In the aughts, New York Fashion Week once meant something. For young fashionistas (designers who have yet to crack the industry, bloggers still click clacking away on their dial-ups, etc), Bryant Park was the place to be. But over the last decade, the once holy grail of fashion events became synonymous with tacky. More and more people—myself included—are skipping the week altogether. And for good reason.
There are two types of attendees at fashion week: ones who understand it as an art form, who are able to draw the lines between the runway and the larger cultural meaning, who can differentiate fashion houses and their ethos. The brendahashtags of fashion, if you will. They are fashion’s archivists and translators. It is clearly evident they love fashion, in a pure way that feels more and more rare.
Then, there are those who understand fashion in just measurements of fabric. To them, fashion exists in needless cycles of trends: cottagecore, coastal grandma, and the dozens of variations birthed and killed by social media. Each outfit is quickly discarded and poorly cared for. NYFW is a backdrop for their Instagram posts and when the week is over, they will continue shelling out for Amazon.
The last time I attended NYFW, in 2020, the landscape had shifted largely to favor the latter. The business of fashion itself is always a tricky one: yes, on a marketing level, it makes sense to seat influencers and celebrities front row, even those who will not think about the designer they just saw minutes after leaving the show. But there is an undeniable taint when the careless minority become the focus of fashion week.
André Leon Talley, fashion giant, touched on this briefly in an interview about being replaced as correspondent at the Met Gala. To every extent, this shepherding of shiny influencers in place of esteemed fashion experts is not limited to just fashion week. It would make a world of difference if there was at least an interest in fashion itself, but to them, it’s only relative to “content.”
It’s feasible that I am writing this through the lens of nostalgia: fashion is, first and foremost, a business. It was never a sanctuary for just art alone. But comparative to the superior fashion weeks (harsh, but true), NYFW feels like ground zero for ant-like individuals who have no care for anything but their Tik Tok views. They will crawl to what is trending and move on to the next over-picked carcass.
Or as a fashion editor friend of mine once said, “Going to fashion week does not make one actually fashionable lol.”
The other side of this conversation goes back to sustainability. Jordan Santos talks about this on her Substack, but our collective desire to buy, own, and toss items perpetuates this notion that fashion should only exist in trends. I appreciate that some fashion brands, such as Gucci, are killing the seasonal fashion show in favor of longevity and waste prevention. But I suspect that the majority of attendees at NYFW this year do not feel the same and looking at the sponsors and vendors, I imagine that it will be more of the same noise as years past.
Rarely do I advocate for gatekeeping (particularly as fashion itself is notoriously elitist and difficult to break into), but certain exceptions can and should be made.
The larger discourse at hand is how can we be intentional about fashion? The onus is not on just NYFW itself, but all of us and our personal engagements. With that being said, NYFW has become the pinnacle of frivolousness. Its contributions to fashion are not ones that I am interested in. It is the equivalent of an ad before a video. I’ll skip, thanks.
But regardless of my own personal attendance, it is without a doubt that I’ll see NYFW plastered over my feed by the same people who shamelessly shop at SHEIN. Someone @ me when there’s a shift again. Until then, NYFW stays the inferior fashion week.
As someone who’s just attended London Fashion Week - albeit from a model’s perspective and I’ve only been at castings - the vibes are different here. It’s edgier, it’s harder, and I haven’t seen that many influencers at all. I also hate gate keeping but I’m down for something to return... something that can find inclusivity without completely selling out.
It's interesting to hear your perspective on London Fashion Week and how it differs from your expectations. Fashion weeks around the world, including London, often reflect the current trends and values of the industry. It's not uncommon for each city's fashion week to have its unique vibe and atmosphere. The absence of many influencers and a more "edgy" and less commercial feel can be refreshing for those who appreciate authenticity and creativity in fashion.
Inclusivity in the fashion industry is an important topic, and it's heartening to see that you're open to it without wanting to completely "sell out." Many people are looking for more diversity and representation in the fashion world. It's a gradual process, but change is happening.
Fashion weeks can play a role in promoting inclusivity by featuring a broader range of models, designers, and styles. Gatekeeping can indeed be an issue in the fashion industry, but it's also encouraging to see a growing push for transparency, diversity, and accessibility.
Fashion is always evolving, and it's driven by the voices and preferences of those in the industry, like models and designers, as well as consumers. It's great that you're a part of this conversation and that you want to see a return to values that prioritize creativity, authenticity, and inclusivity. It's through these efforts that the fashion industry can continue to transform and adapt to meet the needs and desires of a diverse and ever-changing audience.