CFDA announces New York Fashion Week schedule

The Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA) has revealed the calendar for the upcoming New York Fashion Week (NYFW) taking place between 13 - 16 September.

Earlier this week New York governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed the event would go ahead in “strict compliance” with New York State health and safety guidelines. That means outdoor events at the show have been capped at 50 people and indoor events have been capped at 50 percent capacity with no spectators.

The schedule will kick off on Sunday with Jason Wu and Harlem’s Fashion Row’s virtual fashion experience, and will conclude with iconic US designer Tom Ford on Wednesday.

Familiar faces to the event include Alabama Chanin, Alice + Olivia, Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Bibhu Mohapatra, Carolina Herrera, Chromat, Claudia Li, Dennis Basso, Eckhaus Latta, Jonathan Simkhai, LaQuan Smith, Marchesa and Marchesa Notte, Marina Moscone, Naeem Khan, Nicole Miller, Veronica Beard, and Zero + Maria Cornejo.

The show will also welcome ten new names: Aknvas, Anne Klein, Colleen Allen, Dur Doux, Duncan, Frederick Anderson, Frère, Imitation of Christ, Oak & Acorn, Venicew, Wiederhoeft, and Wolk Morais.

Additionally, New York Men’s Day (NYMD) will return to the official NYFW schedule and showcase 10 menswear designers including CFDA members David Hart and Timo Weiland.

Runway360 to act as new 'seasonless' platform for designers

In light of ongoing disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, this NYFW will feature a mix of live and virtual fashion shows, presentations, and other content. Brands and designers who can’t attend the show due to travel restrictions related to Covid-19 will be able to still participate through Runway360, a digital platform launched by CFDA.

Announced in July, Runway360 is a “seasonless” platform that will “serve as a permanent fixture and main destination at any time of the year for consumers, press, trade, and retailers from around the world to explore and engage with collections from American fashion designers”.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has upended the global fashion industry and hit New York particularly hard,” CFDA CEO Steven Kolb said in a statement. “Fashion week is a critical time when brands are able to connect with press, retailers and consumers, and I’m proud of how quickly the CFDA pivoted to support the needs of the industry by creating Runway360.

“We are excited to see 10 new American brands on the schedule - many for the first time - who might not have had the opportunity to share their collections to a global audience without access to Runway360. We’re also excited to highlight the incredible talent coming out of Harlem’s Fashion Row, and announce the return of New York Men’s Day. In the face of unprecedented challenges and uncertainty within our industry, the American fashion community has once again come together to support each other and prove its resilience.”

Photo credit: Vivienne Hu