What is New York Fashion Week?

New York Fashion Week is the bi-annual event of runway shows and presentations used to highlight designers’ collections for the next fashion season. Although, in some cases a few designers have begun to opt for a “see now, buy now” model, where the collections they show are for the current season. The event is organized by WME/IMG and the Council of Fashion Designers America (CFDA). It is part of the Fashion Month, which also includes the Fashion Week’s for London, Milan, and Paris. Annually, NYFW is attended by more than 230.000 visitors with more than 300 shows in 7-9 days: a study reveals that New York Fashion Week generates over 900 million dollars for the City’s economy yearly. Next to the existing NYFW, menswear got its own standalone Fashion Week called New York Fashion Week: Men’s. That event also is bi-annual and being promoted by the CFDA.

When is New York Fashion Week?

New York Fashion Week takes place twice a year. Once in September for the spring/summer collection and again in February for the fall/winter collections. The first ever New York Fashion Week took place in 1943 and was created by Eleanor Lambert, promotional director of the New York Dress Institute. New York Fashion Week: Men’s takes place once in July and again in late January/early February. 

Where is New York Fashion Week?

Prior to Fall 2015, the venue for New York Fashion Week was the Lincoln Center when Mercedes-Benz was the sponsor. Once WME/IMG took over, the two new main venues became Skylight Clarkson Square and Skylight Moynihan Station, the first of which is also New York Fashion Week: Men’s primary venue. Chelsea Piers and Park Avenue Armory have also become popular locations for shows and events, with a few other shows scattered throughout downtown Manhattan. Iconic venues include the Hammerstein Ballroom chosen for Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2017 show or the Museum of Modern Art used for Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2018 show.