For W magazine, by Kyle Munzenrieder.
Don’t let the “week” in New York Fashion Week fool you. Sure, the standard meaning of a week may be seven days, but in recent years NYFW has expanded to an eight-day official schedule. Of course, there’s always more than a few unofficial shows and events the day before the unofficial kickoff, and for the busiest (or thirstiest) fashionistas there’s always something to do the night before that. Meaning that, for some, the “week” can turn into a 10-day slog (and never mind the VIPs who have to shuttle off to the London, Milan and Paris week ― all of varying lengths ― afterwards).
Well, the Council of Fashion Designers of America has decided that the “week” in the title should no longer be an approximation. They’re cutting the official schedule back a day to just seven starting with the Spring 2017 shows scheduled for next September.
Marc Jacobs will keep his traditional closing event status, but his show will be moved from Thursday to Wednesday, September 13th at 6 p.m. Calvin Klein will official kick off events a week before on Thursday, September 7th.
It’s the latest sign that the CFDA is cracking down on scheduling excess. Last season, the organization got into a tiff with Kanye West after he decided to plop down his latest Yeezy showing last minute in the middle of Fashion Week with no respect for the rest of the shows. West had pulled similar stunts in the past, but the CFDA finally spoke up and eventually both parties worked out the scheduling conflicts.
The schedule tightening also comes as New York has lost some of its signature shows (at least for the time being). Hometown hero Proenza Schouler is relocating to Paris next season where it will join Rodarte who made the jump last season. Hood By Air, meanwhile, is now on “hiatus.” Others, like Tommy Hilfiger and Rebecca Minkoff, showed in Los Angeles last season (though, it’s not for certain that they won’t return). Opening Ceremony, meanwhile, has gone completely off the traditional calendar.
Though, next NYFW will see one return. After skipping last season and abandoning his “see now, buy now” experiment, Tom Ford will once again show in New York Fashion Week. He’ll close out the opening Thursday.
The CFDA says they hope the move means that there will be a stronger concentration of shows on each day. “It’s important to have strong opening and closing shows,” CFDA VP of Marketing Marc Beckham tells WWD. “But it’s just as important to have strong designers showing everyday.”
More from W Magazine:
