Have we seen our last NYFW?
Have we seen our last NYFW?
NYFW had its debut in 1943 and since its inception it has only been cancelled one time in 2001 after the terrorist attacks. Now 19 years later it has been cancelled again but this time for a worldwide pandemic.
Fashion Week in New York was already struggling before this crisis hit our country. And Fashion Week in New York had already become a much-condensed version and less glamorous then it has been in prior years. Now the shows in Europe have become the hot tickets leaving New York falling behind in 4th place even though Fashion Week always kicks off here. And many US designers had been leaving NY to show in places like LA, London, and other places around the globe.
So now American designers are having to come up with a new game plan to showcase their new trends and looks for the season. To meet consumers’ desires to buy all styles year-round, designers are creating seasonless collections, making the fashion calendar obsolete. Buyers are finding more convenient and sustainable ways to do their job, and more consumers are looking to street style than the runway for trends. As a result, fashion shows don’t hold the same purpose they once had. What’s more, with the average cost for building a runway space in New York being $75 000, fashion shows are untenable for small designers. For others, hosting a show could be seen as gratuitous — especially when a potentially more cost-effective option can be found in the digital realm.
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DAILY TAMARA
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Milan, Paris, and London designers are also looking to go the digital route (at least for this season). Although I can see those countries bring their fashion week’s back before New York does.
Brands not yet ready to say goodbye to fashion week have moved to hosting intimate events during the week to celebrate their collections, talent and process. Even last season designers were coming up with new ways to showcase their latest fashions from hosting private events in their showrooms or flagship stores, and doing things like having dinner parties or small events in hotels.
Whether doing something virtually or hosting a more intimate event designers are coming up with new ways to share their creations that are more cost effective. And if done virtually they reach a much greater audience. It seems almost unfathomable that most American designers will have the resources to have large fashion shows, at least anytime in the near future.
So, while I don’t have a crystal ball I feel confident that fashion week, at least in the states, may be changed forever. And as the world continues to evolve and change so will the fashion industry and with it will come new ways for brands to share their new trends with the world. I just hope to be part of the fashion rollercoaster as it goes up, down and all around!
XO!
Tamara
