NY FASHION WEEK
The Creative, Smart + Brave Showed Skills
New York Fashion Week’s Spring/Summer 2021 shows were unlike any other, which isn’t surprising given all the pandemic restrictions. Designers had to get creative with how they showed their collections, and they didn’t exactly have a large window to work with this time around (shows only ran from September 13th – 16th). However, there were some highlights worth noting.
Jason Wu’s Tulum-themed outdoor show was a huge standout. While most designers went the digital route, Wu staged a live performance on the rooftop of Spring Studios in TriBeCa. Lowe’s Home Improvement sponsored New York Fashion Week. It also helped Wu construct a concrete jungle – complete with socially-distanced seating (only 36 people attended), a few tons of playground sand, hundreds of tropical plants, plus a wooden boardwalk that served as the catwalk. Clear umbrellas were on hand if it rained (it didn’t), which only would’ve added to the jungle-like atmosphere. Pose actress Indya Moore opened the show wearing a loose sleeveless maxi-dress with eyelet detailing, setting the tone for the nine-minute beachy experience. Interestingly enough, Wu noted that he felt more connected to his audience this time around than he had at any previous shows, even with strict distancing guidelines.
As for those who preferred to show digitally (returning designers Anna Sui and Chromat being two of them), the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) created Runway360 – a digital platform to show new collections and other creative projects. Although many will undoubtedly mourn the increasing loss of live fashion shows, Runway360 will make for more sustainable presentations in the future. Global online wholesale platform Ordre recently reported that international fashion weeks emit the same amount of greenhouse gases as a small country.
Runway360 also removes the usual hierarchies found at fashion weeks and allows lesser-known designers to equally flex their creative muscle. Ten new American brands had the opportunity to show during this season’s NYFW. They included avant-garde mother/daughter luxury label Dur Doux and Imitation of Christ – a name you may have heard in the early 2000s (actress Chloe Sevigny was involved in the label’s creation). Digital shows also remove the issue of time constraints, which allows designers to showcase their collections in various formats and at more convenient and flexible times. Also, Runway360 can engage the international press as travel restrictions may prevent most of them from attending live shows.
As international fashion weeks continue (you’re up next, London!), we will see just how creative the fashion industry can get with all the new restrictions that are in place. While some designers are still producing live shows, digital versions will undoubtedly continue. As we’ve reported before, fashion shows desperately needed to change/update their formats even before the pandemic began. It is indeed happening, albeit under unfortunate circumstances, as more and more fashion brands turn to digital platforms (even TikTok has started partnering with designers to showcase capsule collections) to unveil new designs. We are curious to see what London, Milan, and Paris have in store, and we will be watching from a safe (and social) distance.
