Only Tom Ford can make a New York subway sexy. For his Spring/Summer 2020 ready-to-wear show, the American designer, filmmaker, and visionary summoned the elites of the fashion world underground, taking to the deserted Bowery station where a narrow platform lit by glaring purple lights served as a makeshift runway.

While last season’s show displayed the genteel side of Tom Ford’s sex appeal, this season’s collection supercharged it with the ripe, heated carnality of the New York underground. Models including Kaia Gerber and Gigi Hadid descended down the steps donning smudged eyeliner, damp, glistening skin, and punk-like top knots with crimped ends that nodded to ‘80s New Wave. The beauty component was complete with super-long, pointed acrylic nails.

The collection itself saw a diversity of looks, opening with a series of bunched-up tank tops (that looked like T-shirts with their sleeves haphazardly rolled-up) worn over lavish taffeta ball gown skirts. The style spectrum ranged from sportswear to evening wear, and was united by a colour palette of neutrals (black, white, nude) and brights (fuchsia, orange, lime green), largely manifesting as monochrome outfits that used texture and material to create contrast.

Tom Ford’s signature silhouette came through in the sleek, wide-shouldered suiting, remixed with sportswear elements such as a jersey shirt or bra top. There was leather outerwear for both men and women, as well as animal print blazers for the former and skin-baring bodysuits for the latter. Evening wear demonstrated opposing textures: sculpted vinyl bra tops making a stark contrast to the silk jersey pants that rippled in movement.