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 Many designers at the semi-annual event, which begins on
Thursday, will preview 2017 fall/winter apparel that will land
in stores months from now. But others will follow a trend that
started last year and show in-season designs for spring/summer
that consumers can snap up immediately.
"We're also seeing a lot of designers show spring as well with
their 'see now/buy now' collection," said Katrina Mitzeliotis,
fashion director at celebrity and style website
HollywoodLife.com. "There is more diversity than ever before in
what's coming down the runway."
Designers Tommy Hilfiger, Tom Ford and a few others featured
in-season looks at last September's Fashion Week, months ahead
of when the fashion world was accustomed to seeing them.
Look for plenty of mashups, or mixed fabrics that appear to be
thrown together with studied casualness, to grace Fashion Week
runways this season, said Roseanne Morrison, fashion director of
The Doneger Group. She expects plenty of pant suits and outfits
with a tailored look, too.
"I am sure a lot of the fabrics will be lighter in weight
because most of the designers are addressing seasonless, or 'see
now/buy now' concept, because nobody is really buying for three
months ahead," she said.
While the idea has picked up steam, Catherine Bennett, senior
vice president, managing director of IMG fashion events,
cautioned that it is not a business model for everyone.
"It's really a personal decision for each designer," she
explained. "It's a great solution for some brands but not for
others."
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But diversity may extend beyond the fashions at Fashion Week, which
organizers said attracts about 100,000 people and generates $880
million in revenue for New York City.
Last season more than 25 percent of the models in shows in New York,
London, Paris and Milan were women of color, according to a study by
thefashionspot.com website.
New York led the way, with 30.3 percent, and that could rise this
year. The city's Fashion Week also featured the most plus-size
models in recent history, more women over 50 years old and a slight
increase in transgender models, with 10 appearances.
"We're seeing diversity more and more in fashion, whether it is race
or size," said Mitzeliotis.
Fashion experts hope the trend will continue and make the shows more
inclusive, broadening the appeal of the fashions. This year IMG, the
organizer of Fashion Week, has moved the shows from midtown venues
to the SoHo neighborhood of lower Manhattan.
Although some designers will still present their collections at
venues in other parts of Manhattan, the bulk of the shows are
scheduled for three galleries at Skylight Clarkson Square and the
presentation space Industria.
(Editing by Frank McGurty and David Gregorio)
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