A Change In Scenery

This September, fashion professionals, designers, and journalists at last bid farewell to the historic Bryant Park as they head into some unfamiliar Fashion Week territory—Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park.

Over the years, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has called Bryant Park home. Sure, it was comfortable, and designers had grown accustomed to its close proximity to the Garment District, but the  notoriously cramped tents and crowded entryways were signs that Fashion Week was long overdue for a new venue. So, as Heidi Klum would say, “One day you’re in; the next day you’re out.” Sorry, Bryant Park you’re out, Lincoln Center is in!

Lincoln Center will provide designers with more space, a much needed technology upgrade, and the added bonus of convenience to more parts of the city. And just think: When the Yankees changed venues and moved to their new stadium in 2009, they went on to win the World Series.

Fashion rulers like Vera Wang, Rebecca Taylor, and Diane Von Furstenberg have all signed on to participate in Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center. Other top designers will include Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, Narciso Rodriguez, Max Azria, Elie Tahari, Monique Lhuillier, Luca Luca, and Derek Lam as well as a handful of budding designers like Prabal Gurung.

One main advantage of Lincoln Center is its size. Bryant Park’s space was 70,000 square feet, whereas the new location boasts over 87,000 square feet. There will be five main venues, three for runway shows, and two others (one indoors and one outside) for supplementary events, like designer presentations, forums, photo-shoots, and press conferences. The lobby area will be more spacious, featuring lounge-style seating, and ample space for press, along with food stands and other displays. The “lounge-inspired” lobby is great news for those attending the shows, who most likely felt a little more than cramped in the circus that was the entrance to Bryant Park. The new space adds comfort (read: luxury). Who doesn’t want to lounge around while sipping champagne and enjoying truly fashionable company?

The Lincoln Center can also provide more cutting-edge production capabilities like enhanced lighting and high-tech digital resources. For example, the main tent, The Theater, will display a video wall upstage, something that Bryant Park could never accommodate. IMG’s Director of PR Zach Eichman explains, “A lot of smart and good PR firms have tried to do these same things. They had to bring in all the equipment and hope it all worked in the two or three hours they had to set up. Now the hardware and infrastructure will be there and ready for them to use on-site.”

The biggest change is the increased exposure: Fashion Week will no longer be exclusive to only those with seats. Designers will have the option to live-stream their shows for the passer-bys, tourists, fashionistas, or whoever is curious in all the entertainment, glitz, glam, but most importantly, the products. This technology will be a powerful promotional tool for designers showing in New York; the ability to involve and reach more potential customers in the epicenter of the world is a great opportunity for renewal and growth. Eichman also recently revealed IMG’s new partnership with Fashion GPS, which will enable ticket holders to check themselves into multiple shows at once using special kiosks. This will limit the hassle and wait-time for guests attending the shows; once again, offering attendees a  more luxurious experience.

Location wise, Lincoln Center is also optimal for transportation. The space is conveniently by the 1 train’s 66th Street/Lincoln Center station and is also blocks from the 59th Street/Columbus Circle stop, which serves the A/C and B/D lines. Moreover, Lincoln Center has one of the largest underground parking garages in the city, whereas parking around Bryant Park is typically a nightmare.

Because the Lincoln Center is home to sophisticated and highly cultural organizations like the New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic, and the New York City Ballet, refined music, art, and ballet lovers may feel tempted to join the “fashion insider’s club” this year. Tommy Hilfiger, who in the past has opted to run his shows separately, will join Mercedes-Benz this year. He reflects, “Lincoln Center has such a wonderful atmosphere and unparalleled sophistication.” And with Mercedes-Benz, IMG and sponsors like W Hotels Worldwide, American Express, and FIJI Water involved, there’s no doubt in our minds that New York’s upcoming Fashion Week (with its new address and everything) will be one to be remembered.

Industry insiders weigh in on Fashion Week’s relocation to Lincoln Center

“The move has allowed IMG to reinvent and improve so many aspects of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week as well as develop a stronger link to the surrounding facilities and spaces available at Lincoln Center and the neighborhood. This is the first season in what we are confident will be a long ‘run’ at Lincoln Center.”

Peter Levy
SVP and Managing Director of IMG Fashion

“We are delighted to provide Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with a new home and an extraordinary array of possibilities. Over the past few years, Lincoln Center has undergone a transformation, resulting in a campus that is aesthetically spectacular as well as extremely accessible. We look forward to providing the fashion industry with one central location for activities in and around the tents. In addition, we plan to welcome consumers with a dynamic array of opportunities to engage with the art of fashion.”

Stephanie Winston Wolkoff
Director of Fashion, Lincoln Center

“It is the new beginning of what is surely going to be a great tradition. While Bryant Park served as a terrific location for so many years, it is always nice to see change, giving Fashion Week a fresh appeal.”

Prabal Gurung
Designer

“We are very much looking forward to moving Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to a new home at Lincoln Center, an iconic location offering a tremendous amount of opportunity for everyone involved, from designers to local businesses.”

Geoff Day
Director of Communications at
Mercedes-Benz USA

“I am always excited to go to Lincoln Center. I love the opera, the ballet, and the concerts; this September, I will feel the same thrill during Fashion Week.”

Carolina Herrera
Designer

“We think this new location will give fashion week the space to grow and flourish, and cement its reputation as a premier global event. We want to make sure the entire city reaps the benefits.”

Mayor Michael Bloomberg

“For the first time in many years, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will feel like a nervous first day of school for us at The Daily.  And fittingly, my own high school just happens to be across the street!  We don’t know what to expect from Lincoln Center, but so far 2010 has been a marquee year for change and evolution. And we expect nothing less from Fashion Week. We expect it be grander, more theatrical, and more urgent. It would be actually great to see well-dressed New Yorkers going to the neighboring theatres at night, and not awe-struck tourists from Poland that used to hang around 42nd Street.”

VALENTINE UHOVSKI The Daily Front Row

Valentine Uhovski senior editor of The Daily Front Row shares his Upper West Side survival tips:

• The commute between the Chelsea show and the tents might actually be easier thanks to holy 10th Avenue, so make sure your driver doesn’t fool you.

• Make your reservations for Bar Boulud and Porter House NOW. Just take my word for it. The Daily also loves Kefi—it’s a nice evening Greek treat on Columbus and 84th.

• Lincoln Plaza Cinema is one of the best independent movie theaters in the country, and they usually play Oscar-bound indies months before everyone else. It’s also right across the street from all the hysteria!