City Guide, Cover Story | May 18, 2021

New York Fashion Week Is Back To In-Person Presentations

City Guide, Cover Story | May 18, 2021

Photo Credit: NYFW

 

For better or worse, this September New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is back, baby! Music to the ears of models, designers, make-up artists, and hair gurus, the madness that wracks havoc on our city’s traffic and restaurant reservations is returning to in-person presentations after a near two years, virtual existence.

“This season’s shows are an opportunity to reaffirm the resilience and independence of American fashion and New York City as a global fashion force,” writes Council of Fashion Designers of America chairman Tom Ford in an official letter announcing the return. “I started my career on Seventh Avenue and while I spent most of my working life in Europe, I am incredibly proud to be an American designer and a part of our community and New York Fashion Week.”

True as that may be, the fashion industry, as beloved as it is, has gone through considerable challenges of late. From #metoo accusations that plagued photographers, designers and their enablers, to demand for inclusiveness, to calls for sustainable practices, retail crisis and rising conscious consumerism, this billion-dollar behemoth had no choice but to introspect.

This year, the programming, titled NYFW: The Shows, is organized by IMG and sponsored by Afterpay. Though many brands, young and established, plan to show in a similar fashion as before, the Fashion Alliance, a collective of 11 fashion houses, will present three, not four, consecutive seasons. Those include Altuzarra, Brandon Maxwell, Jason Wu, LaQuan Smith, Markarian, Monse, Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, Sergio Hudson and Telfar. This cutback represents a shift away from overproduction towards slower fashion and sustainable consumption.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by NYFW (@nyfw)

With the shows’ hub still at Spring Studios, many designers are opting for a creative approach to presenting at locations as varied as a church, an art gallery, and a dinner party. The inevitable culmination of the week will take place on September 13 at the Met Gala. This year’s theme could not be more appropriate, especially for the homebred designers. Aptly titled “In America: A lexicon of Fashion,” the celebration will be hosted by Timothée Chamalet, Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman and Naomi Osaka.

 

Related Articles

get the magazine

Subscribe to Haute Living

Receive Our Magazine Directly at Your Doorstep

Embark on a journey of luxury and elegance with Haute Living magazine. Subscribe now and have every issue conveniently delivered to your home. Experience the pinnacle of lifestyle, culture, and sophistication through our pages.

Exclusive

Haute Black Membership

Your Gateway to Extraordinary Experiences

Join Haute Black and unlock access to the world's most prestigious luxury events