New York Fashion Week Update
It’s hard to believe that it is almost time for the biggest fashion month of the calendar year. September is such an important month for the entire fashion industry, not only because of the runway shows, but it also sets up the brands financially for the rest of the year. Up until this week, New York Fashion Week was shaping up to follow the paths of the other fashion capitals in participating in both digital and physical shows. However, the biggest shock for their schedule release was that so many of New York’s largest brands were not listed.
It was announced by IMG that the shows would take place both in Spring Studios and on the new online platform on NYFW.com. Governor Cuomo announced this week that all in person shows must remain in strict compliance with health regulations, including 50 people maximum for outdoor, and 50 percent capacity for indoors. In a statement, Cuomo said, "New York City is the fashion capital of the world and New York Fashion Week celebrates the ingenuity of this city, and our unmatched creative talent."
In response to this announcement, Executive Vice President of IMG's Fashion Events Group Leslie Russo said, “The past six months have been exceedingly difficult for the fashion industry, and we are proud to offer an avenue for designers, models, stylists, hair and makeup artists, photographers, production teams - and the innumerable other professionals who work in, or adjacent to, the fashion industry during New York Fashion Week - to safely get back to work this September."
Although it seems like NYFW is going according to plan, there are less than half the designers showing next month compared for February. The calendar that week racked up to about 177 designers. Next month, there are only 60 and only a handful will be live.
The week kicks off with a live showing of Jason Wu on September 14 and ends with a fully packed day, of digital showings, from Cinq À Sept, Nicole Miller, Theory, Tom Ford, and more. Notably absent from this calendar are Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler, Brandon Maxwell, Telfar, Studio One Eighty Night, and many more. It seems as though the condensed schedule and strict health protocols, made designers rethink their plans.
Gurung told Vogue, “Everyone in the industry was running around playing catch up, with no actual goal in sight…. Whatever we put out there has to have a reason for its existence; pretty clothes are no longer enough. We need to really think about purpose and a mission.”
The fashion industry seemed to have higher-hopes for what New York would be like, even going as far as mimicking the name “The Shows” since there will be almost none at all. The famous black flags are now hanging across lower manhattan, as we all brace for an interesting, unique, New York Fashion Week.
By: Staci Soslowitz