How Brands Can Be Prepared for the Ever-Changing New York Fashion Week Landscape
Insights from Bailey Hospodor, Director
TL;DR: This New York Fashion Week, the CFDA picked up its home at Spring Studios and moved west to the Starrett-Lehigh building on the West Side Highway. Fashion show-goers have mixed feelings on the move and whether this show format is sustainable for large crowds and high-profile attendees. Publicists and production teams need to be nimble and flexible with the new venue format and learn how to navigate New York City, manage challenging requests from clients and the feedback from show-goers.
In the whirlwind of New York Fashion Week (NYFW), the only constant seems to be change.
This year, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) orchestrated a significant shift, relocating from the familiar confines of Spring Studios to the expansive Starrett-Lehigh building on the West Side Highway.
What does this mean for brands? By exploring the challenges and opportunities that define the ever-evolving realm of NYFW, we’ve uncovered strategies and insights essential for brands aiming to thrive amidst the flux of the fashion world.
But first, let's journey back in time, tracing the evolution of NYFW and the pivotal role played by its iconic hubs in shaping the industry.
A look back
Before we understand where we are now, we first need to look back at where NYFW has been throughout the years.
In 1962, the CFDA was founded by Eleanor Lambert to curate formal show guidelines and schedules for designers. Before 1962, there was constant chaos with shows happening at the same time and in different parts of the city, creating major logistical challenges for guests and production teams.
Fast forward to 1991 with the birth of the first NYFW “hub” in Bryant Park, an elevated and centralized location that could host numerous shows and events within the tents. Since then, the CFDA has moved hubs multiple times to cater to the growing NYFW schedule and show sizes. The hubs became an iconic piece of NYC’s fashion history — from Bryant Park white tents to Lincoln Center.
Recently, brands decided to move their shows into Brooklyn, from bars and restaurants to outdoor gardens and rooftops across the city. With the newest relocation from Spring Studios to the Starrett-Lehigh building in 2024 (and with brands continuously going off-site), madness and chaos have returned to fashion week.
Pros and cons of the hub
When the CFDA moved into Spring Studios in 2017, the immediate feedback was promising, with large panoramic windows, a beautiful rooftop, a coffee shop, a lounge area and multiple galleries that could hold shows of all sizes.
Fast forward a few years, and the hub started to fall out of favor. With the persistent challenges that the CFDA and partnered organizations face to identify a suitable hub, we ponder whether this format is sustainable and what the future holds for NYFW.
Let’s weigh the pros and cons of the NYFW hub:
Pros:
Oftentimes, the CFDA and its partnered organization, IMG, provide designers with incentives to show in the space that’s otherwise too expensive for brands to source on their own.
Those incentives include:
Financial support or discounted rates
Production support including sound, lighting, seating and decor needs
PR amplification
Connecting brands with sponsors including hair & makeup, nails, F&B, etc.
There’s a familiar environment and guests know what to expect upon arrival.
There’s a lounge area for attendees to relax and refresh in between shows.
Back-to-back shows within the hub allow for attendees to remain in one location instead of traveling across the city.
The hubs are raw spaces that allow for brands to transform the room into something unique and creative.
Cons:
With the growing guest list and more back-to-back shows, the front-of-house (check-in) area is not large enough, forcing guests to wait in long, unorganized lines with many pushed to stand outside.
As with any New York building, getting to specific floors is also a challenge, with jam-packed, slow elevators that create tension and stress for guests.
The newest hub, Starrett-Lehigh, is located along the West Side Highway with a long walk to the metro and significant traffic jams.
The galleries within the venues are large and don’t allow for more intimate shows that some brands and designers prefer.
The level of production and supplies needed to create a new and unique buildout within hubs increases budgets, when designers can instead find a space that already has the design elements they are looking for.
How to identify the right venue
When selecting a venue for a fashion show, four key factors must be considered:
Location:
Guests shouldn’t have to travel extensively to the venue. If the show is off-site, then providing transportation or a suggested travel route will help increase attendance.
Many brands work alongside the team at the CFDA to understand where other brands are showing, aiming to cause minimal conflicts for others on the schedule.
If a show is outside of Manhattan, expect to hold the show to wait for key attendees to arrive.
Venue size and capacity:
If a brand is looking to seat 500 guests, the venue should be able to properly accommodate without being too crowded.
Over the years, smaller-scale shows have popped up with a more curated invite list, and brands do not need the square footage that the hubs offer. This season, we saw Joseph Altuzarra, who celebrated his 15th anniversary, show in his studio with only 70 attendees.
Within the venue, there should be sufficient seating and a clear, unobstructed view of the runway.
Front of house (FOH) and back of house (BOH):
NYFW is already chaotic; the front of house and back of house shouldn’t create any more stress.
They should be large enough for guests to check in quickly and get to their seats with ease.
If there are elevators or intricate routes to get into the main space, station staff to help guide guests or provide clear signage.
Aesthetic:
The venue should enhance the collection and lean into the inspiration. If the collection is dark and moody but shown in a venue that is bright and white, it creates a disconnect. Finding a venue that can lend itself to the collection is greatly important for the full effect.
Where to go from here
NYFW hubs aren’t going away anytime soon — one season a brand may decide to show in the hub, and the next they may show off-site. In this rapidly changing landscape, trust in the support of KWT Global to guide you and bring your vision to life.
To learn more about how our NYFW and PR experts help execute and support shows and events, check out our Consumer PR services here.