Championing New York Fashion
Creativity thrives at The Fifth Avenue Hotel, making it a natural home for the city’s artistic energy. As Fashion Week unfolds, its influence extends far beyond the runways. It spills into New York’s streets, galleries, restaurants, and hotel lobbies, where designers, stylists, and tastemakers come together to share ideas that shape culture.
Stylist Solange Franklin has witnessed the ever-evolving landscape of fashion creatives through her work styling red-carpet appearances and editorial shoots for clients like Vogue Spain, Glossier, and Saks Fifth Avenue. As a guest of The Fifth, Franklin shares her perspectives on innovative designers to watch and how her inner flâneur has shaped her work as a stylist in New York.
Designers to Watch
With her trained fashion eye, Franklin brings into sharp focus some of New York’s designers to watch this season. One such designer is Luar’s Raul Lopez, whose designs are characterized by a ‘maximalist aura streamlined into an uber structural, sleek design.’ Franklin describes Lopez’s work – “every season he delivers on the drama with the clothes, nails, oversized sunglasses, and the fans, from Beyoncé and Madonna to Jeremy O’Harris.”
Rachel Scott of Diotima has also captured Franklin’s attention, especially after her recent accolade in the fashion world. “Rachel Scott just won the CFDA award for womenswear, an honor that I want to help her sing from the rooftops,” Franklin shares. She particularly admires Scott’s “otherworldly” crochet designs and skillful tailoring, which caters to diverse fashion followers, including “the sharply dressed professional, the artistic dreamer, and the utterly bold.”
Lastly, Christopher John Rogers stands out for his fearless use of color. “If rainbow was trademarked, Christopher could be a rightful owner,” Franklin says. Whether it’s “dainty dots on silk and taffeta” or “surreal florals splayed on Oxford-style shirting,” this young designer transforms every piece into a statement, injecting joy into everything he creates.
What Inspires Franklin’s Style
Much like a modern-day flâneur, Franklin’s personal style is influenced by many people, places, and things, each adding to the ever-evolving way she sees and interprets fashion. But at its core, she says, her style has “always been about seeking quality and specificity, armor and joy.”
Nowhere has that philosophy shined brighter than in New York, where fashion is as much about identity as aesthetics. “Oh, my early New York days were during the advent of street-style blogs and photography,” she recalls. “So, my inspiration came from the major editors and OG bloggers prowling the streets of Fashion Week. I loved the peacocking and absence of mall brands.” When it comes to specific icons who inspired her, Franklin calls out photographer Bill Cunningham, saying, “[His] eye was a big influence on me, capturing details and micro trends for pleasure.”
Like most creatives, Franklin also draws inspiration from her community: the thinkers, artists, and friends who surround her. Their work, ideas, and conversations push her to explore new directions and maintain a fresh perspective. “I rely a lot on my peers and their curiosities,” she says.
Her references also go beyond the fashion scene, pulling from an eclectic mix of film, art, and culture. “I look for emotional honesty in novels and film, the swish of a walk in New York, and the palette in television set design,” she says. Some of her most enduring inspirations include “Simone Yvette Leigh’s sculptures, In the Mood for Love, the ceramicist Woody Othello, Gordon Parks, and just about anything Naomi Campbell has touched.”
Shopping Recommendations
Franklin approaches shopping the way she approaches style: with an eye for the intentional, the well-made, and the quietly exceptional. In a city full of options, Franklin gravitates toward places where shopping feels less like consumption and more like collecting.
Take Beverly’s, for example. “Beverly is the consummate it girl. She has impeccable taste — and a generous spirit, illusive but warm,” Franklin says. One shelf might hold Saint Heron glassware, while another has &Daughter sweaters, Christofle cutlery, or an Atmos room spray from her latest collaboration. Beverly’s is mostly appointment-only and frequently hosts pop-ups, making it a must-follow for those who love the thrill of something rare and considered.”
Beyond fashion, Franklin looks to interiors for inspiration and Laura Gonzalez’s Interior Design Showroom in TriBeCa is a go-to. “This place is heaven for interior design inspiration: wall-to-wall elegant joy,” she says. Gonzalez, a French interior designer and AD100 lister, has curated a space where each piece feels like a work of art. “With pieces like the Medusa Table, the Shell Vase III, and the Momo Bubble Lamp, my wishlist is as strong and optimistic as the design.”
When it comes to fashion, Franklin is also a champion of sustainability, favoring timeless, well-made pieces over fleeting trends. That’s why The Real Real is a mainstay in her shopping routine. “I will always support circular fashion!” she tells us. Franklin recommends the SoHo location for its expansive selection, often pairing her visit with a stop at Loewe or a glance at the window displays at Richard Beavers Gallery.
