After losing several of its key attractions (Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, Hood by Air), New York Fashion Week will also lose a day. According to the official calendar, presentations will now begin on Thursday, September 7 and run until Wednesday, September 13, eliminating the second Thursday in the lineup.
It’s a smart move on the part of the CFDA. The eight-day schedule was wholly unnecessary, not to mention costly. As Vice President of Marketing for the CFDA Mark Beckham pointed out, that final Thursday was, in a word, anticlimactic: “For the past two seasons, Marc [Jacobs] has been on the last day pretty much alone, which obviously wasn’t as advantageous to him either.”
Then there’s the fact that many It brands, including VFiles, routinely show on Wednesday or even Tuesday, thus subjecting the fashion flock to as many as nine straight days of events, shows and parties. #Firstworldproblems, undoubtedly, but for many, the week marks the start of a month of nonstop travel and outfit changes — and fatigue is a very real thing. (Hence the birth of the fashion month survival guide subgenre.)
Start strong, end strong — that’s the CFDA’s new motto. “It’s important to have strong opening and closing shows,” Beckham told WWD. “But it’s just as important to have strong designers showing everyday.” Thus, deafeningly buzzy, Raf Simons-helmed Calvin Klein will open the week on Thursday, September 7 at 10 a.m. and returning prodigal son Tom Ford will show later that day at 7 p.m. Marc Jacobs will maintain his closing spot, which will move up to 6 p.m. on Sept. 13.
How the lineup maintains such a pace remains to be seen. “The CFDA is still working on finalizing other shifts throughout the week, doing its best to work with brands to ensure that the calendar is meeting designer needs and maximizing their presence during the week,” wrote the organization in a press release. With so many main acts gone — and Kanye toning down his — the CFDA definitely has its work cut out.
[ via WWD ]
