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What to expect from New York Fashion Week

By Marjorie van Elven

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Fashion

New York Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2019 kicks off this Thursday, February 7. Here is what to expect from the upcoming event, which will be live streamed on its official website.

The ones not to miss

Tom Ford will be having its first ever co-ed runway show on NYFW on Thursday. Ford follows in the footsteps of Gucci, Celine and Burberry, who all show mixed women’s and men’s collections during fashion week.

Wes Gordon will showcase his second collection for Carolina Herrera.

Ralph Lauren made headlines last season for its extravagant 50-year anniversary celebration, leaving fashionistas curious about what the label will do to top it.

Absences

Calvin Klein is the most important no-show of the season. The label decided not to participate of NYFW Autumn/Winter 2019, following the departure of Raf Simons from the role of Creative Director. However, the label could possibly be the most coveted show next season, as a successor is expected to be announced soon.

Rodarte was last season’s biggest comeback kid, but the return was short lived: the label led by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy has taken its runway show to Los Angeles.

Another brand staying back home is Victoria Beckham, who brought her show back to London last season.

Comebacks

Helmut Lang is one of the most anticipated shows of the season, as the brand hasn’t taken part in NYFW since September 2017.

Proenza Schouler remains firm in New York after returning to NYFW last season. “It’s been a fun ride showing the past two seasons in Paris during Couture but NY will always be home”, said the brand’s founders, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, on an Instagram post last year. This will be the label’s first show after McCollough and Hernandez bought the company back from Castanea Partners with the help of an unidentified group of investors.

Newbies

All eyes are on Telfar, winner of the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, which will debut on New York Fashion Week on Thursday.

Cong Tri, a Vietnamese designer famed for creating Katy Perry’s eccentric stage outfits, will stage his very first runway show on Monday.

Palm Angels, a streetwear brand founded by Moncler art director Francesco Ragazzi, is coming to NYFW after gaining notoriety thanks to celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Pharrell Williams. Ragazzo is giving away 20 tickets to his fashion show on Instagram -- hurry up!

The event is losing its luster

Although NYFW is still one of the most important events of the international fashion calendar, it’s no longer the fashion extravaganza it used to be. Some industry players even say the event currently exists just for the sake of it.

First intended as a means to showcase future collections to buyers and print media, fashion weeks are being shaken by the speed of social media, online retailing and drop culture. That’s why some brands have decided to leave it altogether, such as Alexander Wang, while others, such as Tom Ford, are experimenting with the “See Now, Buy Now” format, showcasing items that can be bought in stores right away. Industry veterans also complain NYFW’s aura of exclusivity has been watered down by live streaming and the presence of bloggers and social media influencers, who share photos and videos of the shows as they happen.

New York Fashion Week in a nutshell:

  • World War II is the reason the event exists. NYFW was created by publicist Eleanor Lambert (also the creator of the Council of Fashion Designers of America) in 1943 as a means to boost local fashion, as fashion journalists couldn’t travel to Paris anymore. Only the press had access to the event at first.
  • NYFW generates an estimated 900 million US dollars for the city, according to the NYC Economic Development Corporation.
  • NYFW was acquired by media conglomerate IMG in 2009. William Morris Endeavor (WME) purchased IMG in 2013, moving the event to Lincoln Center, then to Skylight Moynihan and Skylight Clarkson Square, and most recently to Spring Studios.
  • Spring/Summer 2019 was NYFW’s most diverse season. Never before has the event featured so many models of color, transgender models and plus size models.

Pictures: courtesy of CFDA, courtesy of Proenza Schouler, Telfar: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images North America, screenshot NYFW.

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