New show formats and big names on the program for New York Fashion Week

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Sep 6, 2016

New York Fashion Week will open what is a marathon month of womenswear shows for spring/summer 2017, crossing the finish line in Paris, October 5. The upcoming edition, which runs September 7-15, is already being vastly talked about for its upheaval of the fashion season. 

Excitement is swelling around the parades "see now buy now", where designers are showcasing collections, which then are immediately available for purchase. Tested last February by several brands including Rebecca Minkoff, the new formula, launching firstly in New York, looks to feature prominently this season in womenswear.

Among the ranks is Tom Ford, who makes his big return to the New York scene after several seasons away. The American designer, who was one of the first last year to announce his 'ready-to-buy' model, will inaugurate the new sales model, opening fashion week on Thursday via a mixed men's and womenswear runway. Reserved for a selected elite, Ford will unveil his wardrobe of the season, that being winter, and put it up for sale immediately after.

Also part of the revolution, Tommy Hilfiger will show his first open to the public runway show on the evening of September 9, as well as streaming live on Tommy.com. The American designer will feature the "TommyXGigi capsule line, co-created with Gigi Hadid.

Diane von Furstenberg will be on display from September 10 to 11. By appointment only, the brand is unveiling the first collection helmed by new creative director Jonathan Saunders, which will also be available for immediate purchase. Meanwhile, Rebecca Minkoff is sticking with the "see now buy now" strategy, kicking off Saturday at midday. 

Google is set to accompany the movement. The search engine is wanting to bring more consumers together with the designers, creating new research models, which allow internet users to find information on all the fashion week events in New York. Google will also highlight images and content provided by designers and other fashion professionals, as they come live from the shows.  

This season, the New York calendar boasts a more selective program, explained the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in a press release. Since the CFDA took the fashion week helm back in 2014, the selection process has hardened. 

"In September 2014, the program had 394 shows and presentations. Last year, 192 designers had obtained a ticket, while this year's calendar boasts jut 152 shows and presentations," said the council.

Returning to the runway is Thakoon -- the New York brand founded 2004 by Thai-American designer, Thakoon Panichgul. Another name infiltrating the Big Apple this edition is Akris, who is leaving Paris, a city where the Swiss label has showed since 2004. Headed up Albert Kriemler, Akris will receive the Artistry of Fashion prize in New York September 7, awarded by the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Akris will then show September 9.

A big debut also scheduled for Sies Marjan, the New York brand launched last winter by Sander Lak, former creative director at Dries Van Noten. The young label, which is garnering more and more attention from fashion insiders and has acquired the help of fashion stylist Lotta Volkova, will show September 11.

The remainder of the week will be dominated by big names brands and the lesser known. The program includes Jason Wu, Lacoste, Alexander Wang, Victoria Beckham, DKNY lead by Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow, Opening Ceremony, The Row, Jeremy Scott, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Oscar de la Renta, whose collection has been designed internally at the departure of Peter Copping. New co-creative directors Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim, will take up the baton in February.

Finally, there's Thom Browne, Tory Burch, Coach, Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren with two night shows slated for Wednesday.  Marc Jacobs will close the week on September 15, as well as Calvin Klein, whose collection will be shown via appointment. Raf Simons remains set design his first collection for the brand next winter.