Black is back. Who couldn’t be happier?

   As always, New York City opened up Fashion Month for the Fall/Winter 2020 collections. Show after show, a pattern of black was recognized, and this pattern continued throughout London, Milan, and Paris, giving the season the title, “the return of black.”

  Like every season, I lived vicariously through Eva Chen and Derek Blasberg’s Instagram stories. It was almost like I was with them, sitting in the front row as they documented every show.                

  Well, not really, but I still got to see the view from the top on a tiny screen. That’s basically the same, right?

  Brandon Maxwell’s collection earned my vote as the best show of the season. Everything about it was perfect: the runway, the clothes, the tailoring, the accessories. I’m still not over it. The show was held at the Natural History Museum and models walked along the runway in between wooly mammoths and saber-tooth tigers, all while being cheered along by Netflix’s Cheer stars Lexi Brumback and Gabi Butler. I have no words; it was pure perfection.

   Across the pond in London, Victoria Beckham kept it simple and stunning as always. Opening and closing in all black, she is the definition of chic. Her clothes are always practical and wearable – it’s just elegant pieces that don’t conform to the complication and over-the-top fashion.

   For the past two seasons, Versace has broken the internet with the return of the original supermodels and recreating JLO’s iconic jungle dress. How do you top that? Donatella Versace adopted a glam yet casual stance, but her main focus is always evening wear. Worn by Kendall Jenner, the closing piece was my favorite of the season. The hourglass dress was lined with crystals and a curved neckline. I sent it to my mom and she immediately replied no, as in no, you are not buying that for your brother’s Bar Mitzvah. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. That dress would even make JLO proud.

   I’m still not sure if I loved or hated Gucci. The concept was genius: to show the effort and time everyone puts into the show. The stage revolved, giving the audience a glimpse into the backstage and showing the hair and makeup teams and the model dressers at work – a show in the round. “You were our show, and we were your show,” head designer Alessandro Michele said. However, I didn’t get the clothes. Michele looked back on the clothing that surrounded him in his childhood, but to me it just looked like bag ladies and thrift-shop finds.

   Dior is one of my favorite brands. The brand has always stood for feminism, especially under the current designer Maria Grazia Chiuri. This show was more poignant than usual since it coincided with the guilt verdict of Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial. The runway was lined with newspapers from the last few weeks and neon signs reading “Consent” and “When Women Strike the World Stops” hung throughout the room. The clothes were an homage to the Dior designs of the 1970s by Marc Bohan. They were a relaxed throwback while staying on the trend of black.

   Another fashion month has come and gone, but there’s no need to worry because there will be another next week. Not technically, but that’s what it feels like. The Fall/Winter 2020 collections proved black was never gone and is here to stay.