well by Shelly Zander (Marc Jacobs' athletic tattooed fit model) as by a St. Barts socialite looking for a little street cred.
