The stakes of the next American election—which have weaved themselves into many a New York Fashion Week show this season—are so big that even a Dutch designer, who moved his show from the usual haute couture calendar to New York—champions the vote. That is precisely what Ronald van der Kemp did on his 10th anniversary of being a sustainable collection, though the couturier’s motives went far beyond politics.

“I lived here long ago, and now I am back. I thought it was time to show my ethics in New York and give positive energy. We have enough stuff in his world. I didn’t make anything new; everything is already there,” he said, gesturing towards the rack and grabbing a black bolero jacket embellished with objects covered in matte gold lacquer.

“This is all garbage,” he said and explained the accouterment, which was reshaped PET plastic bottles, broken ceramic, and what looked to be old buttons.

He also said he came here to remind everyone to vote. The designer revived an American flag collection from 2008 for the anniversary collection, despite the internet virtue signaling of late. (Though technically, it violates flag codes to use an actual flag, plenty of others have done so before, and for a European-born designer, it probably doesn’t carry the same weight. While it wasn’t an actual flag, French-born New York Catherine Malandrino cemented her place in fashion history with her Old Glory prints).

“Sure, flag-wearing is a bit tricky, but I did it when Obama got elected,” he laughed, adding, “To me, it’s positive; it’s about freedom and that freedom to be who you are. But I am also here to remind everyone to vote.”

To that end, the first look to walk involved a wrapped and draped flag around an upcycled jeans and cropped tee style from a previous collection and a ‘beanie’ reimagined as a milliner would, resulting in a swirling cone shape.

Van der Kemp’s raison d’etre for the New York outing also had a lot to do with his experiences living here from 1990-1998, where he got his start at Bill Blass and then worked for the Pressman family of Barney’s New York furthered his luxury viewpoint.

“At Blass, working with all the socialites, I learned that evening wear could be comfortable. That image of Nan Kempner smoking with her hand in her pocket was it. I did an event with her, and it changed my life,” he said of the late socialite who was presumed to be the inspiration for the social X-ray in Tom Wolfe’s ‘Bonfire of the Vanities.’

Thus, through Van der Kemp’s progressive mixed element haute couture hands, he recreated classic eighties ladies-who-lunch clothing and made it edgy for today’s customer. In particular, exaggerated asymmetrical ruffle hemlines, embellished strong shoulder fitted bolero jackets, silk evening harem pants, large bow-inspired swaths—especially striking in black on a white strapless cocktail dress and a yellow floral applique detail— and unique inverted tulip hemlines combined for a look that’s refresh has come.

A Blass motif was evidenced in a black lace and green satin short party dress with a slit leg train. It featured an applique on the hip in the shape of Lady Liberty‘s crown as a cheeky nod to the city. Dramatic black-and-white silk satins added a graphic touch and nodded to another eighties brand favored by socialites, Christian Lacroix, as did the exaggerated ruffles and heavy embellishments throughout.

Backstage, van der Kemp explained another embellishment, tropical birds that covered the bodice of a sleek red dress worn by a Brazilian model named Tayana.

“She introduced me to these ladies who made these hand-embroidered birds, so we started collaborating. I love it because it helps the community, and the workmanship is amazing. To be continued,” he said as he gestured towards Tayana.

Following the first flag-bearing look, which featured music, there were more flag looks and intermittent music in the form of a boombox. Van der Kemp explained that it was out of respect for the 9/11 anniversary on which the show took place.

“I won’t ever forget, and my message is we have to do it together with respect for one another and why it’s a big mix, be aware of who you are in this world, and do something good,” he continued.

The Dutch designer, whose clothes are made-to-order and haute couture to private clients, also suggested that the silence of the runway in the solemn space of St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery put the focus back on the clothes, not the hype.

“In New York, the focus is too much on the celebrity front row, not the product. I want the focus to be on the clothes,” he said. How refreshing a thought.

For the finale, a male boombox-bearing model, eerily channeling Warhol Superstar Joe Dallesandro, decked out in the flag motif led a parade of models wearing more street-savvy denim flag and white T-shirts down the runway.

They convened as a group in a multi-level pulpit to the song ‘I Love America’ by Swiss Disco king Patrick Juvet as van der Kemp joined them. If the designer was looking to relive his time here, when the fashion was the excitement and the shows just the vehicle to see them, he should consider mission accomplished.