Fashion Week’s biggest trend
Online shows, talks increase scene’s access and diversity
Like so many other things this fall, New York Fashion Week is going ahead in a very different form. The Spring 2021 shows began Sunday, are taking place in a shorter-than-usual time frame and are mostly online — with a few noteworthy exception such as Jason Wu, who staged his in a socially distanced live show on the roof of a city building.
One fact that NYFW had to its advantage in all of this transition: It was already leaning this way. Over the last few years, more and more designers had been bringing their presentations online so more people could have access to them. And this season’s deluge of livestreamed shows and video chats, digital look books and videos just takes that a gigantic step further.
Some heavy-hitting designers have opted not to take part, including the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler. (Kors is instead planning to roll out his collection in multimedia form across the brand’s social media accounts, whereas Proenza Schouler will be doing the same in digital form. Both will release their collections in mid-October.) And so while those major players have certainly been missed, there are also plenty who have taken up the challenge.
So whose shows can you catch online?
Well-known and muchloved quantities like Alice + Olivia, Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Carolina Herrera, Christian Siriano, Cinq à Sept, Marchesa, Tom Ford, Veronica Beard and, of course, the aforementioned