What you need to know about the return of NYFW
New York Fashion week is saying goodbye to the pandemic confined scenario of virtual runway shows, and saying welcome back to in-person live presentations again. But will it be any better than the last several years of decline that the city has been presenting season after season. This September 2021 fashion week is the reintroduction a in-person runway shows.
The runway shows are set to begin on the 8th and continue till the 12th of September, and will be followed by the 2021 Met Gala that will be held in a separate location as the grand finale on the 13th of September. While the dates for Septembers shows have been set, there is still a large amount of uncertainty to how exactly the shows will operate with regards to the audience, and the protocols for a healthy and medically safe group event.
Although in the city of New York, regulations are lifting as vaccine encouragement reaches 70%, however, with the pandemic still being as unpredictable as it is, there is strong concern surrounding whether or not already tight restrictions for one of the U.S’ most prevalent fashion events will become even stricter.
Most notably, some of the designers that have spoken on New York Fashion Week include Kerby Jean-Raymond who stated a return to NYFW with a live show. Raymond has continued to shine a bright light on the issues of police brutality and the lack of acknowledgment for the contributions of Black Americans to pop culture and fashion. The news of his return has struck a major cord considering he has been on a break from Pyer Moss for the past two years, and will now return with a brand new fashion presentation, and while the list of designers that will be presenting at NYFW will not be officially released until we near closer to the dates of the show, Raymond has committed to showcasing at this event. Other designers such as Gabriela Hearst, Markarian and Jonathan Simkhai have also stated that they will be scheduling a live show for this September’s fashion week.
In an article written by AFP, they describe how while New York has a current and ongoing vaccination campaign, Steven Kolb ( CFDA’s CEO ) was quoted as “we look forward to a strong fashion season that celebrates the BEST of American fashion in both physical and digital formats“. In order to support and uplift the return of NYFW, IMG has recently announced that they will be forming the IMG Fashion Alliance consisting of American designers whose aim is to help with the redefining of New York Fashion Week(much needed) alongside IMG. Designers that will be featured include Brandon Maxwell, Jason Wu, Alexandra O’Neill of Markarian, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia of Monse, Sergio Hudson, Telfar and several other budding highlight designers of American Fashion. As IMG looks to reinvigorate the U.S world fashion prestige and give a commitment to NYFW from the featured designers for the shows next three seasons. This will be done through the support of the designers and IMG by increasing the amount of live events as well as the services and production.
With the return of NYFW and the promise of in-person shows, this could be the spark that ignites more shows to turn away from virtual and back to a more renewed reality that resembles life and events before the pandemic, and a fresh resurgence to NYFW