Pamella Roland staged her SS26 runway show at the New York Public Library, presenting a collection rooted in the language of American modern art. The designer drew from four major figures in American art: Georgia O’Keeffe, Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, and Alice Baber. Each reference informed both the construction and surface of the garments, linking painterly ideas with couture technique.
Color directed the flow of the show. Aqua, blush, and champagne opened the collection with a soft introduction before bursts of lemon, fuchsia, and red shifted the mood. Custom ombré chiffons channeled O’Keeffe’s floral vocabulary, while watercolor chine reflected Baber’s approach to saturated fields. Embroidery reinforced both softness and structure, placing the clothes within a dialogue of painterly texture and sculptural detail.
Fabric manipulation took on a key role in shaping the collection’s presence. Organic 3D tulle florals appeared across gowns, paired with feathered ombré effects that echoed O’Keeffe’s flower studies. Metallic lines reinforced Stella’s architectural approach, cutting across surfaces with deliberate precision. A lemon Mikado cocktail dress carried this direction further, connecting art and fashion through sharp design.
Several pieces stood out as focal points. A mirrored laser-cut plexiglass cocktail dress introduced light and reflection to the show, giving the garment a sculptural quality. A sapphire faille mermaid gown covered in foiled floral appliqués brought together fluid form and intricate surface treatment. For the finale, Roland sent out a hand-embroidered organza gown in a pink-to-white ombré, paired with a matching cape. The look concluded the presentation with a balance of romance and technique, emphasizing the collection’s commitment to American modernism as a source of inspiration.
By translating O’Keeffe, Stella, Warhol, and Baber into clothing, the house presented a dialogue between fashion and art. Color defined mood, while embroidery and material experimentation shaped movement and surface. Guests including Nicky Hilton, Jamie Chung, Bianca Lawson, Flaviana Matata, Jaime Alexander, and Jay Manuel filled the venue as the brand revealed an artistic interpretation of color, form, and texture.
