NEW YORK _ A couple of seasons ago, regulars at New York Fashion Week would have rolled their eyes if someone had asked if designers would be showing their fall and winter collections at the September shows. Of course not, a stylish insider might have scoffed. Designers present spring and summer clothes in September and looks for next fall and winter in February.
But as the latest New York Fashion Week wrapped on Thursday, we learned that the biannual event no longer can be simply defined. Some designers stick to tradition and preview trends that won't be available for several months. But for an increasing number, the shows are a chance to debut in-season clothing or see now/wear now styles that can be purchased on the spot. Then there are those brands that do both, mixing selections for next season with a few pieces for sale now.
Even the choice of venue has become a question mark. New York Fashion Week used to be synonymous with Bryant Park, and later Lincoln Center. Now events under the clumsily worded New York Fashion Week: The Shows umbrella are mostly split between a midtown event venue, the Skylight at Moynihan Station in the James A. Farley Post Office near Penn Station, and Skylight Clarkson Square on the outskirts of Soho. Other designers show at hotels, industrial studios, designer showrooms and outdoor spaces or they opt for a digital unveiling of a new collection on social media.
It's always thrilling to see what designers will come up with next, but is this mishmash of looks and locations unnecessarily confusing? It was weird to see swimsuits in one show and suede shearling-lined coats in the next, especially as temperatures lingered in the 90s for most of fashion week. And all that subway hopping to make it to events across the city left little time to let it all sink in.
Although Lincoln Center wasn't perfect, I miss the sense of community it fostered. It was a central place to mingle and discuss the days' shows in between events. And it gave you a few minutes to write down some reflections on the show rather than darting back to the subway.
It's OK that New York Fashion Week is more fluid these days. After all, so is the art of fashion. Let's just hope that all of these newfound ways to promote it ultimately don't distract from it.
