Fashion Friday: New York Fashion Week

Another New York fashion week has come to a close, with a Finale show yesterday by Tommy Hilfiger. That show will be the last fashion week show at Bryant park, fashion week is moving to Lincoln Center after over 16 years at Bryant park.


Lincoln Center, New York

I thought I would share a little fashion week history. The first fashion week was held in 1943 and was called press week, not fashion week. During World War II Nazi's canceled Paris fashion shows and fashion insiders could not travel to Paris so they wanted to highlight domestic designers. Obviously this was successful, influential fashion magazines that had neglected American designers in the past started featuring them more and more, and now New York is America's very own fashion Mecca.


Press Week 1943

In 1994 Fashion week moved to Bryant park. It took 50 years for fashion week to be in one central location. Be fore that designers would show where they wanted, some would show in lofts, and others would display their clothes in hotels.


Bryant Park

In 2001 the first day of fashion week was scheduled for September 11th. After the twin towers collapsed it was cancelled. In 2003 New York fashion week and London fashion week switched dates so that New York Fashion week would not fall on the anniversary of September 11.

Currently Mercedes-benz sponsors fashion week, which is why we call it "Mercedes-benz Fashion Week" but only a few years ago it was sponsored by Olympus, so that may change any time. London fashion week is being sponsored by Cannon.

Speaking of London, Today was the kick of for fashion week there. It opened with a word from the prime ministers wife, Sarah Brown, and a tribute wall for Alexander McQueen.

So, back to New York. Something else interesting about new york fashion week is that while I would LOVE To just go to fashion week festivities, there are celebrities who are paid for making an appearance. Rhianna was offered 100,000 for a front row seat, others who got big payouts just to show up were Beyonce and Mary Kate and Ashley Olson... and that is not for the whole event, that is PER SHOW. I did not do the research to see which shows they actually attended, I am just not that into celebrities, I just think it is amazing to be paid money like that just to make an appearance. There are so many people that work really hard every day, I would rather the money be put to better use than A-list seat fillers. Notably, Marc Jacobs BANNED celebrities from his show. I have a lot of respect for that.

Anyway, the best part of fashion New York Fashion week is obviously the fashion shows, but those are much better if you get to see them for yourself. Click here to see Mercedes-benz Fashion Week.

What did you think of the shows?

Xoxo,
Erica