Two months away from commencing, NYFW has announced a change in its official venues. In an effort to centralize the event — and cut down on Uber bills — IMG will move downtown. The company (behind the modeling agency of the same name) handles the production of NYFW, while the Council of Fashion Designers of America controls the Fashion Calendar.
For the past three seasons, IMG has based the event in Skylight at Moynihan Station, on 33rd Street near Madison Square Garden. However, construction at the site has made it difficult to access. “Fashion is about evolution and adapting to the needs of your audience,” explained Catherine Bennett, IMG Events Senior Vice President and Managing Director. “As we strategized about next season, we decided to centralize our efforts at Skylight Clarkson Square.”
Now, shows will be anchored at the Clarkson Square space, with select presentations taking place blocks away at Industria on 40 Bethune Street. WWD reports that come February, other off-site shows will likely be held at Spring Studios, Pier 59 Studios, the Hammerstein Ballroom, and the Standard Hotel’s High Line space. But most designers looking to branch away from NYFW have ventured much further from home: all the way to the West coast.
This season, Tom Ford and Tommy Hilfiger will show their collections in L.A. In February, Hedi Slimane presented part one of his Saint Laurent womenswear collection at the city’s Palladium theatre; part two showed the following month in Paris. Tyler the Creator also presented his first-ever Golf Wang runway show in L.A., at the inaugural MADE LA event. He was joined by Shayne Oliver, who presented his fall/winter 16 men’s collection at MADE, and Jeremy Scott, who showed his Moschino resort collection. It’s safe to say with this new player involved — and the see-now-buy-now debate still raging — the fashion calendar will continue to shuffle. But hey, musical chairs is a fun game.
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Text Isabelle Hellyer