New York Fashion Week kicks off in new digs

NEW YORK, Sept 8, 2010 - New York's Spring-Summer 2011 Fashion Week kicked off Wednesday in new digs at the prestigious Lincoln Center.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg opened the event and temporarily renamed the city's number one subway route the "Fashion Line" in honor of the week running until September 16th.

(L-R) Lincoln Center Chair Katherine Farley, IMG Chairman and CEO Ted Forstmann, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and designer Diane von Furstenberg stand next to the the 1 subway train line newly renamed "The Fashion Line" in honor of New York Fashion Week 2010 - Photo : AFP

Starting Thursday, designers from around the world will show their creations in tents set up in Damrosch Park within the Lincoln Center complex hosting the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet and New York Symphony Orchestra.

The New York event is the first of the four principal twice-a-year fashion weeks, followed by London, Milan and Paris.

"Starting tomorrow, one of the world's most eye-catching events comes to one of the world's greatest cultural institutions, as we kick off Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center," Bloomberg said.

"For years, the famed fashion tents have drawn people from all over the world to New York City, and the buzz is even greater this year with it debuting at its new home at Lincoln Center."

Fashion Week in New York is attended by some 230,000 people and brings an estimated 770 million dollars in economic activity to a city where 175,000 people are employed in the fashion industry, the mayor's office says.

Until this year Fashion Week always took place in more cramped conditions at Bryant Park, near Times Square.

"Lincoln Center is an ideal location for the semi-annual events, with more outdoor space than was available at Bryant Park and terrific transit access, including the Number One subway line, or as it will be called this week: The Fashion Line," Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg was accompanied at the opening ceremony by designer and Council of Fashion Designers of America president Diane von Furstenberg, whose collection will be shown Sunday.

Friday will feature "Fashion Night Out" when city stores stay open late and fashionistas are encouraged to shop and party into the wee hours.