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Everything We Know About New York Fashion Week So Far

New York Fashion Week is making its comeback.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) unveiled the preliminary calendar for NYFW, in partnership with IMG. Scheduled from Wednesday, Sept. 8 to Sunday, Sept. 12, the event marks New York’s full return to live runway shows since the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Last week, IMG announced that all individuals entering NYFW: The Shows at Spring Studios will be required to show proof of full-course COVID-19 vaccination, consistent with state and federal law. New York City will become the first U.S. city to require proof of at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine for a range of activities, including indoor dining, gyms and concerts, starting Aug. 16, with enforcement beginning on Sept. 13.

Currently, there are more than 90 live runway shows and presentations scheduled during Fashion Week. The event finds many beloved designers returning to show in New York after several seasons abroad; most notably, Altuzarra and Thom Browne will be presenting over the weekend. Two of the week’s most-anticipated events are runway shows for Dundas and Moschino, marking both label’s first times showing at NYFW. Other top brands putting on shows and presentations include Christian Siriano, Michael Kors, Gabriela Hearst, Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, Brandon Maxwell, Jason Wu, and Tory Burch. Tom Ford will close the Week with his show on Sunday, September 12, the same evening as the VMA’s (also held in New York City).

One important element to New York Fashion Week is a focus on emerging and independent designers, many of whom are making highly-anticipated Fashion Week debuts or comebacks. Both Sergio Hudson and Markarian — who designed Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden’s outfits for the presidential inauguration, respectively — will be conducting live runway shows. Pyer Moss will present its’ first live runway show since 2019. Peter Do and Maisie Wilen, whose first collections went viral during an isolated 2020, will also be making their Fashion Week debuts. Other independent brands like Elena Velez, Kevan Hall, Dur Doux, and Connor McKnight will additionally present for the first time as part of the official Fashion Week calendar.

The combination of established and independent brands, as well as the achievement of showing on live runways after the previous year, aims to highlight the talent and resilience of the American fashion industry.

“New York Fashion Week is back with a diverse lineup representative of the future of American fashion,” said Steven Kolb, CEO of the CFDA, in a statement. “Our fashion industry has come together as we continue to emerge from the pandemic, and a collaborative spirit is paramount to the success of our creative talents. Working in tandem with IMG has enabled us to present a singular Official New York Fashion Week Schedule of shows and presentations within the American Collections Calendar.”

All of this year’s shows and presentations will be streamed on Runway360, the digital hub created by the CFDA to support and bring greater exposure to American fashion brands.

Alo Yoga has been named the official wellness partner for NYFW: The Shows. The partnership starts Sept. 9 with the Alo Wellness Dept., an immersive, invite-only event at Spring Studios offering several wellness activations, including yoga and sound baths.

Afterpay is also championing the return of NYFW with a pop-up store featuring exclusive products. It will be home to educational talks, styling workshops and other events throughout the week.

It was previously announced in May that NYFW’s spring ’22 presentations will welcome a significant return to live fashion shows, according to Council of Fashion Designers of America chairman Tom Ford.

The designer penned a letter earlier this season, stating that New York Fashion Week will officially take place from Wednesday, Sept. 8, to Sunday, Sept. 12.

“This season’s shows are an opportunity to reaffirm the resilience and independence of American fashion and New York City as a global fashion force,” Ford said in his letter, noting that many designers who have not shown in New York in recent years — himself included — will make their way back. (Ford previously held his presentations in Los Angeles on the eve of the 2020 Oscars and virtually in February.)

To further support the return of New York Fashion Week, IMG announced the formation of the IMG Fashion Alliance, which includes a group of American designers who “will help define the future of NYFW with IMG.” Those part of the alliance include: Joseph Altuzarra of Altuzarra, Brandon Maxwell, Jason Wu, LaQuan Smith, Alexandra O’Neill of Markarian, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia of Monse, Prabal Gurung, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, Sergio Hudson and Telfar.

The goal is to revitalize the event with a commitment from the designers to NYFW: The Shows and NYFW.com for the next three seasons, with support from IMG shown through increased live event services and production.

And on Sept. 13, the rescheduled Met Gala will close out the week with a celebratory bang for the Costume Institute’s “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” exhibition. It was in May last year when the Met Gala was officially canceled. This year, singer Billie Eilish, actor Timothée Chalamet, poet Amanda Gorman and tennis star Naomi Osaka will serve as co-chairs for the September gala. Honorary chairs for the evening include Ford, Adam Mosseri and Anna Wintour.

Press covering the red carpet will be required to wear black face masks and all red carpet media must provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination.

Ford said in a statement: “I started my career on Seventh Avenue and while I spent most of my working life in Europe, I am incredibly proud to be an American designer and a part of our community and New York Fashion Week.”

Last season, New York’s marquee names, such as Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Coach and The Row showed outside of the immediate calendar. Jason Wu and Rebecca Minkoff were the only brands showing with partial physical attendance.

Stay tuned for more updates, and click through the gallery to see celebrities sitting front row at NYFW through the years.

This story has been updated on Thursday, August 12.

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